Afroracotis (Afroracotis) incompletaria atrilunaria ( Mabille, 1893 ) 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 : 20-21

Afroracotis (Afroracotis) incompletaria atrilunaria ( Mabille, 1893) comb. n., stat. n.

( Figs 19–20 , 138 , 296 )

Boarmia atrilunaria Mabille, 1893 , Annales de la Société entomologique de Belgique 37:63. Lectotype female (NHMUK). Type locality: Mauritius.

Type material examined

Lectotype, female, blue ring label “LECTOTYPE” / [with handwritten] “ Maurice ” / [with handwritten] “ B. atrilunaria Mab. ” / “Ex musaeo P. Mabille 1923” / “Ex Oberthür Coll. Brit. Mus. 1927-3.” / [with partly handwritten] “ Boarmia atrilunaria Mabille Lectotype ♀ sel. D.S. Fletcher 1966” ( NHMUK) .

Additional material examined

Mauritius. 1 female, Mt. Cocotte , on track on first big band, swampy woodland, 718m, 20°26’27”S, 57°28’34”E, 4.xii.2005, MV, leg. Clive R. Turner, gen. slide No.: LG 4085 ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, “26. 21. Mauritius”, gen. slide No.: LG 4105 ( NHMUK) .

Taxonomic note. The taxon atrilunaria was described in the genus Boarmia but attributed to Hypomecis by Scoble (1999). Examinations of the external and genital morphology have suggested its correct assignment to Afroracotis . Due to minor morphological differences between incompletaria and atrilunaria , the latter taxon is downgraded here to subspecies rank.

Diagnosis. Forewing length 23–24 mm. Afroracotis incompletaria atrilunaria ( Mabille, 1893) is very similar to the nominotypical subspecies, but the forewing pattern is more strongly speckled with more contrasting transverse fasciae and a more sharply defined black discal spot on the forewing which is poorly visible in the other subspecies. In the female genitalia, the differences between the two taxa are limited, expressed only in the slightly shorter antrum and somewhat longer sclerotised distal section of the corpus bursae of A. incompletaria atrilunaria compared to the nominotypical subspecies from Réunion.

The male is unknown.

Genetic information. The specimens accessed during this study have not been sequenced due to their age.

Distribution ( Map 1 ). This subspecies of A. incompletaria is endemic to Mauritius.

Figures

MAP 1. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Afroracotis) squalida species-group.

FIGURES 1–20. Adults, dorsal view. 1. Racotis boarmiaria, LT, ♁, India (NHMUK); 2. Afroracotis squalida squalida, HT of Ophthalmodes squalida, ♀, Nigeria (NHMUK); 3. Ibidem, HT of Boarmia uhligi, ♀, Tanzania (MfN); 4. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (ANHRT); 5. Ibidem, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 6. Ibidem, ♁, Togo (ANHRT); 7. Ibidem, ♁, Gabon (ANHRT); 8. Ibidem, ♁, Ethiopia (RCDS); 9. Ibidem, ♀, Ethiopia (RCDS); 10. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ANHRT); 11. A. s. voeltzkowii, LT of Boarmia voeltzkowii, ♁, Madagascar (MfN); 12. Ibidem, ♁, Comoros (ZSM); 13. Ibidem, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 14. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (NHMUK); 15. A. s. thomensis ssp. n., HT, ♁, São Tomé (ANHRT); 16. Ibidem, PT, ♀, São Tomé (ANHRT); 17. Ibidem, ♀, PT, São Tomé (NHMUK); 18. A. incompletaria incompletaria, ♀, Réunion (ZSM); 19. A. i. atrilunaria, HT of Boarmia atrilunaria, ♀, Mauritius (NHMUK); 20. Ibidem, ♀, Mauritius (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 290–297. Female genitalia. 290. Afroracotis squalida squalida, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 4088 (NHMUK); 291. Ibidem, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4068 (ANHRT); 292. A. s. voeltzkowii, Madagascar, slide No.: LG 4101 (NHMUK); 293. A. s. thomensis ssp. n., PT, São Tomé, slide No.: LG 5447 (ANHRT); 294. Ibidem, PT, São Tomé, slide No.: NHMUK 010316166 (NHMUK); 295. A. incompletaria incompletaria, Réunion, slide No.: LG 5048 (ZSM); 296. A. i. atrilunaria, Mauritius, slide No.: LG 4105 (NHMUK); 297. A. aliena sp. n., HT, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4084 (ANHRT).