Palaeugoa asafis Volynkin & László, 2020

Volynkin, Anton V., 2024, The genus Palaeugoa Durante in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo, with descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 73, pp. 377-390 : 384

Palaeugoa asafis Volynkin & László, 2020

( Figs 9–12 , 24 , 34 )

Palaeugoa asafis Volynkin & László, 2020 , Ecologica Montenegrina , 36: 70, figs 20, 21, 44, 45 (Type locality: “ Cameroon, 612m, Central Region , Nkoteng , On Sanaga River, Nkoteng Forest, 04°33'34.2"N, 11°59'37.6"E ”).

Type material examined. Holotype ( Fig. 9 ): male, “ Cameroon, 612m, Central Region , Nkoteng , On Sanaga River, Nkoteng Forest, 04°33'34.2"N, 11°59'37.6"E, 24–28.x.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap, Safian, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg. ANHRT:2018.36” / “ANHRTUK 00060252”, gen. slide No.: AV5128 ( ANHRT) . Paratype: male, same data as holotype, gen. prep. No.: AV5134 ( ANHRT) .

Additional material from Nouabalé- Ndoki NP examined (all in ANHRT). 6 males, 372m, Mbeli camp, 02°14'23.8''N, 16°23'52.1''E, 14–20.ii.2023, actinic and MV light traps, Bakala, N., Dérozier, V., Kirk- Spriggs, A., László, G. leg.; 15 males, 365m , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N, 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, actinic, MV and LepiLED light traps, Bakala, N., Dérozier, V., KirkSpriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV8530 ♂ , AV8531 ♂; 1 male, 352m, Ndoki formation (secondary forest), 02°12'47.7''N, 16°23'45.8''E, 29.ix.–1.x.2022, actinic light trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg.; 1 female, 375m , Mbeli swamp forest, 02°15'30.4''N, 16°24'39.5''E, 15–19.ii.2023, LepiLED light trap, Bakala, N., Dérozier, V., Kirk- Spriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV8532 ♀ .

Note. The species was recently described from two males collected in central Cameroon ( Volynkin & László 2020). In Nouabalé- Ndoki National Park, a series of specimens of both sexes was collected and the previously unknown female and its genitalia are illustrated and diagnosed herein .

Diagnosis of female ( Figs 12 , 34 ). The forewing length is 8.5 mm. The female is similar to the male in its appearance but larger. The female genitalia of P. asafis ( Fig. 34 ) are easily distinguishable from P. takanoi ( Fig. 33 ) in the longer antevaginal plate having postero-lateral processes, which are absent in the congener, the shorter ductus bursae having a caliciform antrum (absent in the congener), the posteriorly narrower corpus bursae bearing sparser and finer scobination anteriorly, and the appendix bursae having a markedly shorter and narrower proximal section and a broader distal section. In addition, the 7 th sternite of P. asafis has elongate sclerotised plates along its lateral margins, which are absent in P. takanoi .

Distribution. Cameroon ( Volynkin & László 2020) and Republic of Congo (new record).

Figures

Figures 1–12. Palaeugoa spp.: adults. The specimens are deposited in ANHRT.

Figures 21–24. Palaeugoa spp.: male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.

Figures 33–35. Palaeugoa spp.: female genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.