Cerurina marshalli ( Hampson, 1910 )

Mulvaney, Lydia R. J., 2021, Notes on the life history and taxonomy of Cerurina marshalli (Noctuoidea: Notodontidae: Cerurinae), Metamorphosis 32 (1), pp. 1-12 : 4

Cerurina marshalli ( Hampson, 1910)

(Figs 1‒7, 9‒17, genitalia Figs 32‒35 , 43‒45)

Cerura marshalli Hampson, 1910: 456 .

Cerurina marshalli ( Hampson, 1910) : Kiriakoff, 1963: 208.

Cerurina marshalli marshalli ( Hampson, 1910) : Schintlmeister & Witt, 2015: 32.

Name bearing type:

Syntype ♀ ( Fig. 9 ): “// Cerura / marshalli / type ♀. Hmpsn. [handwritten] // Mashonaland / Salisbury / bred Feb. 1902. [line handwritten] / G.A.K. Marshall // Type [circular label with red ring] // Photo by / A. SCHINTLMEISTER / #9.651 [yellow label]//” ( NHMUK) .

Even after considering the possibility of faded red bands, this is substantially different to the original description and primarily the painting of the larva of C. argentina where the habitus of the larva is described as ‘porcelain white’ or ‘brilliant white’ with some black markings and deep black dots and lines. The similarities in their general body plans is evident, however such marked differences in their colouration and patterning raised the idea that marshalli and argentata may differ more than at subspecific level. It has previously been shown in the literature that notodontid larvae, when available, are often a useful tool in separating closely-related species. In one example of a European notodontid, Furcula loseri Schintlmeister & Leipnitz, 2014 , the male genitalia do not provide useful characters, but differences in the female genitalia and caterpillar-pattern revealed a cryptic species (Schintlmeister & Leipnitz, 2014).

Further investigations were carried out and after dissecting an adult male specimen housed in ANHRT, identified at the time as C. marshalli argentata from Ivindo National Park, Gabon, the same lowland rainforest habitat as the type locality of argentata , there was further support that marshalli and argentata were not conspecific or even congeneric due to the marked differences in the male genitalia. This led to the hypothesis that the species occurring in the lowland rainforest in the north-western part of the Congo basin is the taxon argentata and that it is not related to C. marshalli , but rather belongs to a different genus, Afrocerura Kiriakoff, 1963 , rendering the genus Cerurina monotypic. This hypothesis is supported by differences observed in larval morphology. In addition it was revealed that argentata is sympatric with other, confusingly similar Afrocerura species. Following morphological studies of the habitus and genitalia of species currently in Afrocerura and Cerurina the following taxonomic changes are proposed:

Figures

Figures 32‒35: Male genitalia of Cerurina marshalli (Hampson, 1910) (all ANHRT), arrows indicate diagnostic generic characters. 32. Zambia, Lukwakwa (ANHRTUK00061232, LG5358♂), a. bifid uncus tip and lateral denticulations, b. socii well developed with 2‒3 denticulations, c. valvae club-like and apically rounded; 33. Ivory Coast, Mt. Tonkoui, (ANHRTUK00043082, ANHRT Gen. slide no. 00315♂); 34. Tanzania, Livingstone Mts. (ANHRTUK00081591, ANHRT Gen. slide no. 00520♂); 35. D.R. Congo, Nord Kivu (ANHRTUK00158203, LG5367♂).

Figure 3 – Final instar larvae of C. marshalli on host plant.

Figure 4 - Final instar larva of C. marshalli with its flagellae exserted.

Figure 5 – Cocoon of Cerurina marshalli – lateral view.

Figures 9–17: Comparative adult specimens of Cerurina marshalli (all ANHRT, unless otherwise indicated), arrows indicate diagnostic generic characters. 9. Syntype ♀, Zimbabwe, Mashonaland (NHMUK), a. defined antemedial fascia, b. almost completely deleted subterminal fascia; 10. Zambia, Mutinondo (ANHRTUK00152995, LG5366♀); 11. Zambia, Mutinondo (ANHRTUK00152996, LG5357♀); 12. Zambia, Lukwakwa (ANHRTUK00061207, ANHRT Gen. slide no. 00519♀); 13. Zambia, Lukwakwa (ANHRTUK00061232, LG5358♂); 14. Zambia, Kitwe (ANHRTUK00050387, ♂); 15. Ivory Coast, Mt. Tonkoui (ANHRTUK00043082, ANHRT Gen. slide no. 00315♂); 16. Tanzania, Livingstone Mts. (ANHRTUK00081591, ANHRT Gen. slide no. 00520♂); 17. D. R. Congo, Nord Kivu (ANHRTUK00158203, LG5367♂).