Agrionympha pseliacma Meyrick, 1921

Gibbs, George W. & Kristensen, Niels P., 2011, Agrionympha, the long-known South African jaw moths: a revision with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae), Zootaxa 2764, pp. 1-21 : 13-14

Agrionympha pseliacma Meyrick, 1921

Ann. Transv. Mus. 8: 144.

( Figs. 2 H, 10A, B, 11)

Material examined. Holotype Ƥ, South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Karkloof, 29º24ʹS, 30º17ʹE, 11 Jan 1917, A.J.T. Janse (HT 77, TMP). Abdomen slide 7874, wings, antenna, fore leg, slide 1582 ( TMP). Paratype 13, from same location, Dec 1930, A.J.T. Janse ( TMP). Male genital slide 3830, wings slide 3275 ( TMP); head slide M300, N.P. Kristensen ( ZMUC).

Description. Head: Antennae dark greyish-brown with faint purplish sheen, becoming slightly paler toward tip. Flagellar segments in male unknown, 30 segments in female with basal 8 scaled; piliform scales on scape, pedicel and head pale ochreous.

Thorax: dark bronzy-fuscus, tegulae lost. Legs damaged and largely descaled. FW length 3.0 mm in male, 3.4 mm in female. FWs ( Fig. 2 H) coppery-golden-bronze with purplish reflections, all bands silvery-white edged with black scales; a narrow lozenge-shaped claval mark, angled toward the dorsum; a straight median band; a short postmedian band from costa reaching to middle of wing; a small apical band which is slightly subterminal.

Male postabdomen ( Fig. 10 A, description prepared from unique lateral slide mount 3830 Janse, TMP): Sternum VIII remnants roughly triangular with about 7 microsetae. Anterior margin of IX distinctly darkened and thickened, the thickened band becoming submarginal ventrally. Median plate roughly rectangular, 3.5 times longer than wide, more strongly sclerotised anteriorly then posteriorly. Valvae short (ratio length:width 3.6); their upward curvature markedly angled just beyond mid-length and tapering from there to a rounded apex; the postero-ventral face distinctly but irregularly flattened (note: this could possibly be an artifact of slide preparation). Form of tegumen lobes not clear in the preparation but appearing to conform with generic description. A cluster of about 33 hair-sensilla on the membraneous dorsum of IX. Phallus ratio length:height 4.2; ventral bulb moderate; status of ‘neck’ region and shape of gonopore cannot be determined from the slide mount but there appears to be a flap-like overhang in the mid-line.

Female postabdomen: not examined.

Diagnosis. Shares with A. fuscoapicella and A. jansella the short forewing postmedian band represented as only on the costal end, but retains the complete set of bands, i.e. distinguishable from the former by the presence of an apical patch, and the latter by the presence of the claval mark.

Bionomics. Found under the shade of very high trees with little patches of sunshine in the entrance to a kloof. Janse (1942) noted that in the 14 years between capture of the female and the male, the original bush had been cleared away and replaced by a wattle plantation. The male was found ‘nearer the mountain side where the original vegetation was still intact’. Clearly additional sites in the district should be examined to determine whether A. pseliacma still survives.

Distribution. South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Karkloof Falls, near Howick. Known only from type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Forewing maculation of Agrionympha species: A, A. capensis; B, A. karoo, C, A. pseudovari, D, A. fuscoapicella; E, A. kroonella, F, A. sagittella; G, A. jansella; H, A. pseliacma; I, A. vari.

FIGURE 10. Agrionympha male genitalia. A – B, A. pseliacma, Meyrick, Karkloof Falls: A, lateral view, from slide 3830, Transvaal Museum, Pretoria; B, detail of phallus, lateral. C – G, A. sagittella, sp. nov. Hogsback: C, lateral; D, dorsal; E, ventral; F, phallus, lateral; G, phallus dorsal. H – J, Agrionympha ‘ species 1 ’, Diepwalle Forest: H, lateral; I, phallus lateral; J, phallus dorsal.