Marasmarcha lamborni Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin

Kovtunovich, V., Ustjuzhanin, P. & Murphy, R., 2014, Plume moths of Malawi (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 3847 (4), pp. 451-494 : 472-473

Marasmarcha lamborni Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov. ( Figs. 24–26 )

Type material: Holotype, male, ( BMNH, 22683), S. Malawi, Mangochi District, 25 km E Mangochi, Namizimu Forest Reserve, Uzuzu Hill, 14º24',S, 35º22'E, 1040 m, 14– 15.12.2010, Kovtunovich V. & Ustjuzhanin P. Paratypes, same data as holotype, 1 ♀, 23– 25.12.2011 ( BMNH 22684); 1 ♀, NE Zambia, 10 km S. Isoka, 10°11'S, 32°37'E, 1444 m, 30.12.2010, Kovtunovich V. & Ustjuzhanin P. (CUK 152).

External characters. Wingspan 25 mm in the holotype and in the paratype. Head, thorax and tegulae lightyellow. Palpi short, straight, somewhat longer than eye’s diameter. Forewing yellow, with inclusions of brown scales. Fringe yellow. Hindwings somewhat darker than forewings, yellowish-brown. Fringe of all lobes lightyellow, without dark scales on third lobe. Legs light-brown, without dark inclusions.

Male genitalia. Valvae symmetrical, narrow, with well-developed thick inwardly directed hairs on at apex. Uncus rhomboid with sharpened angles on lateral sides and on top. Gnathos poorly sclerotized, oval. Aedeagus broadened at the distal part, bevelled at sharp angle and bifurcated. Vinculum triangular.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis narrow. Posterior apophysis oval. Ostium broadly rounded, strongly sclerotized. Ductus slender, long, membranous. Bursa copulatrix large, rounded. Signa comprised of small spicules forming rounded plate.

Diagnosis. The new species externally resembles Marasmarcha locharcha and differs from latter by the paler colouration of the wings and absence of dark scales on the fringe of third lobe of hindwings. Based on the shape of the valvae in the male genitalia, it is close to Marasmarcha locharcha , but differs in the structure of the uncus, aedeagus, and shape of the vinculum.

Distribution: NE Zambia, S. Malawi.

Flight period: December.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of the famous entomologist Dr. William Lamborn (1877–1959) who lived in the Namizimu Forest in 1920s.

Note. The saccular process of the valva, which defined Marasmarcha (Gielis 1993) , is absent in M. lamborni . Gielis (2011) indicated that the inclusion of species lacking the saccular process in Marasmarcha (such as M. locharcha , M. rubriacuta , and here M. lamborni ) was questionable and that a separate genus might be required to accommodate them. However, this would require a phylogenetic analysis, which was beyond the scope of our work.

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 26. Marasmarcha lamborni Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov. 24. Adult, holotype; 25. Male genitalia, holotype (slide 22683 BMNH); 26. Female genitalia, paratype (slide 22684 BMNH).