23. Yponomeuta atricatoa sp. nov.

Description of adult (Plate 4). Wingspan 24–25 mm. Head grey, labial palpus dark brown, a white spot on top of segment 2, segment 3 with pale ochreous tip; antenna weakly annulate, scape paler. Thorax grey with three black spots, tegula grey with a black spot anteriorly. Forewing grey, a set of 3 black spots on costa from base to ¼, a subcostal row of 4 black spots in medial area, 5 or 6 spots along fold, 3 spots subdorsally; terminal fringe concolorous with wing. Hindwing dark grey. Abdomen grey.

Male genitalia (Plate 12). Uncus absent, socius short and inwardly curved, gnathos comprising weak lobes, valva narrow and curved with a clothing of dense hairs, towards apex tending to be grouped in clusters, saccus moderately long terminating in a slight bulb. Aedeagus straight, slightly longer than valva, cornuti a small cluster of weakly defined spines. (BMNH Microlep 33640).

Female genitalia: Not known.

Biology. Larva on Maytenus, adults recorded from January to May, September, October and December.

Diagnosis. A species with dark grey forewings, darker hindwings and valvae of the male genitalia are exceptionally narrow; the antrum in the female genitalia is sclerotised and straight. Hyaline patch of hindwing much smaller than Y. nigricola .

Derivation of name. From the black hindwings of the species.

Distribution. Recorded from Republic of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Type material. Holotype ♂ Natal, Krantzkloof 8.ix.1903 Bell Manley BMNH Microlep 33640; NH- MUK010919526. 9 paratypes: REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♂ Weenen, Natal viii.1894 R. (Meyrick coll.); 1 ♂ Durban, Natal, 4.iii.1919; 1 ♀ Wyliespoort 18–20.iii.1954 A.J.T. Janse; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Transkei, Umtata 31°36’S 28°47’E 2.i.1989 N.J. Duke; 3 ♂ 1 ♀ Transkei, Umtata 22.xi.1987 (2), 17.x.1988, 2.i.1989, 21.iv.1989 (TMSA).

Other material examined: 3 ♂ Transkei, Langei from larva on Maytenus em. 10.ii.1987, 25.ii.1987 (2) ; 1 ♀ East Cape, Hogsback 17.iii.1996 N.J. Duke ; 1 ♀ Transvaal, Nelshoogte gallery forest below St. 25°51’S 30°53’E 4.xii.1987 E–782354 leg Endrödy-Younga. ZIMBABWE : 1 ♀ Victoria Falls Rain Forest 5.v.1954 AJT Janse ; 1 ♂ Christon Bank, Harare 10.x.1993 N.J. Duke (TMSA) .