Leucinodes rimavallis, Mally, Richard, Korycinska, Anastasia, Agassiz, David J. L., Hall, Jayne, Hodgetts, Jennifer & Nuss, Matthias, 2015

Mally, Richard, Korycinska, Anastasia, Agassiz, David J. L., Hall, Jayne, Hodgetts, Jennifer & Nuss, Matthias, 2015, Discovery of an unknown diversity of Leucinodes species damaging Solanaceae fruits in sub-Saharan Africa and moving in trade (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea), ZooKeys 472, pp. 117-162 : 129

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Crambidae

Leucinodes rimavallis sp. n. Figs 3, 16, 25

Type-lacality.

Kenya, Mt Elgon, 01°07'06"N, 34°41'30"E, February 1952, T. H. E. Jackson leg.

Material examined.

Type-specimen. Holotype ♂ [red-circled label] "Holo- | type", "Mt Elgon | Kenya | Feb. 1952 | T.H.E. Jackson", "Pres. by | Coryndon Mus. | B.M. 1961-696.", B.M. Pyralidae Genitalia slide No. 23119 (BMNH). - Additional material.RWANDA. 1♂ Gisenyi (Kisenyi), 30.iv.1957, leg. M. Fontaine, prep. RM698 (RMCA); BURUNDI. 2♂ Kitega, 30.iv.1968 & 31.v.1969, leg. M. Fontaine, preps RM702 & RM703 (RMCA); KENYA. 1♂ Central Province, Castle Forest Lodge (S slope of Mt Kenya), 2050m, 0°21'15"S 35°18'12"E, 20.xi.2009, prep. DJLA1337 (coll. DJLA); 1♂ Central Province, Gatamayu Forest, 0°58.45'S 36°41.83'E, 21.vii.2001, leg. R.S. Copeland, DNA voucher SMTD Lep1593, prep. RM667 (RMCA); 1♂ Central Province, Gatamayu Forest, 0°58.45'S 36°41.83'E, 2284m, 17.viii.2002, leg. R. Copeland, prep. RM684 (RMCA); 1♀ Coast Province, Buda Forest, 4°27.79'S 39°24.20'E, 25.iv.2002, ex fruits Withania somnifera , leg. R.S. Copeland, DNA voucher MTD Lep1592, prep. RM666 (RMCA); 1♀ Fort-Hall [ Murang’a], 1330 m, i.1912, leg. Alluaud & Jeannel, prep. RM742 (MNHN); 1♀ Taveta, 750 m, iii.1912, leg. Alluaud & Jeannel, prep. RM744 (MNHN); 1♀ Rurunga, 1550 m, i.1912, leg. Alluaud & Jeannel, prep. RM745 (MNHN); 1♂ Western Province, Kericho, 2050m, 0°21'15"S 35°18'12"E, 31.viii.1999, prep. DJLA1317 (coll. DJLA); 1♂ Mt. Elgon, ii.1952, leg. T.H.E. Jackson, BMNH Pyralidae slide No. 23119 (BMNH); 1♀ Mt. Elgon, i.1959, leg. T.H.E. Jackson, BMNH Pyralidae slide No. 23129 (BMNH); DR CONGO. 1♂ Ituri, Nioka, 5.ix.1953, leg. J. Hecq, prep. RM692 (RMCA); 1♂ Lubumbashi (Elisabethville), 13.x.1938, leg. Ch. Seydel, prep. RM695 (RMCA); 1♂ N. Kivu Lake, Rwankwi, iv.1948, leg. J. V. Leroy, prep. RM700 (RMCA); SOUTH AFRICA. 1♀ Natal, prep. RM735 (MNHN); THE NETHERLANDS (IMPORT). 1♂ Barendrecht, import Uganda, 26.ii.2014, leg. Sluijs, on Solanum melongena , prep. RM756 (NPPO); 1♂ Rijnsburg, import Uganda, 12.ii.2014, leg. J. de Zeeuw, on Solanum melongena , prep. RM757 (NPPO).

Diagnosis.

Frons is moderately bulged; in wing pattern this species is indistinguishable from Leucinodes orbonalis , Leucinodes africensis , Leucinodes pseudorbonalis , Leucinodes kenyensis and " Leucinodes spp.", but distinguished from Leucinodes malawiensis by the absence of the forewing basal transversal streak and the presence of the apical half moon-shaped patch, and from Leucinodes laisalis , Leucinodes ethiopica and Leucinodes ugandensis by the predominantly white forewing ground colour. In male genitalia it is distinguished by: the long ventrad fibula (as in Leucinodes africensis , short and triangular in Leucinodes malawiensis , broad and stout in Leucinodes laisalis ); the granulate, hook-shaped distal sacculus process (similar in Leucinodes africensis , process smooth in Leucinodes kenyensis ); the apically thin, subulate juxta (as in Leucinodes africensis , broad subulate in Leucinodes orbonalis ); the prominent oval saw blade-shaped sclerotization of the posterior phallus apodeme (as in Leucinodes africensis ); distinguished from Leucinodes africensis by the shorter, straight to slightly curved fibula with a broader base, the shorter, always hook-shaped distal sacculus process, and the rounded valva apex (pointed in Leucinodes africensis ). Female genitalia have slender apophyses anteriores (as in Leucinodes orbonalis ), the central antrum tube with a short, strongly sclerotized section (long strip in Leucinodes africensis and Leucinodes pseudorbonalis ), and the anteriolateral edges of sternite 8 with triangular processes extending into the lateral antrum pockets (as in Leucinodes kenyensis ).

Description of adults.

Head. As for the genus, with frons moderately bulged.

Thorax. As for the genus, with dorsal side brown, tegula scales whitish-brown.

Wings. Forewing length ♂ 8.5-12.0 mm, ♀ 7.0-14.0 mm; wing pattern as in Leucinodes orbonalis .

Abdomen. First segment whitish, remainder light to dark brown.

Male genitalia. As in Leucinodes africensis , but with the fibula short, more triangular and robust, straight or slightly curved; distal sacculus process short and always bent apically; valva apex rounded or stout.

Female genitalia. As for the genus, apart from: anterior antrum with short sclerotized section, central posterior antrum with diffuse weak sclerotization; sternite 8 on each side with anteriad triangular process extending into the lateral antrum pockets.

Etymology.

From latin rima for ‘rift’ and vallis for ‘valley’, referring to the African Rift Valley, the main distributional area of this species (as far as known).

Distribution.

Burundi, Eastern and Southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda (import).

Foodplants.

Solanaceae : Solanum melongena L., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.