Strigivenifera bartschi Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013

Taberer, Tabitha R., 2022, An updated review of the genus Strigivenifera Hering, 1937 (Lepidoptera Zygaenoidea: Chrysopolomidae) with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 5168 (1), pp. 51-62 : 59-60

Strigivenifera bartschi Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013

Given the variation in external morphology as previously noted, a final pair of Strigivenifera with almost identical male genitalia described by Kurshakov & Zolotuhin (2013) is addressed here: S. bartschi Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 (TL: Kenya) and S. tatooifera Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 (TL: DRC; note the holotype locality on the distribution map of S. tatooifera is incorrect). When considering just the adult morphology of the illustrated holotypes, the difference between these two species is clear as S. tatooifera is considerably darker than the related species with more intensive colouration. However, as outlined previously, the absence of further illustrations of each species makes it difficult to understand the level of intraspecific variation, as was found in S. albidiscalis . The striking similarities in the male genitalia are as follows: the juxta processes are extremely long and thin, the valve is wide and gradually tapers, there is a complete lack of cornuti, and the distinct aedeagus possesses two moderately sclerotised projections at the distal end. This final characteristic is perhaps the most diagnostic, as in all other Strigivenifera species the distal portion of the aedeagus is membranous and very weakly sclerotised. Unfortunately, the differential diagnoses provided by the authors lack details and only briefly compares the external morphology of S. bartschi with S. albidiscalis , S. oris, S. neo Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 and S. tatooifera, whilst S. tatooifera is compared only with S. oris and S. neo; it should be noted that neither S. oris nor S. neo occur in sympatry with S. bartschi or S. tatooifera. The comparison of the near-identical genital morphology of S. bartschi and S. tatooifera was surprisingly neglected by the authors.

The only noticeable difference between the male genitalia of S. bartschi and S. tatooifera is in the shape of the ventral edge of the valve: in S. bartschi , this edge is slightly more truncate whilst it is more rounded in the allied species. In order to investigate whether this was mere variation, two barcode-confirmed specimens from Nord-Kivu, DRC were dissected (BOLD process ids./gen. slide Nos.: ANLMN7890-21/TT 125; ANLMN7892-21/TT 124) and compared to S. bartschi from the type locality (BOLD process ids.: LIMBC814-11–LIMBC816-11; LIMBC818- 11). The results showed an intermediate valve shape between both species ( Figs. 12–13 , 25–26 ), as also found in a paratype of S. tatooifera ( Figs. 11 , 24 ), while every other feature of the entire male genitalia remained identical. Furthermore, the APWD between the DRC and Kenyan specimens was just 0.9%. From this, it is herein concluded that S. bartschi and S. tatooifera are synonymous and the latter is synonymised with the former: S. tatooifera Kurshakov & Zolotuhin, 2013 syn. n.

Figures

FIGURES 1–13. Adult male Strigivenifera (deposited at ANHRT unless otherwise stated). 1. S. albidiscalis, DRC (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8462-21/TT 118); 2. S. albidiscalis, Zambia (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8454- 21/TT 111); 3. S. albidiscalis, Zambia (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8460-21/TT 112); 4. S. eborea, Ivory Coast (BOLD process id./gen. slide No. ANLMN8471-21/TT 114); 5. S. eborea, Sierra Leone (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8472/TT 115); 6. S. eborea, Ivory Coast (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8466-21/TT 123); 7. S. eborea, Ivory Coast (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8465-21/TT 141); 8. S. smithi sp. n., HT, Sierra Leone (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8475-21/TT 122); 9. S. smithi sp. n., PT, Sierra Leone (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: AN- LMN8474/TT 121), 10. S. smithi sp. n., PT, Sierra Leone (gen. slide No.: TT 139); 11. S. bartschi (PT of S. tatooifera), DRC (gen. slide No.: CHRY-11-52) (RMCA); 12. S. bartschi, DRC (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN7892-21/TT 124); 13. S. bartschi, DRC (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN7890-21/TT 125).

FIGURES 21–26. Male genitalia of Strigivenifera (a. clasping apparatus; b. aedeagus). 21. S. smithi sp. n., HT, Sierra Leone (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.:ANLMN8475-21/TT 122); 22. S. smithi sp. n., PT, Sierra Leone (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN8474/TT 121), 23. S. smithi sp. n., PT, Sierra Leone (gen. slide No.: TT 139); 24. S. bartschi (PT of S. tatooifera), DRC (gen. slide No.: CHRY-11-52) (RMCA); 25. S. bartschi, DRC (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN7892-21/TT 124); 26. S. bartschi, DRC (BOLD process id./gen. slide No.: ANLMN7890-21/TT 125).