Alonina pyrethra ( Hampson, 1910 ) Bartsch, Daniel, 2013

Bartsch, Daniel, 2013, Revisionary checklist of the Southern African Sesiini (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) with description of new species, Zootaxa 3741 (1), pp. 1-54 : 10

Alonina pyrethra ( Hampson, 1910) new comb. ( Sciapteron )

Figs 16–18 , 123

Literature. Hampson 1910: 154 ( Sciapteron ); 1919: 59 ( Synanthedon ); Dalla Torre & Strand 1925: 36 ( Synanthedon ); Gaede 1929: 521 ( Synanthedon ); Heppner & Duckworth 1981: 33 ( Synanthedon ); Vári, Kroon & Krüger 2002: 67 ( Synanthedon ); Pühringer & Kallies 2004: 28 ( Synanthedon ).

Specimens examined. Holotype: ♀ ( Fig 16 ), “ Cape Colony, Grahamstown” [ South Africa, Eastern Cape Province, Grahamstown] (B.M. Genitalia Slide No. 15129, Fig. 123 ) ( BMNH).

Additional specimen: 1 ♀ ( Figs 17–18 ), found dead, Table Mtn, Cape Town , 3.Jan.1976, N.J. Duke ( TMPS) .

Diagnosis. Only the two listed female specimens of Alonina pyrethra are known. The holotype ( Fig. 16 ) has a wingspan of 34 mm, a forewing length of 15 mm and a antenna length of 8.5 mm, the other specimen ( Fig. 17–18 ) is somewhat smaller with a wingspan of 29 mm. The rather similar congeners, A. pyrocraspis and A. rufa , have been confused with A. pyrethra previously (e.g. Hampson 1919, Gaede 1929, Freina 2011). Diagnostic feature is the wing colouration: A. pyrethra has the forewing, including discal spot, nearly completely orange, with the costal area covered with some brownish-black scales and the fringes black (forewing with well developed transparent areas, discal spot and costal area brownish-black in A. luteopunctata , A. pyrocraspis and A. rufa ); the hindwing has a transparent dorsum, discal spot, veins and margins are orange, the latter in distinct contrast to the black fringes (dorsum covered with orange scales in A. rufa , discal spot, veins and margins dark brown in A. luteopunctata and A. pyrocraspis ). Female genitalia ( Fig. 113 ).

Figures

FIGURES 13–24. Specimens of Alonina Walker, 1856: 13–15. Alonina luteopunctata (Freina, 2011), (13–14) ♂, paratype, Cape Province, Kubusie forest; (15) ♀, paratype, Cape Province, Hogsback. 16–18. A. pyrethra (Hampson, 1919), (16) ♀ holotype; (17–18) ♀, Cape Town, Table Mountain. 19–20. A pyrocraspis (Hampson, 1910), (19) ♂ holotype; (20) ♀, Cape Province, Natures Valley. 21–24. A. rufa new sp., (21) ♀ paratype, “Cap”; (22) ♂ holotype; (23–24) ♂ paratype, Western Cape Province, vic. Kleinmond, southern slopes of Palmiet Mountains.

FIGURES 122–123. Female genitalia of Alonina Walker, 1856: (122) A. luteopunctata (Freina, 2011), paratype; (123) A. pyrethra (Hampson, 1919), holotype.

FIGURES 113–114. Male genitalia of Anaudia Walker, 1856: (113) A. felderi Wallengren, 1863; (114) A. thyranthrena new sp, holotype.