Rhynchobombyx anthonychristophereaton Prozorov, Saldaitis & Müller, 2021

Prozorov, Alexey M., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Mapilanga, Jean Joseph, Volkova, Julia S., Yakovlev, Roman V., Traore, Mohamed M., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2021, Seven new species of Rhynchobombyx Aurivillius, 1909 from Congolian lowland forests (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 49, pp. 35-53 : 44-45

Rhynchobombyx anthonychristophereaton Prozorov, Saldaitis & Müller sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FB9E4BCD-8CE5-4DB9-A769-5475B212D20C

( Figs 31–36 , 50–51 )

Type material: HOLOTYPE ♂, DRC, [Kasaï Prov.] Kasaï- Occidental Prov. , NE Ilebo and Kasai River, XI.1997, genitalia slide 0636 ( CGM / BUM) . PARATYPES (13♂ total): 11♂, data as for holotype but collected during X–XII.1997, genitalia slides 0635, 0637 ( CGM / BUM) ; DRC: 2♂, Mai- Ndombe Prov. , Ekongo camp, 02°45’23.09”S, 20°18’55.37”E, II.2017, leg. A. & T. Prozorovs, V. Kravchenko et al. ( CGM / BUM) .

Diagnosis. Externally the species differs from the others by forewing concavity between CuA 2 and 1A like in Rh. nicolasroberteaton , but lighter colored.

Description. Male habitus ( Figs 31–33 ). Head and thorax reddish orange, abdomen yellow. Thorax dorsally bears triangular dark brown spot with pale center; dark brown line goes from the spot towards dark brown palpi. Forewing length: 14–15 mm; wingspan: 29–31 mm. Wing oval-shaped, apex obtuse, external margin slightly waved with concavity between CuA 2 and 1A. Background color uniform orange, cilia brown. Pattern consists of dark brown antemedial, postmedial and faded external crenulate lines, lunules between R 4, R 5, M 1 and M 2; blackish discal dot on R-Cu cell outer margin. Hindwing oval-shaped, external margin rounded, slightly waved. Main color from yellow to orangish yellow, costal and tornal fields darker brownish. Cilia brown. Male genitalia ( Figs 34–36 ). Tegumen band-shaped, bears two short projections with blunt apexes and covered with chaetae along. Vinculum thin, ventrally widened into cup-like form. Sacculus elongated, finger-shaped with blunt apex. Cucullus tuber-like, covered with chaetae. Juxta a tiny plate fused with aedeagus. Aedeagus cylindrical with uneven dorsal sclerotized field right by vesica and ventral c-shaped basal spur with blunt apex. Vesica bag-shaped with two chambers: smaller lateral and bigger main, both covered with tiny denticles. Female remains unknown, expected to be bigger and darker than male.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Anthony Christopher Eaton (East Providence, Rhode Island, USA). Anthony Christopher is nature and sports enthusiast, especially wrestling.

Distribution. The species is found in two locations in DRC, Kasaï and Mai- Ndombe Province ( Figs 47–48 ).

Biology. Adults were observed and collected from September to December and in February. The only known habitat is tropical moist broadleaf forests with rare mosaic grassland patches, the elevation is around 100 m above sea-level. Two paratype males were collected on the border between forest and grassland in an area of one hectare using an auto-trap ( Figs 53–55 ). The larval foodplant remains unknown.

Figures

Figures 31–33. Males of Rh. anthonychristophereaton, all DRC, Kasaï Prov. 31. Holotype, genitalia slide 0636 (CGM/BUM). 32. Paratype, genitalia slide 0635 (CGM/BUM). 33. Paratype, genitalia slide 0637 (CGM/BUM).

Figures 34–36. Male genitalia of Rh. anthonychristophereaton, all DRC, Kasaï Prov. 34. Holotype, genitalia slide 0636 (CGM/BUM). 35. Paratype, genitalia slide 0635 (CGM/BUM). 36. Paratype, genitalia slide 0637 (CGM/BUM).

Figures 47–52. Collecting areas of Rhynchobombyx spp. 47. Congo, Cuvette-Ouest Dept., Odzala-Kakoua Nat. Park, 400–500 m, 0°23’N, 14°50’E. 48. DRC, Haut-Uele Prov., Isiro. 49. DRC, Tshuapa Prov., Lomela River, Gombe- Isongo. 50. DRC, Mai-Ndombe Prov., Ekongo camp, 02°45’23.09”S, 20°18’55.37”E. 51. DRC, Kasaï Prov., NE Ilebo and Kasai River. 52. Angola, Benguela Prov., rd. Londengo–Sumbe, ca. 80 km S Sumbe, 10 km rd. to Bumba, 280 m, 11°47’33.1”S, 14°02’17.4”E. Available from: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1meQVkKsMY8Qvp5cJBC2dwi_clX6l-cOD&usp=sharing [Accessed 10.XII.2021].

Figures 53–55. View on the one hectare grassland patch (53) surrounded by forest (54) near the Ekongo camp, Mai- Ndombe Prov., DRC (55).