Afroracotis (Zebracotis) zebrina ( Warren, 1899 ) László & Hausmann & Karisch, 2023

László, Gyula M., Hausmann, Axel & Karisch, Timm, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the African taxa of the Racotis Moore, 1887 generic complex (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini), Zootaxa 5308 (1), pp. 1-109 : 53-56

Afroracotis (Zebracotis) zebrina ( Warren, 1899) comb. n.

( Figs 81–84 , 175–178 , 254–256 , 320–321 )

Racotis zebrina Warren, 1899 , Novitates Zoologicae 6: 56. Lectotype, male (NHMUK). Type locality: Niger Coast Protectorate: Warri [ Nigeria].

Type material examined

Lectotype, male, red ring label “Type” / [ Nigeria] “Warri VI. 97. (Dr. Roth).” / [with handwritten] “ Racotis zebrina type ♁ Warr” / “Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-I. ”, unique id.: BMNH(E) 1377278, gen. slide No.: Geometridae 25372 ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined

Ghana. 1 male, Gold Coast, Bibianaha, 700 ft, 4.v.1912, H.G.F. Spurrell, 1912-330, gen. slide No.: GU TK 3420; 1 female, same locality and collector, but 15.v.1912, gen. slide No.: GU TK 3421 ( NHMUK); 1 male, Western Region, 1.6 km E of Elubo, Ankasa National Park, 500m NW of Nkwanta Camp, 92m, 5°17’09.1”N, 2°38’29.1”W, light attraction, 01.v.2005, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5076, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 44208/GWOSO362-11; 1 female, Western Region, 16 km E of Elubo, 1 km SE of Nkwanta camp, Ankasa National Park, Exploration Base, 103m, light attraction, 5°16’29.2”N, 2°38’46.0”W, 24.ii.2006, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5091, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38704/GWOSH368-10; 1 female, Central Region, 30km north of Cape Coast, Kakum National Park, Headquarter, 5°21’11.7”N, 1°23’18.7”W, 131m, light attraction, 13.v.2005, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5086, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38695/GWOSH359-10 ( RCMO). Guinea. 8 males, 9 females, Geipa Camp, Foret de Diecke, 435m, 7°26’7.06”N, 8°50’47.87”W, 05–14.iv.2019, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Koivogui, S, leg., ANHRT:2019.7, gen. slide Nos: LG 5425, LG 5426, LG 5427 (males), DNA barcode/BOLD process ids: ANHRTUK00106245/ ANLMN3663-21, ANHRTUK00106216/ANLMN3664-21; 1 male, Dalaba, Foret de Goubel, 1413m, 10°39’27”N, 12°15’44”W, 10–18.ix.2019, MV Light Trap, Geiser, M., Leno, M., Koivagui, S., Miles, W., Mulvaney, L., Sáfián, Sz. leg., ANHRT:2019.19; 1 male, 1400–1752m, Guinée Forestière Monts Nimba UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mont Richard Molard camp and ridge (High-Altitude Grassland & Forest), 07°36’19”N, 08°25’30”W, 1–7.vii.2019, 250W Blended Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Miles, W., Sáfián, Sz. leg., ANHRT:2019.11; 1 male, 1 female, 690m, Guinée Forestière, Bossou Forest and Institut de Recherche Environmentale de Bossou (Lowland Forest-Farmland), 07°38’32”N, 08°30’30”W, 24–31.vi.2019, 8W UV Cold Cathode and MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Suah Dore, J., Koivagui, S., Miles, W., Sáfián, Sz., Warner, R. leg., ANHRT:2019.11 ( ANHRT); 1 male, Mt Nimba, 400m, 8°31’17.58”N, 8°35’10.87”W, x.2015, leg. V. Kravchenko, gen. slide No.: LG 4409 ( ZSM). Ivory Coast. 6 males, 1 female,Tai NP.Tai Research Station, 174m, 05°49’59.8”N, 07°20’32.0”W, 14–23.xi.2015, Light Trap,Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg., ANHRT:2017.16, gen. slide Nos: LG 4071, LG 4072, LG 4086, LG 4174, LG 4175, LG 4176 (males), LG 4169 (female), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 109630/GWOUE419- 20; 1 male, 5 females, same site, but 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV light, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT:2017.25, gen. slide Nos: LG 4812 (male), LG 4804, LG 4805, LG 4816, LG 4986, LG 4987 (females), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 109604/GWOUE393-20; 15 males, 15 females from the same locality; 4 females, Banco National Park, 40m, 05°23’3.8”N, 04°03’11.2”W, 29.xi.–5.xii.2019, LepiLED and Actinic Light Trap, Aristophanous, A., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., Ouattara, S. leg. ANHRT:2019.23 ( ANHRT); 1 male, Bingerville, Gaston Melou, Novembre 1913, gen. slide No.: LG 4093 ( NHMUK); 1 female, Danane, 12.xii.1980, leg. Dr Politzar, gen. slide No.: LG 4743; 2 males, Yapo Sud, 22 km SSE Agboville, 12– 18.iv.1969, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide Nos: LG 4783, LG 4785 ( ZSM). Liberia. 1 male, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Nimba county, Cellcom road, 1000–1100m, 7°32’45.88”N, 8°31’21.04”W, 16–28.xii.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. ANHRT:2018.43, gen. slide No.: LG 4981; 1 male, 2 females, Lofa county, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp, 585m, 8°06’14.9”N, 9°58’27.3”W, 18.xi.–1.xii.2018, MV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. ANHRT:2018.43, gen. slide Nos: LG 4984 (male), LG 4980 (female), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 109625/GWOUE414-20; 1 male, 2 females, Lofa county, Wologizi Mts, Ridge Camp 2, 883m, 8°07’20.79”N, 9°56’50.75”W, 22–30.xi.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2018.43, gen. slide Nos: LG 4965 (male), LG 4966, LG 5436 (females), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 109621/GWOUE410-20; long series of both sexes, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 530m, 7°56’36”N, 10°16’36”W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV Light Trap (125W), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg., ANHRT:2017.33; long series of both sexes, Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Sinoe County, Juboe River, 7.5km South West Pellokon Town, 140m, 5°39’4”N, 8°39’4”W, 14–21.i.2018, Cold Cathode UV Bucket and MV Light Trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2017.33, gen. slide No.: LG 5440; 1 male, 2 females, Sinoe County, 6.5km NW of Jacksonville, Forest near Solve Problem Village, 103m, 5°26’25”N, 9°7’39.9”W, 23–27.i.2018, MV Light Trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2017.33 ( ANHRT); 1 male, Nimba, East Nimba NR, Cellcom RD Camp, 1150m, 7.5287°N, 8.5275°W, 8–10.xii.2013, leg. Sz. Sáfián, gen. slide No.: LG 4759 ( ZSM). Nigeria. 1 male, C. P. Warri, vi.1896, Dr Roth, gen. slide No.: LG 4095, 1 male, same site, vi.1897, Dr Roth, gen. slide No.: LG 4096 ( NHMUK). Sierra Leone. 2 males, Tiwai Island, Moa River, 120m, 7°33’00”N, 11°21’09”W, 17–22.vi.2016, Light Trap, leg. Takano, Miles & Goff, ANHRT:2017.18, gen. slide Nos: LG 4815, LG 4820 ( ANHRT); 1 male, Eastern Prov., Nimini Hills, ca. 5 km W Njaiama, 8°31.594’N, 11°6.863’W, 637m, 07.v.2013, leg. S. Naumann & P. & B. Malec, gen. slide No.: LG 4755; 1 male, Eastern Province, N Gola Forest Res. 1 km S Kolantunkya, 7°27.572’N, 11°14.368’W, 187m, 02.v.2013, leg. S. Naumann & P. & B. Malec, gen. slide No.: LG 4756 ( ZSM).

Diagnosis. Forewing length 18–23 mm. The external appearance of A. zebrina is characterised by the greenish-brown ground colour with the hint of an ochreous tinge, and the noticeably lighter medial area of the forewing especially between the medial and postmedial lines. Nevertheless, due to the substantial infraspecific variability of this species, safe identification requires dissection of the genitalia. In the male genitalia, the clasping apparatus does not show any diagnostic feature of the species of the subgenus, all taxa being defined by the configuration of the vesica. In A. zebrina , the main chamber of the vesica is moderately long and thick, distally with a remarkably long, tubular, highly potractile diverticulum, bearing a robust, straight, apically rounded and finely dentate rodlike cornutus distally. Afroracotis zebrina —uniquely in the subgenus—lacks a distal cluster of cornuti at the base of the vesica ejaculatorius. The female genitalia of A. zebrina are distinguished from all Zebracotis species by the short, anteriorly largely dilated, conical ductus bursae, the large, elongate-ovoid bursa copulatrix the posterior two-thirds of which represents the sclerotised, dilated, longitudinally striate cervix bursae integrated into the bursa. The anterior third of the corpus bursae is tapered, where its cylindrical distal half is sclerotised and the rounded-conical proximal half is membranous. The ductus bursae of A. zebrina is shorter, while the cervix/corpus bursae complex is more elongate and less heavily sclerotised than in the other taxa of the subgenus providing a simple and reliable character to distinguish the species from its congeners.

Genetic information. Afroracotis zebrina belongs to the BIN URI: BOLD:AAF9530. As it is discussed above, the DNA barcodes of the Zebracotis taxa often conflict with the clearly distinct morphology of the species. Afroracotis zebrina , for instance, has been recovered in the same clade BIN—sharing with two additional, morphologically clearly distinct species, A. smithi sp. n. and A. chaineyi sp. n. The intraspecific divergence of A. zebrina was found in the range of 0.00–0.61%. The nearest neighbour is A. milesi sp. n. (BIN URI: BOLD:ADA9361) at a pairwise distance of 1.86–2.49%.

Distribution ( Map 5 ). Afroracotis zebrina is a West African species without verified records east of the Cameroon Line. The occurrence of the species has been confirmed to date from Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coas, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

Figures

MAP 5. Distribution of the subgenus Zebracotis 1.: A. (Z.) chaineyi sp. n., lydiae lydiae sp. n., lydiae orientalis ssp. n., madagascariensis and zebrina.

FIGURES 81–100. Adults, dorsal view. 81. Afroracotis zebrina, LT of Racotis zebrina, ♁, Nigeria (NHMUK); 82. Ibidem, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 83. Ibidem, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 84. Ibidem, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT); 85. A. chaineyi sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon (ANHRT); 86. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 87. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 88. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Guinea (ANHRT); 89. A. lydiae lydiae sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 90. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 91. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Guinea (ANHRT); 92. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 93. A. lydiae orientalis ssp. n., HT, ♁, Tanzania (ANHRT); 94. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Mozambique (ANHRT); 95. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Tanzania (ANHRT); 96. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 97. A. madagascariensis, HT of Racotis madagascariensis, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 98. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 99. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Madagascar (NHMUK); 100. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (ANHRT).

FIGURES 171–190. Adults, ventral view. 171. Afroracotis atriclava, ST of Cleora atriclava, ♁, Madagascar (ZSM); 172. Ibidem, ST, ♀, Madagascar (ZSM); 173. A. turlini sp. n., PT, ♁, Rwanda (ZSM); 174. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Rwanda (ZSM); 175. A. zebrina, LT of Racotis zebrina, ♁, Nigeria (NHMUK); 176. A. zebrina, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 177. Ibidem, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 178. Ibidem, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 179. A. chaineyi sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon (ANHRT); 180. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 181. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 182. A. lydiae lydiae sp. n., PT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 183. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Guinea (ANHRT); 184. A. lydiae orientalis ssp. n., HT, ♁, Tanzania (ANHRT); 185. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Tanzania (ANHRT); 186. A. madagascariensis, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 187. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (ANHRT); 188. A. smithi sp. n., HT, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 189. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 190. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM).

FIGURES 251–255. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 251. Afroracotis muscivirens sp. n., PT, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 4617 (ZSM); 252. A. atriclava, ST of Cleora atriclava, Madagascar, slide No. LG 5039 (ZSM); 253. A. turlini sp. n., HT, Rwanda, slide No. LG 4619 (ZSM). 254. Afroracotis zebrina, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 4176 (ANHRT); 255. Ibidem, Liberia, slide No. LG 4965 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 256–261. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 256. Afroracotis zebrina, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 4785 (ZSM); 257. A. chaineyi sp. n., HT, Gabon, slide No. LG 5405 (ANHRT); 258. Ibidem, PT, Nigeria, slide No. LG 4092 (NHMUK); 259. Ibidem, PT, Zambia, slide No. LG 4971 (ANHRT); 260. A. lydiae lydiae sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 5788 (ANHRT); 261. Ibidem, PT, Gabon, slide No. LG 4824 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 320–327. Female genitalia. 320. Afroracotis zebrina, Liberia, slide No.: LG 5436 (ANHRT); 321. Ibidem, Ivory Coast, slide No.: LG 4743 (ZSM); 322. A. chaineyi sp. n., PT, Guinea, slide No.: LG 5446 (ANHRT); 323. Ibidem, PT, Bioko, slide No.: LG 5073 (ZSM); 324. Ibidem, PT, Zambia, slide No.: LG 5432 (ANHRT); 325. Ibidem, PT, DRC, slide No.: LG 5054 (ZSM); 326. A. lydiae lydiae sp. n., PT, Guinea, slide No.: LG 5439 (ANHRT); 327 Ibidem, PT, Gabon, gen. slide No.: LG 5404 (ANHRT).