Apisa Walker, 1855

Przystałkowska, Anna, 2022, A new species of Apisa Walker, 1855 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from Uganda with remarks on the apomorphies of the genus, Zootaxa 5128 (1), pp. 91-106 : 93-94

Apisa Walker, 1855

Apisa W alker, 1855: 916

Type species: Apisa canescens W alker, 1855: 916 (designated by monotypy).

Diagnosis. Genus designated by monotypy. It can be clearly distinguished from other syntomines by its uniform colouration and the markedly reduced wing pattern characteristic for all species. Contrary to the other genera, the entire body is grey or ochraceous, varying from pale to relatively dark depending on the species. The weakly expressed pattern, if traceable, is restricted to the darker veins of wings. However, without exception, the same background colouration is visible on wings and remaining parts of the body. Most similar to Apisa are members of Lempkeella Kiriakoff, 1953 , Tervurenia Przybyłowicz, Ochse, 2017 , Daphaenisca Kiriakoff, 1953 and Anapisa holobrunnea . The first three genera contain species with rather dark, uniformly coloured wings which may resemble the darkest species of Apisa . They differ by a contrasting pattern of red, orange or yellow markings on abdomen or thorax, which is never developed in Apisa (for ilustrations see Przybyłowicz & Ochse 2017). Anapisa holobrunnea is similar to small, dark Apisa species as A. grisescens or A. rendalli but differs in distinctly elongate hindwings which are proportionally shorter and wider in Apisa and ochraceous-yellow tarsomeres never similarly coloured in Apisa (for ilustrations see Przybyłowicz & Bąkowski 2011).

The new and very obvious autapomorphy of Apisa described in this paper is the lack of arolium. This structure was checked and observed in all other members of former Thyretini (sensu Przybyłowicz 2009). This group, with exception of Thyretes Boisduvan, 1847 and Pseudothyretes Dufrane, 1945 which both possess arolium is later confirmed to form a monophyletic lineage within Syntomini (Przybyłowicz et al. 2019) . The clear position of Apisa within a thyretine clade corroborates the statement that the lack of arolium is a diagnostic and discrete autapomorphy of the genus.

Male genitalia does not provide the discrete diagnostic characters distinguishing the genus from other syntomines. However, the combination of a shortened, terminally concave valva and narrow, elongated saccus can provisionally be considered as the supplementary distinguishing features of Apisa .

The genitalia of females are too poorly known to be used in more general comparisons.