Thyridiphora furia (Swinhoe, 1884)

Agassiz, David, 2022, The tribe Cybalomiini (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Glaphyrinae) of sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 5174 (2), pp. 101-156 : 154

Thyridiphora furia (Swinhoe, 1884)

Imago (fig. 48): Wingspan 11–15 mm. Head and appendages pale brown, labial palpus porrect in male of length equal to diameter of eye, in female 1.5 × diameter of eye. Thorax and tegulae pale brown. Forewing pale brown, costa slightly concave, two irregular pale fuscous transverse fascias, in male a subhyaline patch beyond cell between veins M 1 and M 2, termen dark fuscous, fringe whitish. Hindwing uniform of similar colour to forewing. Abdomen and legs pale brown.

Male genitalia (fig. 81): Uncus broadly digitate, gnathos with lateral lobes, valva broad with an elaborate sclerite chiefly on dorsal side, saccus extended and pointed; aedeagus about half length of valva curved at basal end.

Female genitalia (fig. 82): Ostium large cup-shaped, antrum widening then contracting, leading to minute membranous corpus bursae.

Diagnosis: Distinguished by the concave costa and in the male the subhyaline patch on the forewing, and very distinctive genitalia.

Life history: The larva feeds on Capparis ; has been reared in Kenya from Capparis kitandiri (van Som) .

Distribution: Seychelles, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Angola, Mali, South Africa, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Comores, Madagascar; also in Greece, Crete, Jordan, Palestine, Oman, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Material examined: MALI: 6 specimens 10 km north of Banamba ( NMK) ; KENYA: Magadi, Bred ex Capparis van S.; Kitandiri , x.38 & xii.38 (4 specimens) ; Nyare Nyire, Narok ,, Oct. 1961, Fleetwood ; Langata, Nairobi , June 1961, D.Minter ; Magadi , Sept. 1958 J. Nagle ; Voi, Nov. 1952, Maj. Penrose ; Samburu, Oct. 1971, M.P. Clifton ; Nairobi, Mar. 1970, M.P. Clifton ; Oloyaralie, Kajaida , Apr. 1967 R.H. Carcasson ( NMK) ; Coast, 1♂ Mwabungu 3.iv.1999 D.J.L.Agassiz; 2♂ Rukinga Reserve 520 m. 3° 35’ 15.7” S 38° 44’ 29.6’E 23.xi.2010 D. Agassiz & M. Ngugi , 1♂ 1♀ Rukinga Estate 500 m. 3° 42’ 22” S 38° 46’ 34’E 11 & 14.xi.2012 D. Agassiz, S. Beavan & R. Heckford ; 1♀ Thika 6000 ft 30.iii.1999 D.J.L. Agassiz; Rift Valley 3♂1♀ L. Baringo 3000 ft 15 & 16.ii.1999, 3.iv.1999 & 4.iii.2000; 1♂ 1♀ L. Baringo 0° 36’ 39” N 36° 01’ 10” E 3 & 4.v.2015; 1♂ Lake Bogoria 0° 21’ N 36° 03’ E 17.xi.2005 D.J.L. Agassiz; 1♂ Mpala Res. C . 1720 m. 0° 17’ N 36° 54’ E 14.xi.2009 D.J.L. Agassiz ( DJLA) ; TANZANIA: Turiani T.T., N. Morogoro Apr. 1951 E. Pinhey (NMK) ; UGANDA: Ishasha River Camp, Q.E. Park, Uganda , May 1961, T.H.E. Jackson ( NMK) ; 1♀ Western, Budongo Forest 1100 m. 01° 48’ 32” N 31° 32’ 44” E 15.iii.2013 D. Agassiz & M. Ngugi ( DJLA) ; SOMALIA: Halal, N. Region, Somalia , Sept 1960, C. Hemming ( NMK) ; SOMALIA: 1♂ Bullo Barde 5.vii.1986 A.G Parker; Mogadiscio 17–26.xi.1985 A.G. Parker, ( NHMUK) ;