Palaeugoa aristophanousi 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 : 75

Palaeugoa aristophanousi Volynkin & László , sp. nov.

( Figs 26, 27, 48, 49)

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 26, 48): male, “ GABON, 430m, Mikongo (Rougier), Monts de Cristal (Secondary Forest), 0°29'47"N, 11°10'42"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 00107454”, gen. slide No.: AV5971 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. GABON: 3 males, with the same data as the holotype, collecting method Actinic Light Trap, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00162682, 00162741 and 00167930 ; 2 males, Nyonie (Lowland Forest), 10m, 0°2'22"S, 9°20'25"E, 23–28.viii.2019, MV Light Trap , Albert , J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT : 2019.17, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00152561, 00152562, gen. slide Nos. : AV5972, LGNA1209 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The length of the forewing is 8–9 mm in males. Palaeugoa aristophanousi can be distinguished from P. peregrina and P. ngoko by its rather greyish forewing colouration and the conspicuously darker, pale greyish brown hindwing whereas the forewings are rather brownish-reddish, the hindwings are creamy yellowish in P. peregrina and P. ngoko . Additionally, the new species differs from P. peregrina by its markedly smaller size and the less elongate forewing. The male genital capsule of the new species differs from that of P. peregrina by the shorter spines on the ventral part of anellus, the gently arched costal margin of the valva (which is strongly angled in P. peregrina ) the narrower cucullus with heavily setose ventral margin (which is membranous in P. peregrina ); the conspicuously narrower and slightly longer distal saccular process and the much shorter, triangular and non-setose medial saccular process which is longer and broader, slightly curved, finger-like and densely setose in P. peregrina . The aedeagus of the new species differs from that of P. peregrina by the narrower dorsal distal crest lacking a spinulose dilated distal plate. The vesica structure of P. aristophanousi is similar to that of P. peregrina , but differs by the presence of the subbasal ventral diverticulum, the more elongate medial diverticulum, and the conspicuously smaller cluster of cornuti on the ventral diverticulum. The comparison with male genitalia of P. ngoko is provided under the diagnosis of the latter species.

Distribution. The new species is hitherto known only from Gabon, nevertheless, it is presumably more widespread in the central-western African lowland rainforests.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Mr Marios Aristophanous distinguished entomologist, one of the collectors of the type series.