Palaeugoa takanoi 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 : 69-70

Palaeugoa takanoi Volynkin & László , sp. nov.

( Figs 17–19, 43, 56)

Type material. Holotype ( Figs , 17, 43): 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 00107582”, gen. slide No.: AV5987 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. GABON: 6 males, 1 female with the same data as the holotype, with collecting methods including MV , LepiLED and actinic light traps, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00107566, 00111224, 00111225, 00148650, 00156196, 00162598, 00162722, gen. slide No.: AV5988 (female); 1 male, Ogooue Ivindo P.N. Ivindo, Station de Recherche , d'Ipassa, 450m, 0°30'43"N, 12°48'12"E, 14–26. VI .2016, Light Trap, Ruzzier, E., Tasane, T . leg., ANHRT:2017.19, unique number: ANHRTUK 00042532 ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. The forewing length of the new species is 6.5–7 mm in males and 8.5 mm in female. Palaeugoa takanoi differs externally from the related P. asafis by its pale yellow head and thorax (those are creamy in P. asafis ), the yellow costa, terminal area and cilia of the forewing (in P. asafis these are agree with the ground colour), the more intense blackish suffusion between the veins, (which is reddish brown and more diffuse in P. asafis ), and the intense dark grey suffusion on the hindwing (whereas in P. asafis the hindwing is only sparsely suffused with pale brownish scales medially). The male genital capsule of the new species differs clearly from that of P. asafis by the medially dilated uncus (which is considerably narrower with parallel margins in P. asafis ), the thick-walled membranous anellus (which bears two clusters of small denticles in P. asafis ) and the conspicuously more elongate juxta bearing a short conical apical protrusion (which is shorter in P. asafis lacking a protrusion). The valva of P. takanoi is markedly narrower with slightly convex costal margin (that is considerably broader, with its costal margin bearing a large roundedtriangular medio-dorsal protrusion in P. asafis ). The tip of the cucullus of P. takanoi is narrowly rounded, bearing a bunch of fine spinules (which is apically pointed lacking spinules in P. asafis ). The costal process of the valva is much shorter and basally broader in the new species than in P. asafis , in addition, the transtilla process of P. takanoi is finger-like and densely spinulose, whereas that is wide, lobe-like, bearing a cluster of long, acute cornuti in the related species. The medial saccular process is gently curved and apically rounded in the new species, whereas that is slightly S-shaped and apically pointed in P. asafis ; the distal saccular process is considerably longer and slightly thicker in P. takanoi than in P. asafis . The aedeagus of the new species is considerably shorter and somewhat thicker than that of P. asafis . The vesica of P. takanoi is much thicker than that of P. asafis , bearing two subbasal granulated diverticula dorsally, (whereas P. asafis has only one subbasal diverticulum), the medio-ventral diverticulum of the new species is considerably broader than that of P. asafis , and the distal chamber of the vesica is much broader in P. takanoi than in its congener, bearing a broad cluster of robust cornuti which are less numerous and somewhat smaller in P. asafis . As the female of P. asafis is unknown the female genital morphology of P. takanoi is compared to that of the P. spurrelli species-group: the new species has a considerably broader antevaginal plate, its corpus bursae is perpendicular to the axis of the ductus bursae (in the P. spurrelli species-group that is directed more or less anteriorly), in addition, its appendix bursae is conspicuously enlarged, consisting of three sections whereas that of the P. spurrelli species-group is simply globular with a narrow neck-like base.

Distribution. The new species is known to date only from Gabon, however, it is supposedly more widely distributed in the central-western African lowland rainforests.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to the knowledgeable entomologist Dr Hitoshi Takano (ANHRT), specialist of Catharsius dung beetles, Rhopalocera and Sphingidae , organizer and participant of several entomological expeditions in Africa.