Palaeugoa smithi Volynkin & László, 2020

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2020, Revision of the genus Palaeugoa Durante, 2012, with descriptions of seven new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 36, pp. 53-77 : 62-63

Palaeugoa smithi Volynkin & László , sp. nov.

( Figs 12–14, 38–40, 55)

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 12, 38): male, “ Gabon, 430m, Mikongo ( Rougier ), Monts de Cristal (Secondary forest), 0°29’47”N, 11°40’42”E, 28.vii.–12.viii.2019, LepiLED Light Trap, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. Leg., ANHRT:2019.17” / “ANHRTUK 00137800”, gen. slide No.: AV5974 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. GABON: 56 males, 1 female, with the same date as the holotype, collecting methods include Actinic, LepiLED and MV light traps, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00107445, 00107554– 00107556, 00110935, 00110938, 00110939, 00110941, 00110943, 00110989, 00111112, 00111215– 00111217, 00137794, 00137801, 00137802, 00137806, 00138685, 00138763, 00138768–00138771, 00138799, 00138801, 00138979–00138981, 00138986, 00152738, 00152741, 00153062, 00153063, 00153065–00153068, 00155635, 00156217, 00156218, 00158168, 00158169, 00160448, 00160478, 00160479, 00162629, 00162660, 00163118, 00163142, 00165223, 00165254, 00165597, 00165610, 00167921, 00167923, 00167925, gen. slide Nos.: AV5973, AV5975, AV5976; 1 male, Dilo ANPN camp, Ivindo ( Secondary forest ), 185m, 0°14’1”N, 12°17’49”E, 14–19.viii.2019, LepiLED Light Trap, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V ., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT:2019.17, unique number: ANHRTUK 00163062 ( ANHRT). CAMEROON: 4 males, 1 female, Central Region, Nkoteng, On Sanaga River , Nkoteng Forest , 612m, 04°33’34.2”N, 11°59’37.6”E, 24–28.x.2018, LepiLED and Cold Cathode UV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz. , Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT : 2018.36, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00059682, 00059683, 00059772, 00060180, 00060181, gen. slide Nos.: AV5056, AV5073 (males), AV5074 (female) ( ANHRT) . REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 4 males, 1 female, Odzala Nat. Park , 400–500m, 0°23’N 14°50’E, 29.I.–3.III.1997, leg. Sinyaev & Murzin, gen. slide Nos.: MWM 33758 , 33759 , 33848 , 33851 (males) , MWM 33847 (female) (all prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 1 male, 1 female, 80 km SE Kisangani , village Batianionka, N 0°05.8’, E25°32.8’, 19– 21.II.2008, leg. Gurkovich & Zolotuhin, gen. slide Nos.: MWM 33849 (male) , MWM 33760 (female) (both prepared by Volynkin) ; 1 male, 17 km N Kisangani, Masako Field Station , 00°36’N, 25°15’E, 388m, 2– 8.II.2008, Gurkovich & Zolotuhin leg., gen. slide No.: MWM 33850 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) . UGANDA: 1 male, Western Region, Prov. Fort Portal, Lake Nkuruba , N°31.100’, E30°18.146’, 1– 6.VII.2011, 1530m, leg. H. Sulak, gen. slide No.: MWM 33757 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 2 males, Mpigi, Mpanga Forest , 25–30.XI.2014, LF, leg. W. Mey, gen. slide No.: AV4273 ( MFN) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 6.5–8 mm in males and 8.5–9. 5 mm in females. The new species differs externally from the other members of the P. spurrelli species-group by its smaller size, the darker orange-red colouration of the head, thorax and forewing densely suffused with pinkish scales, the considerably more reddish brown forewing pattern, and the intense pinkish suffusion on the hindwing which is pale yellow in the related species. The male genital capsule of P. smithi differs from that of the other congeners by the configuration of the transtillar processes which are fused into a common plate with a deep medio-distal depression, whereas the transtillar processes are detached in the other relatives. The valva shape of the new species is most similar to that of P. megala due to the presence of the medial saccular process (which is absent in P. spurrelli , P. moa , P. secunda and P. camerunensis ), but differs from it by the straight costal margin (which is medially convex in P. megala ) and the absence of a costal process (present in P. megala ). In comparison with P. megala , the new species has considerably narrower apical part of the cucullus, a somewhat narrower distal saccular process which is less curved dorsally and a slightly less elongate medial saccular process with conspicuously broader base which is projected more distally than in P. megala . Furthermore, in P. smithi the anellus is weakly spinulose (membranous in other species of the P. spurrelli species-group), the juxta is short and broad, ribbon-like without a medio-ventral process (similarly to that of P. camerunensis ), whereas in P. megala , the juxta is markedly longer and broader bearing a conspicuous medio-ventral process (as in P. spurrelli , P. moa and P. secunda ). The aedeagus of P. smithi is slightly curved medially, evenly tapered distally (that of P. spurrelli , P. moa , P. secunda and P. megala is straight and evenly wide in its full length, whereas that is slightly S-curved and broadened proximally and subapically in P. camerunensis ), having a well-developed coecum (which is very short in P. camerunensis and absent in the other four species). The vesica of the new species is considerably shorter and narrower than that of the other relatives, having an elongate medial diverticulum bearing robust cornuti apically varying in number from one to three, whereas the vesica of P. moa , P. secunda and P. camerunensis lack cornuti, that o P. spurrelli bears only very small spinules and that of P. megala is much broader having two long diverticula projecting adversely, both bearing robust apical cornuti varying in number from one to three. The female genitalia of P. smithi is easily distinguishable from those of the other members of the species-group by the markedly smaller corpus bursae having evenly sclerotized posterior section (that is rugose in other species) and evenly spinulose-scobinated medial and anterior sections (in other species the medial section is more heavily scobinated and may be weakly sclerotized). In addition, the new species has a conspicuously large and elongate appendix bursae projecting from the right side of the corpus bursae, whereas in the other species, that is shorter, more or less globular, projecting from the left side of the corpus bursae.

Distribution. Palaeugoa smithi is known to date from Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, inhabiting the equatorial rainforests of central Africa.

Remark. Kühne (2008) reported and illustrated specimens referred as ‘ Asura spurrelli ’ from western Kenya (Kakamega Forest) without genitalia illustration. The specimens illustrated are very similar to P. smithi and probably belong to this species. In the course of the preparation of this paper, the authors could not locate specimens from Kenya to confirm the identification by the genital morphology.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Mr Richard Smith, founder and trustee of the African Natural History Research Trust, organiser of extensive entomological exploratory program in Sub-Saharan Africa.