Kessleria africana, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 33

39. Kessleria africana sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 6 ). Wingspan 15–17 mm. Head tufted, ochreous; labial palpus inclined to droop, pale ochreous, segment 3 at least as long as segment 2; scape dark brown, flagellum annulate dark brown and whitish. Thorax shining golden brown, often white posteriorly, tegula dark fuscous. Forewing glossy whitish much irrorate brown, a blackish central spot before middle, another beyond disc, a blackish line around termen, fringe shining pale fuscous. Hindwing pale grey. Forelegs banded pale ochreous and fuscous, mid- and hind-leg pale fuscous, darker near joints. Abdomen pale brownish grey, sternal segments covered with small spinules.

Male genitalia ( Plate 16 ). Uncus simple, socius gently curved ending with a spine; valva with apex forming a hook, sacculus small, ending with spines, saccus narrow and straight. Aedeagus about twice length of valva with cornutus ½ of its length.

Female genitalia ( Plate 26 ). Lobes of lamella postvaginalis narrow and widely separated, ostium small, ductus long and narrow, with weak scobination for most of its length; corpus bursae more or less ovoid, a symmetrical signum bearing short spines; ductus at least as long as abdomen.

Diagnosis. Distinguished by the brightly coloured forewing with four large blackish spots, in the male genitalia by the shape of the apex of the valva, short sacculus and long slender saccus; in the female genitalia by the lamella postvaginalis lacking the caudal pads of other species,.

Biology. The species has been reared from Dovyalis longispina (Flacourtiaceae) . Adults recorded in January, March, November and December.

Derivation of the name. From the Continent of Africa where the species is found.

Distribution. Kenya, Rift Valley and Central provinces above 2000 m.

Type material. Holotype ♂ KENYA; Rift Valley , Turi , 8500 ft, 29.i.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz; 10 paratypes: ♂ same locality as holotype, 14.iii.1999, DJLA slide 1277; 1 ♀ same locality as holotype, l. on Dovyalis em. 28.xii.1998; 2 ♂ 5 ♀ Rift Valley , Molo , 8600 ft, 27.iii.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz; 1 ♀ Central , Castle Forest Lodge 2060 m, 0°22’51’’S 37°18’35’’E 20.xi.2009, D.J.L. Agassiz. ( DJLA).

Figures

PLATE 6. The codes X1 to X6 refer to presently undescribed species, and are used to identify the specimens, and are also used in the museums where they are deposited.

PLATE 16.

PLATE 26.