Tipulamima pterotarsa ( Meyrick, 1933 ) Bartsch & Sáfián, 2022

Bartsch, Daniel & Sáfián, Szabolcs, 2022, Taxonomic changes and review of the genera Tipulamima Holland, 1893 and Macrotarsipodes Le Cerf, 1916 stat. rev. (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae: Sesiinae), Zootaxa 5094 (1), pp. 103-128 : 110-112

Tipulamima pterotarsa ( Meyrick, 1933) comb. nov. ( Uranothyris )

(Figs 1–2 , 9–14 , 27a–b, 28a–b )

Uranothyris pterotarsa Meyrick, 1933: 417 ; Heppner & Duckworth 1981: 44; Pühringer & Kallies 2004: 45.

Type material examined. Holotype ♀: Sierra Leone, Njala, October, E. Hargreaves leg.; with labels: “Sierra Leone / Njala / 27.X.32 / E. Hargreaves ”; “Brit. Mus. / 1933-430.”; “Type”; “ Uranothyris / pterotarsa, / n. sp. / E. Meyrick det.” ( NHMUK).

Further specimens. 1♂ 3♀ (2♀ figs 1–2, 12–13), Ghana, Central Region, Abrafo village, Stingless Bee Association car park, 5°20'25.42"N, 1°22'37.97"W, 17.Oct.2019, 140 m, at Clerodendrum paniculatum , leg. Sz. Sáfián & D. Bartsch (♂ genitalia examined, D. Bartsch GU-No 2020-01) ( Figs 27a–b ) ( CDB) ; 1♂, Ghana, Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary at Kubeasi , Ashanti Region 28.Sept-10.Oct.2007, leg. Sz. Sáfián (BOLD: BOX-2218 A02; GSCMW448-09) ; 1♂, Ghana, Kyebi Kibi district, Atewa range, Sagyimaase forestry access road, 15.X.2009, leg. Sz. Sáfián (BOLD: FP Lep 00608; GSCMA251-10) ( CFP) ; 2♂, Guinea, Nimba Mountains, Cité 1 ( SMFG concession area), 7°42'02.83"N, 8°23'58.60"W, 700 m asl., at mixed pheromone lure bundle, 3.Sept.2017, leg. Sz. Sáfián & G. Simonics (Gen. prep. SAFI00249) ( ANHRT) ; 5♂, Cameroon, below Bamboo Camp, South-western slope of Mount Cameroon ( Mount Fako ), Bakingili trail 4°04'36.37"N, 9°02'48.38"E, 150-200 m asl., at mixed pheromone lure bundle, 27.Feb.2017, leg. Sz. Sáfián, R. Tropek, Š. Janeček, J. Mertens & P. Potocký ; 1♂, Cameroon, below Bamboo Camp, South-western slope of Mount Cameroon ( Mount Fako ), Bakingili trail, 4°04'36.37"N, 9°02'48.38"E, 150-200 m asl., at mixed pheromone lure bundle, 27.Feb.2017, leg. Sz. Sáfián, R. Tropek, Š. Janeček, J. Mertens & P. Potocký (Gen. prep. SAFI00126) ( ANHRT) ; 5♂ (1♂ figs 11, 14), Cameroon, Bamboo Camp, SW slope of Mount Cameroon, pheromone lures, 4°05'16.49"N, 9°03'01.85"E, 350 m asl. 27.Feb.2017, leg. Sz. Sáfián, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek, J. Mertens & P. Potocký ; 1♀, Nigeria, Osun, Ile-Ife , 280m, 19.Apr.1993, leg. L. Schlimm (genitalia examined, D. Bartsch GU-No 2018-33) ( Figs 28a–b ) ( ANHRT, SMNS) ; 2♀, S-Nigeria, U.-C. Ibadan, 4. and 19.Apr.1962, leg. H.J. Sutton, bred from dead stems of Pagoda Flower ( NHMUK) ; 1♂, Congo, Libenge , 1931, leg. Van Gils (BOLD: CCDB-14647 H08) ( RMCA) .

The holotype lacks the bright orange spot on the forewings and the white markings of the abdomen. Absence of white markings may be caused by the loss of scales with aging and flying and by leaked body fat. However, one of the bred females also lacks these markings. As it is in perfect condition and because of the other striking similarities in coloration, markings and shape of transparent areas, we consider these specimens conspecific.

Description of the male ( Figs 11, 14 ). Alar expanse 26–27 mm, forewing 11.5–12.0 mm, antenna 9 mm, body length 14–15 mm. Head: labial palpus bright orange, second and third palpomere dorsally black; frons glossy purple-grey, laterally whitish; vertex glossy black, a narrow whitish spot between antenna and ocellus; pericephalic scales orange; antenna black with steel blue gloss, basal part brightened ventrally brownish, scapus ventrally light grey. Thorax: black with strong steel blue gloss, densely dusted with dark olive-green scales, laterally and ventrally dark grey with steel blue gloss. Legs: foreleg orange, coxa laterally, femur dorso-distally and tibia dorso-laterally black; other legs black with strong steel blue gloss; tibia of hindleg interiorly with some orange scales; spurs black. Wings: transparent areas well developed and large; margins, veins and discal spots black; forewing discal spot and apical area narrow; hindwing discal spot small; wing membrane of forewing in middle part, of hindwing in distal half with yellowish tinge. Abdomen: glossy black; tergite 2 in middle part tergite 3 completely dark olive-green; sternites 4–7 dark grey, caudal sternites progressively mottled with orange.

Genitalia ( Fig. 27a–b ). Typical for the genus; crista sacculi of valva without distal ridge, recurved part rather broad, rather densely covered with long setae; vesica with simple sclerotized plate.

Redescription of the female (Figs 1–2 , 9–10, 12–13 ). Head: labial palpus orange-yellow, second palpomere dorso-distally with some black scales, third palpomere dorsally black; frons, vertex and pericephalic scales similar to male, but spot between antenna and ocellus yellow, scapus ventrally orange. Thorax: patagia dorsally black, laterally orange with strong gloss; mesothorax dorsally cranial of forewing base orange, laterally somewhat darker orange with silvery shine, remaining part of meso- as well as metathorax black with strong steel blue gloss. Legs: foreleg glossy orange, tibia dorsally with narrow, black basal spot, inner side of tarsus black; midleg orange, joint of femur and tibia as well as distal portion of tibia and tarsus black, tarsus ventrally increasingly silver-grey; hindleg black; spurs black; black parts of all legs with strong steel blue gloss. Wings: forewing black with slight bluish gloss, often with striking orange spot apically, two short transparent areas proximally; hindwing with distal margin, extremely broad, proximally angularly bordered, black with strong violet-blue gloss; discal spot long, broad, reaching M 3 /CuA 1. Abdomen: black, with strong steel blue gloss, tergites 4–6 laterally densely mottled with white, sternites pure white.

Genitalia ( Figs 28a–b ).Antrum funnel-shaped; ductus bursae more than twice the length of antrum; longitudinal fold three quarter the length of corpus bursae, signum slightly rhombic.

Variation. In addition to small differences in size, there is little variation in the extension and intensity of the orange coloration. Females show some individual variability in the shape and extent of the transparent areas of the hindwing. The basal portion and an area distal of the discal spot is always completely hyaline, the orange patch of the forewing may be missing.

Diagnosis. Males differ from almost all congeners by the almost entirely black body and the black, nontransparent wing parts (as far as known, orange or red in other species). The only exception is the male of T. haugi , which differs by the much broader discal spots and margins of the wings. Females are similar to those of T. flavifrons and T. haugi , but separable by the different shape of the transparent areas, and if present, by the striking orange apical spot of the forewing, the laterally whitish mottling of the abdominal tergites 4–6 and the white abdominal sternites. The most similar female of T. flavifrons differs further by the cranially orange tegulae (black in T. pterotarsa ). See further diagnosis of T. flavifrons above.

Biology. Sutton bred two females from a dead stem of the Pagoda Flower ( Clerodendrum paniculatum , Lamiaceae ) (see label data above). Also, the Ghanaian specimen in Bobiri was captured near this ornamental plant, which is native to Southeast Asia, but is widely planted in West African parks and gardens. The flowers are frequently visited by butterflies, particularly by large and colourful swallowtails and pierids, and are therefore popular in butterfly gardens (Sáfián pers. obs.). Other indigenous species of Clerodendrum occur in tropical Africa and could be the original host plants, but utilization of further species of Lamiaceae is also probable. We found up to seven exuviae in the lower part of a single stem, often in older stems that remained after the plant was pruned back, but also single ones in thickenings, caused by the larva inside younger stems. Active females were observed around midday. Two specimens flew around, investigating the lower stems; another laid eggs singly in longitudinal folds of the younger upper stem, slightly below the inflorescence ( Figs 1–2 ). Males were attracted to bundles of several synthetic pheromones from the late morning to the early afternoon.

Figures

FIGS 1–2. Female of Tipulamima pterotarsa (1) resting. (2) egg laying on Clerodendrum paniculatum (arrows).

FIGS 3–14. Type specimens of Tipulamima. 3–5. T. flavifrons Holland, 1893. (3–4) holotype ♀. (5) ♀ Uganda, Kawanda. 6–8. T. haugi (Le Cerf, 1917). (6–7) paralectotype ♂. (8) lectotype ♀. 9–14. T. pterotarsa (Meyrick, 1933). (9–10) holotype ♀. (11, 14) ♂ Cameroon, SW slope of Mount Cameroon. (12–13) ♀ Ghana, Central Region, Abrafo village. Scale 10 mm.

FIGS 27–28. Genitalia structures of Tipulamima pterotarsa (27a) ♂, Ghana? (27b) ♂, abdominal segment eighth. (28a) ♀, Nigeria, Osun, Ile-Ife. Scale 1 mm. (28b) corpus bursae. Scale 0.5 mm.