Alucita bokwango Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2020

Ustjuzhanin, Peter, Kovtunovich, Vasily, Maicher, Vincent, Safian, Szabolcs, Delabye, Sylvain, Streltzov, Alexander & Tropek, Robert, 2020, Even hotter hotspot: description of seven new species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae) from Mount Cameroon, ZooKeys 935, pp. 103-119 : 103

Alucita bokwango Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Figs 16-18

Type material.

Holotype • male (NECJU 201907), Cameroon, Elephant Camp, 1850 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1170°N, 9.0729°E, 19-24.XI.2014, lgt. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek. Paratypes • 1 female, (NECJU 201910), + 16 ex., (NECJU, CUK), same data as holotype • 1 male, (CUK), PlanteCam, 1100 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1175°N, 9.0709°E, 06-15.II.2016, lgt. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, R. Tropek • 2 ex., (CUK, NECJU), PlanteCam, 1100 m a.s.l., 4.1175°N, 9.0709°E, 11-18.XII.2014, lgt. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek • 1 male (CUK), Crater Lake, 1500 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1443°N, 9.0717°E, 11-21.II.2016, lgt. P. Potocký, Sz. Sáfián, J. Mertens, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek • 1 male (CUK), Elephant Camp, 1850 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1170°N, 9.0729°E, 17-22.II.2017, lgt. P. Potocký, Sz. Sáfián, J. Mertens, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek • 1 male (NECJU), Mann’s Spring, 2200 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1428°N, 9.1225°E, 16-21.IV.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye • 1 male (CUK), Crater Lake, 1500 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1443°N, 9.0717°E, 23-29.IV.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye • 8 ex., (NECJU, CUK), Elephant Camp, 1850 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1170°N, 9.0729°E, 18-26.IV.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye • 5 ex. (CUK, NECJU), Mapanja, 1850 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (S slope), 4.1157°N, 9.1315°E, 05-14.V.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye • 6 ex. (CUK, NECJU), Mapanja, 1850 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1157°N, 9.1315°E, 23-28.X.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles Alucita chloracta (Meyrick, 1908) in its external characters and the structure of the male genitalia. Genitalia of A. bokwango differs from A. chloracta in the needle-like apex of the uncus and the oval apical expansions of the valvae, whilst the uncus of A. chloracta is noticeably widened apically with a notch and valvae have a rounded apex. In its female genitalia, A. bokwango differs from A. chloracta (Fig. 24 ) in the short narrow ductus, wide funnel-shaped antrum and absence of a plaque-like signum in the bursa copulatrix. The wing colouration of A. bokwango is more contrasted than in A. chloracta (Fig. 23 ), and the new species is also substantially larger (23-25 mm vs. 15-16 mm wingspan).

External characters.

Wingspan 23-25 mm. Head, thorax, tegulae and abdomen all dark brown. Labial palpus yellowish-brown, three times as long as longitudinal eye diameter, directed forward. Third segment thin, apically tapered. Antenna pale brown, with small dark brown spots basally, just above scape. Wings brown, outer edge slightly lighter. Medial band on all wings whitish, almost transparent, interspersed with brown portions of hairs on lobes fringe. Hind leg yellow.

Male genitalia.

Uncus thin, long, needle-shaped. Gnathos equal to uncus in length, apically sharp. Valves long, membranous, smoothly forming an oval apically. Anellus arms straight, narrow, equal to gnathos in their length. Saccus oval. Aedeagus robust, thick, almost equal in length to genital structure without uncus, two spinous cornuti distally.

Female genitalia.

Papilla analis oval, wide throughout length. Posterior apophyses slightly shorter than anterior, thick and slightly undulated. Antrum wide, funnel-like. Ductus short, thin, membranous. Bursa copulatrix large, oval, with two large, lanceolate signa (although not clearly apparent in Fig. 18 ).

Distribution.

Cameroon.

Flight period.

October-May

Etymology.

The species is named after Bokwango, a village on the eastern slope of Mount Cameroon where our project established its main base and where we made a lot of good friends. Many of the species records were also made in forests belonging to the village. Last but not least, most of our field assistants and other helpers came from Bokwango and we are thankful to all of them for the success of the project. We strongly believe this dedication will also help protect the unique biodiversity of the region.

Note.

18 specimens from Elephant Camp, 19-24.XI.2014, and two specimens from PlanteCam, 11-18.XII.2014, (all lgt. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, Š. Janeček, R. Tropek), were erroneously indicated as A. chloracta by Ustjuzhanin et al. (2018). The other A. chloracta specimens referred by Ustjuzhanin et al. (2018) from Bamboo Camp, Drink Gari and PlanteCam were identified correctly.

Figures

Figures 16 - 18. Alucita bokwango Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. 16 adult male, Paratype, NEJCU 17 male genitalia, Holotype, preparation slide no. 201907 18 female genitalia, Paratype, preparation slide no. 201910. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figures 19 - 24. Comparative illustrations of other Alucita species mentioned in the new species' diagnoses 19 A. balioxantha (Meyrick, 1921), type, male genitalia 20 A. tesserata (Meyrick, 1918), type, male genitalia 21 A. rhaptica (Meyrick, 1920), female genitalia 22 A. compsoxantha (Meyrick, 1924), type, female genitalia 23 A. chloracta (Meyrick, 1908), type, adult female 24 A. chloracta, type, female genitalia.