Meharia yakovlevi Saldaitis & Ivinskis, 2010

Borth, Robert, Ivinskis, Povilas, Saldaitis, Aidas & Yakovlev, Roman, 2011, Cossidae of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen), ZooKeys 122, pp. 45-69 : 49-50

Meharia yakovlevi Saldaitis & Ivinskis, 2010 Figs 7, 11

Meharia yakovlevi Saldaitis & Ivinskis, 2010a, Esperiana 15: 379.

Description.

Male genitalia (Fig. 11): The authors examined the genital structures of several more male specimens, noting that the valvae are variable in shape being slightly narrower and slightly concave in costal and dorsal areas. The vesica is narrow, long, and almost the same length as aedeagus.

Distribution.

This species was described from a single male. This specimen was collected in Hadibu environs, in the hills covered by dense shrubby vegetation dominated by the following plants: Rhus thyrsiflora , Buxus hildebrandtii , Carphalea obovata , Sterculia africana , Dracaena cinnabari , Rhus thyrsiflora , Carphalea obovata , Tamarindus indica , Commiphora socotrana , Commiphora ornifolia , Commiphora parvifolia , Boswellia ameero , Boswellia elongata , Boswellia bullata , Boswellia dioscorides , Boswellia nana , Punica protopunica , Acacia pennivenia , Cephalocroton socotranus , Indigofera socotrana , Dirachma socotrana , Allophylus rubifolius , Maerua socotrana , Acridocarpus socotranus , Sterculia africana , Zizyphus spina-christi , Ficus vasta , Ficus salicifolia , Arthrocarpum gracile , Ormocarpum caeruleum ( Miller and Cope 1996). In January 2010, five more specimens were collected (1 ♂, N Socotra Island, Wadi Kam, 13 January 2010, leg. A. Saldaitis (Fig. 7); 2 ♂ central part of Socotra Island, Diksam loc., 14 January 2010, leg. A. Saldaitis; 2 ♂ S Socotra Island, Wadi Difarroha South side, 15 January 2010, leg. A. Saldaitis). Meharia yakovlevi appears to be a very rare and local species showing a slightly higher abundance in the central part of the country with oasis-like valleys and canyons with relict woody vegetation. These habitats were dominated by the following plants: Jatropha unicostata , Lycium socotranum , Gnidia socotrana , Buxus hildebrandtii , Croton socotranus , Punica protopunica , Ficus vasta , Euphorbia socotrana , Jathropha unicostata , Mitolepis intricata , Aloe perryi , Adenium obesum ( Miller and Cope 1996).