Sonitha bekombo, Friend & Prozorov & Yakovlev & Prozorova & Saldaitis & Sulak & Volkova & Lamah & Revay & Müller, 2024

Friend, Herman L., Prozorov, Alexey M., Yakovlev, Roman V., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Saldaitis, Aidas, Sulak, Harald, Volkova, Julia S., Lamah, Simon Pierre, Revay, Edita E. & Müller, Günter C., 2024, Four new species close to Sonitha libera and Sonitha myoctona from the Congolian lowland forests (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 72, pp. 99-116 : 106-108

Sonitha bekombo sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:439E6E1F-8966-4929-AC9F-80927BCC15C6

( Figs 7, 8 , 10, 13 , 34 )

Holotype: ♂, DRC, Mai- Ndombe, Ekongo camp, 2.75613 S, 20.31538 E, 350 m, XI.2017, leg. A. Prozorov, T. Prozorova et al., GS 1142 ( CGM / USTTB) . Another ♂ was photographed in nature ( Fig. 10 ) but possibly destroyed during storage in Kinshasa like thousands of other specimens and not included in the type series. Paratypes: 2♂, Gabon, Woleu- Ntem Province, Crystal Mts NP, Kinguelé , 0.45444, 10.27777, 19–30.XI.2019, leg. K. Larsen ( CAC) .

Description. Male ( Fig. 7 ). Flagellum covered with brown scales. Head and thorax pinkish and orangish straw. Abdomen straw. Forewing. Forewing length: 21 mm. Somewhat oval with rounded apex and smooth outer margin. Costa dark brown, costal area brown, subcostal and submarginal areas with mediobasal spot straw to reddish straw, medial area and tornal spot brown, submarginal area dark brown. Medial lines vague brown, discal dot black with straw contour. Fringe brown. Hindwing. Somewhat trapezoid with pronounced apices on Rs and CuA 2 and slightly wavy outer margin. Medial area dark brown, anal area straw, marginal area speckled with straw and brown scales; veins partially covered with pale scales. Medial lines dark brown, blurred, posterior one is barely visible; discal dot very small, black. Genitalia ( Figs 21 , 27 ). Tegumen a narrow band, dorsally and laterally bears two pairs of socii. Dorsal socii semioval, elongated; lateral socii knob-like, both covered with setae. Cucullus elongated, finger-shaped, s-shaped; apex rounded. Sacculus compact, semispherical, covered with setae. Vinculum a narrow band, ventromedially bears saccus. Saccus elongated, narrow, somewhat rectangle, distally rounded. Juxta basally fused with aedeagus. Lobes of juxta elongated, claw-like, c-shaped, medially “swollen,” narrowing in distal third, apically pointed. Aedeagus cylinder-like. Vesica divided into two unequal capsule-like diverticula bearing cornuti of according sizes. Eight sternite somewhat trapezoid, laterodistally bears a pair of claw-like dents. Female remains unknown.

Diagnosis. Adult males of S. bekombo sp. n. have shorter dorsal socii, membranous lateral socii, medially “swollen” c- shaped lobes of juxta, and distolateral dents on eight sternite less bent and sitting farer from the middle in genitalia ( Figs 21 , 27 ), and spread east of the Dahomey Gap ( Fig. 34 ); whereas adult males of S. libera have larger extension of dorsal socii, sclerotized lateral socii, slightly bent gradually narrowing lobes of juxta, and distolateral dents on eight sternite more bent and sitting closer to the middle in genitalia ( Figs 17–18 , 23–24 ), and spread west of the Dahomey Gap ( Fig. 32 ).

Adult males of S. bekombo sp. n. are smaller without pinkish tint ( Fig. 7 ), have narrower and longer dorsal socii, wider cucullus, smaller lobes of juxta, narrower saccus, and shorter diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 21 , 27 ); whereas adult males of S. adedapo sp. n. are larger with pinkish tint ( Figs 4–6 ), have wider and shorter dorsal socii, narrower cucullus, larger lobes of juxta, wider saccus, and longer diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 20 , 26 ).

Adult males of S. bekombo sp. n. have reddish tint ( Fig. 7 ), larger dorsal socii, medially “swollen” lobes of juxta, unequal diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 21 , 27 ); whereas adult male of S. ekongo sp. n. is yellowish brown ( Fig. 8 ), has weakly pronounced dorsal socii, lobes of juxta without medial “swellings,” equal diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 22 , 28 ).

Adult males of S. bekombo sp. n. are lighter colored with reddish tint and black discal dot ( Fig. 7 ), have larger dorsal socii, medially “swollen” lobes of juxta, narrower saccus, unequal diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 21 , 26 ); whereas adult males of S. myoctona are darker colored yellowish brown ( Figs 11–12 ), have weakly pronounced dorsal socii, lobes of juxta without “swellings,” wider saccus, equal diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Fig. 29 ).

Adult males S. bekombo sp. n. have black discal dot ( Fig. 7 ), larger dorsal socii, smaller lateral socii, short medially “swollen” lobes of juxta, narrow saccus, unequal diverticula of vesica, and dents of eight sternite sitting closer to the middle in genitalia ( Figs 21 , 26 ); whereas adult males of S. olanrewaju sp. n. have white discal dot ( Figs 14–15 ), weakly pronounced dorsal socii, slightly bigger lateral socii, elongated gradually narrowing lobes of juxta, wider saccus, equal diverticula of vesica, and sickle-shaped eight sternite with dents sitting on lateral edges in genitalia ( Figs 30–31 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 34 ). Congolian coastal forests in Gabon and Central Congolian lowland forests in DRC.

Biology. HT was collected in XI from an altitude of 350 meters a.s.l. Preimaginal stages unknown.

Etymology. The species is named after the village Bekombo (Mai-Ndombe, DRC). The people of Bekombo generously gave us access to their part of the forest and supported insect collecting in every possible manner.

Figures

Figures 2–8. ♂ of Sonitha spp. from DRC, Ekongo (except Fig. 3). 2. S. libera, GS 0890 (CGM/USTTB). 3. S. lapa, HT, Gabon, GS 2011-005 (MNHN). 4–6. S. adedapo sp. n., (CGM/USTTB). 4. HT, GS 1414. 5–6. PT. 7. S. bekombo sp. n., HT, GS 1142 (CGM/USTTB). 8. S. bekombo sp. n., HT, GS 1141 (CGM/USTTB). Scale bar – 1 cm.

Figures 9–16. ♂ of Sonitha spp. collected (CGM/USTTB) and in nature from DRC, Ekongo. 9. S. adedapo sp. n. 10. S. bekombo sp. n. 11–13. S. myoctona, GS 1025, 1024. 14–16. S. olanrewaju sp. n. 14. HT, GS 1022. 15. PT, GS 0996. Scale bar for spread moths – 1 cm.

Figures 32–35. Maps with collecting sites for Sonitha spp.

Figures 17–22. ♂ genitalia of Sonitha spp. 17–18. S. libera. 17. HT, “West Africa,” GS 460 (NHMUK). 18. DRC, Ekongo, GS 1413 (CGM/USTTB). 19. S. lapa, HT, Gabon, GS 2011-005 (MNHN). 20. S. adedapo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1414 (CGM/USTTB). 21. S. bekombo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1142 (CGM/USTTB). 22. S. ekongo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1141 (CGM/USTTB). Scale bar – 1 mm.

Figures 23–31. The 8th sternites and ♂ genitalia of Sonitha spp. 23–24. S. libera. 23. HT, “West Africa,” GS 460 (NHMUK). 24. DRC, Ekongo, GS 1413 (CGM/USTTB). 25. S. lapa, HT, Gabon, GS 2011-005 (MNHN). 26. S. adedapo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1414 (CGM/USTTB). 27. S. bekombo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1142 (CGM/USTTB). 28. S. ekongo sp. n., HT, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1141 (CGM/USTTB). 29. S. myctona, DRC, Ekongo, GS 1024 (CGM/USTTB). 30–31. S. olanrewaju sp. n., DRC, Ekongo (CGM/USTTB). 30. PT, GS 1021. 31. HT, GS 1021. Scale bar – 1 mm.