Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Sáfián, 2022

Sáfián, Szabolcs & Bartsch, Daniel, 2022, Two new genera and species of Synanthedonini from the Nimba Mountains Liberia, West Africa (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), Zootaxa 5141 (1), pp. 87-93 : 92

Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Sáfián sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 4 )

Holotype ♂: ( Fig. 2 ) “ Liberia, Coldwater , ENNR / and Blei Community Forest, / 7°24’49.87”N, 8°35’27.25”W, / 553 m, mud-puddling, / 13.IV.2021, leg. Sz. Sáfián ”; “Bartsch GU 2021-07” ( SMNS).

Paratype: 1♂, “ Ghana, Western Region / New Debiso / Bia National Park , / 6°37’18.97”N, 3°3’52.60”W, / 219 m, / 19.I.2001, leg. Sz. Sáfián ”, GSCMW454-09 (= BOX-2218 A08) (collection Franz Pühringer Sankt Konrad, Austria) .

Worn specimen, labial palpi, hind legs and all left legs (except fore coxa) missing.

Description. A small, compact clearwing moth. Dimensions of the holotype: wingspan 16 mm, antenna 5 mm, forewing 7 mm, body length 9 mm. Head: labial palpus with first palpomere white, laterally with some black scales, second palpomere in distal half dark grey dorsally, black laterally and distally, terminal segment black, inner side yellow; frons dark grey with strong gloss, laterally and on lower part white; vertex glossy black, lateral and occipital as well as pericephalic scales brilliant emerald green, the latter laterally white; antenna black, white dorsodistally. Thorax: dorsally black, densely mottled with emerald green glossy scales, laterally dark grey with some white scales. Foreleg: dark anthracite-grey; coxa white, laterally black, sub-distally with some black scales; femur with narrow, white, lateral patch distally; tibia and tarsomeres with white scales distally. Mid and hind legs: dark anthracite-grey with steel-blue gloss; coxa distally white; tibia laterally with large patches of rough white scales in middle and distally; tibia of hindleg dorso-distally with tuft of black, distally white scales; tarsomeres distally white, ventrally white with black thorns; spurs dark grey, dorsally white. Wings: transparent areas well developed, external one very large, consisting of six sub-cells; veins, margins, apical area and discal spots black, some emerald green glossy scales at forewing base; fringes of both wings dark brownish-grey.Abdomen: black; tergite two mottled with a few emerald green glossy scales and a narrow emerald green posterior margin; tergite four anteriorly indistinctly brownish-black; tergite seven caudally white; sternite four white.

Genitalia ( Fig. 4 ). See description of genus.

Variation. The paratype’s wingspan is 14 mm, somewhat smaller than that of the holotype.

Diagnosis. Unmistakable, see genus description above.

Habitat. Captured along a semi-shaded forest track in wet lowland forest in the Nimba Mountains foothills.

Behaviour. The holotype was actively mud-puddling on a gravelly track near the stream named Coldwater, at around 14:00 hrs and in sunny conditions.

Derivatio nominis. Mount Bele, with its 1000 m altitude, is a unique geographic feature of Blei Community Forest with a beautiful, narrow, horseshoe-shaped ridge and virgin rainforest, and which is also the origin of the Coldwater stream.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. New Synanthedonini from Liberia, Nimba Mts. 1. Nimbamina blei Sáfián & Bartsch sp. nov., holotype ♂. 2. Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Sáfián sp. nov., holotype ♂. Scale: 10 mm.

FIGURES 3–4. Genitalia structure and segment eight of Synanthedonini. 3. Nimbamina blei Sáfián & Bartsch sp. nov., holotype ♂ (vesica double the size). 4. Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Sáfián sp. nov., holotype ♂. Scales: 1 mm.