Afrasura crenulata (Bethune-Baker, 1911) Bethune-Baker, 1911

Durante, Antonio, 2009, Revision of the Afrotropical species of Asura Walker, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 2280, pp. 27-52 : 37

Afrasura crenulata (Bethune-Baker, 1911) comb. n.

( Figs. 9 , 46 )

Asura crenulata Bethune-Baker, 1911 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) 7: 537.

Type locality. Angola, N’Dalla Tando (type 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 4 BMNH, examined).

Material examined. Male type.

Diagnosis. It is useful to compare the genitalia of the type of crenulata with those of the type of indecisa , both species being included by Hampson (1900: 447) among the synonyms of obliterata . Compared to indecisa , the saccus is more rounded in crenulata ; the distal portion of ala valvae is longer than the supravalva in indecisa ; the distal portion of the supravalva is larger in crenulata ; the costa of the supravalva is straight in crenulata (undulated in indecisa ); the vesica has a cornutus longer than three fifth of the total length of the aedeagus in both species, but is stronger and conical in crenulata . The wing venation has not been examined. Female unknown.

Remarks. Hampson (1914: 767) synonymized this species with Asura obliterata but Kühne (2005) considered crenulata to be valid. Examination of the male genitalia demonstrates crenulata is distinct from other species in the genus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Adults of Afrasura. 1 – 3, A. indecisa indecisa. 4 – 5, A. indecisa orientalis. 6 – 8, as yet unplaced Afrasura species from within the BMNH series of Miltochrista craigii (see text for elaboration). 9, A. crenulata. 10 – 11, A. discocellularis. 12, A. discreta.

FIGURES 41 – 52. Genitalia of Afrasura. 41 – 42, A. indecisa indecisa (A: type genitalia; B: coremata). 43, A. indecisa orientalis. 44 – 45, as yet unplaced Afrasura species from within the BMNH series of Miltochrista craigii (see text for elaboration). 46, A. crenulata. 47, A. discocellularis. 48, distal end of valva of A. discocellularis (left) and A. indecisa (right). 49, A. emma (right: coremata). 50, A. hieroglyphica (A, B: type; C, D: Arct. g. sl. 5736 BMNH). 51, A. hyporhoda (A: tegumen-vinculum complex; B: distal end of right valva; C: coremata; D: aedeagus). 52, A. ichorina.