Tumicla admiranda, Volynkin & László, 2019

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2019, Four new species of the genus Tumicla Wallengren, 1863 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 4668 (3), pp. 421-434 : 431-433

Tumicla admiranda sp. nov.

( Figs 19, 20 , 33 , 42 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 19 , 33 ): ♂, [ Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haut-Katanga Province] “20. 22. Luvua River (east bank) 85 miles N. of L. Mweru , ca. 3000 ft., April ’22. End of wet season. T. A. Barns ” / “006195” / “Joicey Bequest. Brit. Mus. 1934-120.” / “ NHMUK 010916003 ”, slide NHMUK 010314599 Volynkin (Coll. NHMUK) .

Paratype: ♀, with the same collecting data as the holotype / 005517 / Joicey Bequest. Brit. Mus. 1934-120. / NHMUK 010916004 , slide NHMUK 010314600 Volynkin (Coll. NHMUK) .

Diagnosis. Tumicla admiranda ( Figs 19, 20 ) is an unmistakable species characterized by the presence of two broad dark brown shades on forewings. It resembles somewhat T. fasciata ( Durante, 2008) ( Figs 21, 22 ), but differs clearly by its smaller size, narrower forewing, the presence of a wide, dark brown subbasal band (this area is characterized by subbasal spots and distinct antemedial line in T. fasciata ), the absence of a medial line (that is present in T. fasciata ), its broader outer dark brown area including the discal spot (whereas the discal spot is well separated from the dark outer area in T. fasciata ), and wider outer dark brown area of hindwing. The male genitalia of T. admiranda ( Fig. 33 ) are somewhat similar to those of the externally rather different T. sagenaria ( Figs 25, 26 , 34 ), but differ by the broader uncus with more curved distal part, the broader apical part of tegumen, the shorter, U-shaped vinculum (that is longer and V-shaped with a rounded apex in T. sagenaria ), the basally narrower valva with more strongly dentate distal costal margin, the much shorter and narrower aedeagus, the shorter lateral diverticulum of vesical evenly covered with spine-like cornuti ( T. sagenaria has cornuti only in its distal two thirds), and the absence of a small distal diverticulum with spine-like cornuti which is present in T. sagenaria . The male genitalia of T. admiranda also resemble those of T. rubea ( Fig. 32 ) due to the presence of numerous spine-like cornuti in vesica, but differ by the more robust uncus, the broader tegumen, the smaller vinculum, the valva being broadened subapically (that is narrowed subapically in T. rubea ), and the diverticulum of vesica is longer and bearing much smaller spine-like cornuti than that of T. rubea . The female genitalia of T. admiranda ( Fig. 42 ) differ clearly from those of T. sagenaria ( Fig. 45 ) by their considerably shorter apophyses anteriores, much shorter ductus bursae, less strongly sclerotised posterior end of corpus bursae, narrower anterior section of corpus bursae bearing a signum (that is absent in T. sagenaria ), and larger and less heavily sclerotised appendix bursae. The female genitalia of T. admiranda ( Fig. 42 ) are also similar to those of T. fasciata ( Fig. 43 ) and T. smithi ( Fig. 44 ), but can be easily distinguished by their much shorter ductus bursae, weakly sclerotised posterior section of corpus bursae, narrower anterior section of corpus bursae being membranous and bearing a signum (whereas that is moderately sclerotised, rugose without a signum in T. fasciata and T. smithi ), and smaller and less strongly sclerotised appendix bursae.

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 19, 20 ). Forewing length 10 mm in holotype male and 13 mm in female. Head orange, male antenna ciliate, female antenna filiform. Thorax orange, with medial dark brown spot in male. Forewing elongated, with rounded apex and gently arcuate tornus, ground colour orange at base, in medial area and at apex; antemedial area blackish brown, with rounded outer margin; postmedial area dark brown with slightly S-curved inner margin and W-like curved outer margin at apex; discal spot narrow, semilunar, blackish, indistinct; cilia orange with admixture of dark brown scales. Basal half of hindwing orange, outer area dark brown, with wavy inner margin; cilia dark brown. Abdomen orange, in male with dark brown medial area. Male genitalia ( Fig. 33 ). Uncus moderately long, narrow, distally hook-like curved, apically pointed; tuba analis broad, scaphium thin, weakly sclerotised, subscaphium represented by a field of fine spinulose scobination; tegumen moderately long, its apical two thirds strongly broadened and dorso-ventrally curved; juxta broad, shield-like; vinculum short, U-shaped, with narrow margins. Valva elongated, distally broadened, its distal end slightly curved ventrally, apically strongly tapered, with narrow, elongated and apically truncate tip; costal margin slightly arcuate, with short irregular dentation on its distal third; sacculus short, narrow, weakly setose, without processes, with slightly arcuate ventral margin. Aedeagus short, straight, its proximal end broadened. Vesica slightly broadened subbasally, with elongated diverticulum curved ventrally, covered densely with spine-like cornuti; vesica ejaculatorius originates from subbasal section of vesica, directed dorsally. Female genitalia ( Fig. 42 ). Ovipositor short and broad; papillae anales rectangular, with rounded angles; apophyses moderately long and thin, equal in length. Ostium bursae broad with slightly arched margin; ductus bursae broad and very short, funnel-shaped, dorso-ventrally flattened and heavily sclerotised. Posterior section of corpus bursae tapered and elongated, sclerotised medially; anterior section of corpus bursae broadened, drop-like with weak scobination posteriorly and trigonal dentate signum latero-anteriorly. Appendix bursae short, conical with rounded apex, weakly sclerotised and granulated, situated postero-laterally on the left side of ductus bursae.

Distribution. Tumicla admiranda is to date, only known from its type locality in the Haut-Katanga province, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Etymology. ‘Admirandus’ means ‘astonishing’ in Latin. The specific epithet refers to its unusual and conspicuous wing pattern and coloration.

Figures

FIGURES 19–26. Tumicla spp.: adults. 19, T. admiranda, holotype ♂, DR Congo (©NHMUK); 20, T. admiranda, paratype ♀, DR Congo (©NHMUK); 21, T. fasciata, holotype ♀, CentralAfrican Republic (©NHMUK); 22, T. fasciata, paratype ♀, Central African Republic (©NHMUK); 23, T. smithi, holotype ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 24, T. smithi, paratype ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 25, T. sagenaria, ♂, South Africa (©NHMUK); 26, T. sagenaria, ♀, South Africa (©NHMUK).

FIGURES 31–34. Tumicla spp.: male genitalia. 31, T. similis, Kenya, slide MWM 33734 Volynkin (MWM/ZSM); 32, T. rubea, holotype, South Africa, slide BMNH(E) Arct-5868 (©NHMUK); 33, T. admiranda, holotype, DR Congo, slide NHMUK 010314599 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 34, T. sagenaria, South Africa, slide BMNH(E) Arct-5861 (©NHMUK).

FIGURES 41–45. Tumicla spp.: female genitalia. 41, T. similis, paratype, Kenya, Kibwezi, slide NHMUK010314047 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 42, T. admiranda, paratype, DR Congo, slide NHMUK 010314600 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 43, T. fasciata, paratype, CentralAfrican Republic, slide NHMUK010314046 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 44, T. smithi, holotype, Zambia, slideAV5243 (ANHRT); 45, T. sagenaria, lectotype, [South Africa] Caffraria, slide NHRS 000011009 (photo by T. Malm, ©2017NHRS).