Afroracotis (Afroracotis) angulosa ( Herbulot, 1973 ) 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 : 22-25

Afroracotis (Afroracotis) angulosa ( Herbulot, 1973) comb. n.

( Figs 22–26 , 140–141 , 218–222 , 298–299 )

Racotis angulosa Herbulot, 1973 , Annales de la Faculté des Sciences Université fédérale du Cameroun 14: 142, figs 2,9. Holotype male (ZSM). Type locality: Cameroon: Bafut, Nguemba Forest, 9 km SE of Bamenda, 2080 m.

Taxonomic note. The species was treated as ‘ Antiracotis’ in Scoble (1999). Antiracotis is a manuscript name proposed by Prout, thus unavailable.

Type material examined

Holotype, male, “ CAMEROUN Forêt de Bafut Nguemba 9 km S. E. de Bamenda 2080 m —3 au 5.IV.1972 C. Herbulot ” / [red label with handwritten] “ Racotis angulosa Hrblt HOLOTYPE” / “Photographed for the project “ Geometridae mundi ”, DNA barcode id.: BC ZSM Lep 81691, gen. slide No.: LG 4612 ( ZSM).

Paratype, male, with the same data as in the holotype, gen. slide No.: LG 5072 ( ZSM).

Additional material examined

Cameroon. 1 male, Mt. Cameroon, Onyanga , 5,400 ft, 28.i.1932, M. Steele, gen. slide No.: NHMUK010314257 (prepared by László) ( NHMUK) ; 3 males, 1 female, Mt. Cameroon ( SW slope), Bamboo camp, 4.0879152°N, 9.0505144°E, 350m asl, 17–22.iv.2015, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide Nos.: LG 4416, LG 4417, LG 5068 (males), LG 5069 (female) ; 2 males, same site and collectors, but 13.xii.2014, gen. slide No.: LG 4704, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 96648/GWOTT597-17, gen. slide No.: LG 4710, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 96650/GWOTT599-17 ; 1 male, 1 female, same site and collectors, but 19.xii.2014, gen. slide Nos.: LG 4733 (male), LG 5049 ( ZSM G 20999 ) ; 1 male, Mt. Cameroon ( SW slope), Elephant camp, 4.145333°N, 9.087000°E, 1850m asl, 18.xi.2014, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide No.: LG 4712 ; 1 male, Bimbia-Bonadikombo Forest, Mexico camp, 3.98183°N, 9.2625°E, 0m asl, 27.xii.2014, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide No.: LG 4705 ; 1 male, 1800m, Mt Cameroun, Musake , 19.i.–3.ii.1997, E. Vingerhoedt leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5033 ( ZSM G 20983 ) , DNA barcode/ BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep add 57920/GWOTE584-12 ; 1 female, Mt. Cameroon ( SW slope) Mann’s spring, 2200 m asl, 4.1428338°N, 9.1225914°E, 20.iv.2017, leg. V. Maicher, P. Potocky, S. Delabye, gen. slide No.: ZSM G 20982 (prepared by László) ; 1 female, Massif du Manengouba, Versant N.E., 2120m, 5°02’N, 9°51’E, 17–18.iv.1976, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5035 ( ZSM G 20985 ) ; 1 female, Mt. Cameroun, Musake Hut (= Hutte 1), 1830m, 23–30.x.1972, Ph. Darge & A. Evoe, gen. slide No.: LG 5036 ( ZSM G 20986 ) ; 1 female, Foret de Bafout-Nguemba, 9 km S.E. de Bamenda, 2000m, 3–5.iv.1972, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5072; additional long series of undissected specimens from Mt. Cameroon ( ZSM) ; 1 male, Southwestern Province , Mt. Cameroon, SE side, 9 km NW Limbe, 776m, 4°4’47.5”N, 9°10’16.5”E, 13.v.2009, light trap, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5082, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38705/GWOSH369-10 ; 1 male, Southwestern Province, Mount Kupe , 3 km W of Nyasoso, 1575m, 4°49’9.3”N, 9°42’27.3”E, 18.v.2009, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5095, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38696/GWOSH360-10 ( RCMO) ; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Bonenza , 9°5.3’E, 4°3.6’N 14.i. 1989, 180m, Primary lowland rain forest, gen. slide No.: LG 5868 ( RMCA) . Central African Republic. 1 male, Mbeko , 10.vi.1995, ex S.C. Collins, gen. slide No.: LG 5538 ( RCHS) . DRC. 1 male, Sankuru, Lusambo , 16.vii.1950, Dr Fontaine, Coll. Mus. Congo, gen. slide No.: LG 4091 ( NHMUK) ; 1 male, Sankuru, Lusambo 21.viii.1949, leg. Dr. M. Fontaine ; 1 male, same site and collector, 12.viii.1950; 1 male, same site and collector, 17.vi.1949, gen. slide No.: LG 5852; 1 female, same site and collector, 10.ix.1949; 1 male, Léopoldville [Kinshasa], 13.ii.1956, leg. P. Jobels ; 1 male, Kibali-Ituri: Nioka , 26.ix.1954, leg. J. Hecq ; 1 male, Uele-Itimbiri : La Kulu 5.IV.1930 J. Van den Branden, gen. slide No.: LG 5851 ; 1 male, Uele: Paulis [Isiro], 21.x.1955, leg. Dr M. Fontaine, gen. slide No.: LG 5853 ; 1 male, Stan à Coq. , xi.1921, leg. L. Verlaine, gen. slide No.: LG 5864 ( RMCA) ; Kivu, Umgebung [near] Goma , station Rumangabo 15 km N town, about 2000m, 1°34’S, 29°16’E, 26.viii.1991, leg. T. Karisch ( SDEI) . Equatorial Guinea, Bioko . 1 male, (Fernando Poo), Gran Caldera Volcanica de Luba u Ose , NNE-slope ca 4 km SSW Ruiche, 5 km S Luba, Mountain Cloud Forest, ca. 1700m, NN, 3°22’30”N, 8°32’30”E, 15.viii.1994, LT (125 W HQL) , T. Karisch leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5034 ( ZSM G 20984 ) , DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 74423/GWORK1351-15 ( SDEI) . Ethiopia. 1 male, Region of Southern Nations, road Shishinda-Bonga , 6 km West of Wushwush, 7°18’32.12”N, 36°5’13.60”E, 12.v.2016, 1990m, LT, leg. D. Stadie & R. Fiebig, gen. slide No.: DS 222/2019 (prepared by László), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 113002/GWOUH086-21 ; 1 male, Region of Southern Nations, Bonga vic., Mankira Forest , near Andracha village , 07°11.138’N, 36°16.976’E, 14.v.2016, 1550m, LT, leg. Fiebig & Stadie, gen. slide No.: DS 223/2019 (prepared by László), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 113003/GWOUH087-21 ( RCDS) ; 1 male, 25 km SW of Bonga , 7.294°N, 36.376°E, 1860m, leg. Beck, R. & Riedel, G., DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 109457/GWOUD721-20 ( ZSM) . Kenya. 1 male, Central Aberdare Range, Kieni , 0.88666N, 36.75783E, 23.iv.2012, leg. M. Eisenring, gen. slide No.: LG 4428, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 71746/GWOTA680-13 ( ZSM) ; 1 male, Kakamega Forest N.R., Buyangu Hill , 17.x.2001 (Light trap), leg. L. Kühne, gen. slide No.: TK 3629 ( RCLK) ; 1 male, Kakamega Forest Reserve, Yala river section, Afromontane forest , 00°12’20.9”N, 34°52’52.3”E, 1530m, 18.vi.2004, leg. H.S. Staude, gen. slide No.: LG 5545 ; 1 male, 1 female, Aberdare mountains, Gatamayu forest, 00°58’10.3”S, 36°41’40.9”E, 2276m, 09.xi.2007, Afromontane forest , leg. H.S. Staude, gen. slide No.: LG 5546 (male), LG 5547 (female) ; 2 males, 6 females, Chyulu Hills , Afromontane forest on top, 1941m, 02°39’22.2”S, 37°52’15.2”E, 20.ii.2015, leg. H.S. Staude, gen. slide Nos.: LG 5552 (male), LG 5542, LG 5555, LG 5556, LG 5558 (females) ; 1 male, 14 HSS 73 pup 28/02/15 em 12/03/15, gen. slide No.: LG 5553, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: HS6452/ANLMN5065-21 ( RCHS) . Republic of the Congo. 1 male, Sangha Prov., Noubale-Ndoki N.P., Ndoki formation camp ( Secondary forest ), 356m, 02°12’51.5”N, 16°23’40.1”E, 23.vi.2022, Actinic Light Trap, Dérozier, V. Leg. ANHRT:2022.9, gen. slide No.: LG 5914 ( ANHRT) . Uganda. 1 male, Semliki NP, Semliki Camp Side , 00°49.236’N, 30°09.359’E, 22–23.iii.2013, LT, 697m, leg. R. Fiebig & D. Stadie, gen. slide No.: DS 227/2019 (prepared by László) ( RCDS) ; 2 males, Masindi district, Butiaba, Budongo Forest, 01°42’56.7”N, 31°28’12.8”E, 1094m, Lake Victoria Moist Forest , 24.xi.2006, leg. H.S. Staude, gen. slide No.: LG 5543 ( RCHS) ; 1 male, Mpanga Forest, Camp site by ecotourism centre, gest̂rter Primärregenwald [disturbed primary rain forest], 0°12.4’N, 31°18.1’E, 1200m, 26.x.2014, leg. T. Karisch ( SDEI) ; 1 male, Kibale Forest, 0.2 km N of Biological Field Station, gest̂rter Regenwald [disturbed rain forest], 1500m, 0°33’50.3”N, 30°21’23.6”E, 20.x.2014, leg. T. Karisch ( MNVD) ; 1 male, same locality, 23.x.2014, leg. T. Karisch ( SDEI) .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 21–26 mm. Although A. angulosa has a somewhat more pointed forewing apex than the other taxa in the species-group, this feature is often difficult to recognise, especially in worn specimens. Therefore, reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia as A. angulosa occurs sympatrically with A. fiebigi sp. n. In the male genitalia, the distinctive features are clearly expressed in the configuration of the cornuti: A. angulosa has an elongate, medial cornuti field consisting of very dense, short cornuti and a stout, evenly curved, claw-shaped cornutus erected distally near the base of the vesica ejaculatorius. In comparison to A. angulosa , in A. fiebigi , the medial cornuti field of the vesica is markedly more extensive and the distal cornutus is substantially longer, more robust and straight along its entire length. In the female genitalia, the configuration of the cervix bursae is markedly different in the two species: it is clearly separated from the corpus bursae in A. angulosa , forming an elongate, heavily sclerotised and wrinkled swollen bulge, whereas it is fully integrated into the corpus bursae, covering two-thirds of the bursa copulatrix in A. fiebigi . Based on the genital morphology, the closest relative of A. angulosa is its East African allopatric sister species A. stadiei sp. n. from which it is distinguished by the shape of the distal cornutus: it is relatively thin and evenly curved along its entire length in A. angulosa , while it is gently curved only subbasally and straight in its distal two-thirds in A. stadiei . A further difference between A. angulosa and A. stadiei is observed in the configuration of the cornuti field of the vesica which is larger, consisting of somewhat longer spinules in A. angulosa than in its allied species. In the clasping apparatus, A. angulosa has an uncus distally produced into a Y-shaped apical projection, while the uncus of A. stadiei has a short and narrow, bifid tip. The ground plan of the female genitalia is basically identical in both species, the only difference being found in the shape of the cervix bursae which is larger, more elongate with an evenly arched right margin in A. angulosa , while it is markedly shorter with only a slightly arcuate right margin in A. stadiei .

Genetic information. Afroracotis angulosa has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD:ADR6500.The intraspecific divergence ranges between 0.00–0.66%. The species is BIN-sharing with A. violetteae sp. n. at a pairwise distance of 0.00–0.77%; the nearest neighbours of A. angulosa are A. fiebigi sp. n. and A. stadiei sp. n. diverging at pairwise distances of 1.32–1.99% and 1.11–1.65%, respectively.

Distribution ( Map 2 ). Afroracotis angulosa is widely distributed in central Africa with records from Bioko Island, Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The species has not been recorded west of the Cameroon Line. In the Upper Guinea Forest region, the species is substituted by its West African allopatric sibling A. violetteae sp. n.

Figures

MAP 2. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Afroracotis) angulosa species-group.

FIGURES 21–40. Adults, dorsal view. 21. Afroracotis aliena sp. n., HT, ♀, Tanzania (ANHRT); 22. A. angulosa, HT of Racotis angulosa, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 23. Ibidem, ♁, Ethiopia (RCDS); 24. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 25. Ibidem, ♁, Kenya (RCHS); 26. Ibidem, ♀, Kenya (RCHS); 27. A. canui, HT of Racotis canui, ♁, São Tomé (ZSM); 28. Ibidem, ♁, Principé (ZSM); 29. A. stadiei sp. n., HT, ♁, Tanzania (ZSM); 30. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Tanzania (ZSM); 31. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Rwanda (ZSM); 32. A. violetteae sp. n., HT, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 33. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 34. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT); 35. A. fiebigi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 36. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 37. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ethiopia (RCDS); 38. A. albitrigonis, HT of Cleora albitrigonis, ST, ♁, São Tomé (NHMUK); 39. Ibidem, ♁, São Tomé (ANHRT); 40. Ibidem, ♀, São Tomé (ANHRT).

FIGURES 131–150. Adults, ventral view. 131. Afroracotis squalida squalida, ♁, Cameroon (ANHRT); 132. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ANHRT); 133. A. s. voeltzkowii, ♁, Comoros (ZSM); 134. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (NHMUK); 135. A. s. thomensis ssp. n., HT, ♁, São Tomé (ANHRT); 136. Ibidem, PT, ♀, São Tomé (ANHRT); 137. A. incompletaria incompletaria, ♀, Réunion (ZSM); 138. A. i. atrilunaria, HT of Boarmia atrilunaria, ♀, Mauritius (NHMUK); 139. A. aliena sp. n., HT, ♀, Tanzania (ANHRT); 140. A. angulosa, HT of Racotis angulosa, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 141. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 142. A. canui, HT of Racotis canui, ♁, São Tomé (ZSM); 143. Ibidem, ♁, Princípe (ZSM); 144. A. stadiei sp. n., PT, ♀, Tanzania (ZSM); 145. A. violetteae sp. n., HT, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 146. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT); 147. A. fiebigi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 148. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ethiopia (RCDS); 149. A. albitrigonis, ♁, São Tomé (ANHRT); 150. Ibidem, ♀, São Tomé (ANHRT).

FIGURES 217–224. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 217. Afroracotis squalida thomensis ssp. n., HT, São Tomé, slide No. LG 4931 (ANHRT); 218. A. angulosa, HT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4612 (ZSM); 219. Ibidem, DRC, slide No. LG 4091 (NHMUK); 220. Ibidem,Ethiopia, slide No. DS 222-2019 (RCDS); 221. Ibidem, Uganda, slide No. DS 227-2019 (RCDS); 222. Ibidem, Kenya, slide No. LG 5552 (RCHS); 223. A. canui, Princípe, slide No. LG 5037 (ZSM); 224. A. stadiei sp. n., HT, Tanzania, slide No. LG 4763 (ZSM).

FIGURES 298–305. Female genitalia. 298. Afroracotis angulosa, Cameroon, slide No.: ZSM G 20982 (ZSM); 299. Ibidem, Kenya, slide No.: LG 5558 (RCHS); 300. A. stadiei sp. n., PT, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4760 (ZSM); 301. Ibidem, PT, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 5050 (ZSM); 302. A. violetteae sp. n., PT, Liberia, slide No.: LG 4977 (ANHRT); 303. A. fiebigi sp. n., PT, Liberia, slide No.: LG 4985 (ANHRT); 304. Ibidem, PT, Uganda, slide No.: LG 4107 (NHMUK); 305. A. albitrigonis, São Tomé, slide No.: LG 4446 (ANHRT).