Ptychopseustis catherinae, Agassiz, 2022

Agassiz, David, 2022, The tribe Cybalomiini (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Glaphyrinae) of sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 5174 (2), pp. 101-156 : 130

Ptychopseustis catherinae sp. n.

Imago (fig. 40): Wingspan 12–14 mm. Head and appendages pale fuscous, palpi porrect, maxillary palpus more than half length of labial palpus. Thorax and tegulae pale fuscous scattered with brown scales. Forewing basal ⅓ increasingly irrorate brown scales until auscous antemedian fascia, paler beyond this, a brownish discal spot, again increasingly irrorate until second fascia, meeting costa at 3/5, terminal area more densely irrorate dark brown, termen dark fuscous, fringe concolorous with adjacent wing. Hindwing pale fuscous, a weak median fascia line, termen darker. Abdomen pale fuscous. Hind leg with narrow blackish band on femur, blackish scale tuft below second tibial spurs of hind leg.

Male genitalia (fig. 74): Uncus triangular with rounded apex, gnathos about as long as uncus, narrow and digitate; valva narrow, a small projection before apex, vinculum extended, speacialised setae arising from near vinculum on each side two terminating with curled apex, remainder sharply bent at same point. Aedeagus slightly longer than valva, cornutus a serrate rod.

Female genitalia (fig. 104): Ostium small and weak, ductus bursae ¾ length of abdomen, broadening towards corpus bursae, corpus ovoid with small sclerotised ridges covering most of surface.

Diagnosis: Distinguished by the contrasting colours of the forewing, the male genitalia and the shape of the joint between ductus and corpus bursae in the female genitalia.

Life history: Not known.

Distribution: Kenya, Somalia, Zimbabwe.

Derivation: named after my granddaughter Catherine.

Type material: Holotype ♂ Kenya, Rift Valley , Lake Elementeita 6000 ft 15.xii.1999 D.J.L. Agassiz.

11 Paratypes: 1♀ same locality as holotype 16.xii.1999, 1 same locality 18.iii.2000 , 1 Rumuruti 6000 ft 1.i.2000, D.J.L. Agassiz , 2 Laikipia Mpala R.C. 1700 m N 0° 17’ 27” E 36° 53’ 52” 7 & 9.xii.2012 Agassiz, Beavan, Heckford & Ngugi ; 1 Gilgil 2100 m 0° 37’ S 36° 22’ E 23.xi.2008 D.Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A. Kingston , Central, Naro Moru 1960 m 0° 9’ 5” S 37° 0’ 40” E 1.xii.2008 D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A. Kingston , 1 same locality 3–4.iii.2017 D. Agassiz & M. Ngugi , Coast, Rukinga Estate 500 m S 3° 42’ 22” E 36° 46’ 34” 13.xi.2012 Agassiz, Beavan & Heckford ; Nairobi Oluloa Forest NMK/IPR Compound 1800 m 01° 22’ S 36° 43’ E MV light 14.ii.2000 B Bytebier ( DJLA) ;

Other material examined: KENYA, 3 specimens Nairobi Oluloa Forest NMK/IPR Compound 1800 m 01° 22’ S 36° 43’ E MV light 12.ii.2000, 20.vii.1999, 4.ii1999 B. Bytebier ( NMK) ; ZIMBABWE, Gokwe Dist , Ganyungu 9.i.1994 D.J.L. Agassiz ( NHMUK) .