Azygophleps snizeki Yakovlev & Witt, 2017

Yakovlev, Roman V. & Witt, Thomas J., 2017, Four new species of Azygophleps Hampson, 1892 (Lepidoptera, Cossidae, Zeuzerinae) from Africa, Zootaxa 4303 (3), pp. 437-444 : 438

Azygophleps snizeki Yakovlev & Witt , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 ¯2, 12, 16)

Material. Holotype: ♂, E. Kenya, E of Mwingi, W of Enguni, 01.xii.2010, leg. Snizek (GenPr MWM: 25.285; MWM); paratypes: 3 ♂, same data ( MWM); 1 ♂, Kenya, E of Garsen, W of Witu, 18.¯ 20.xii.2009, leg. Snizek ( MWM); 1 ♀, Kenya, NW of Garsen, 14.¯ 17.xii.2009, leg. Snizek (GenPr MWM: 30.891; MWM); 1 ♂, Ethiopia, Southern Province , ca. 220 km SW Addis Abeba, 3 km NW Bonga, 1900 m, 30.x.2010, leg. De Freina ( MWM).

Description. Length of forewing of holotype 17 mm (male paratypes 15¯ 18 mm). Antenna bipectinate in proximal half, filiform in distal half. Thorax and abdomen covered with white scales. Tegula and patagia white. Forewing white, with black pattern of transverse undulated strokes. Thin undulated lines on outer edge, thicker black strokes in cubital area, black strokes thickened at base of discal cell forming spot with irregular edges. In medial part wing white without pattern. Fringe white. Hind wing white without pattern. Length of female fore wing 19 mm; antenna simple; wing pattern identical to that of male.

Male genitalia. Uncus elongate, long, apex uncinate, tapered; gnathos arms short, ribbon-like, narrowing to apices, not fused; valva wide, leaf-like, costal and abdominal edges practically parallel; juxta tiny, saddle-like, with long ribbon-like lateral processes, gradually narrowing apically; saccus large, semicircular; phallus large, in length equal to valva, with longitudinal ribs on lateral surface, vesica with long large sclerite in lateral surface.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor long, anterior apophyses half the length of posterior apophyses, ostium deep, cuplike; ductus wide, almost equal to bursa), short; thin channel with bull on top extends from distal part of ductus; bursa membranous, long, of equal width throughout length; small stellated signum in apical part of bursa; ductus seminalis incepted in apical part of bursa.

Diagnosis. The species is most similar to A. liturata (Aurivillius, 1879) ( Figs. 8 ¯9) (type locality Damara [ Namibia]), which is widespread in Namibia, Botswana and S. Africa (Gründberg 1910, Vari et al. 2002, Yakovlev 2011, Mey 2016). A. snizeki but differs from A. liturara by the following features: more refined pattern on the forewing, an expressed thickening of black strokes in the discal area of the forewing forming a spot, and by the absence of black spots on the hindwing edge and large folds on the lateral surface of the phallus.

Distribution. Kenya.

Etymology. The new species is named after Miroslav Snizek, a Czech specialist of Coleoptera, who collected the type series of this new species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Azygophleps species (adult specimens): 1. A. snizeki, holotype; 2. A. snizeki, paratype, ♀, Kenya, NW of Garsen, 14.–17.xii.2009, leg. Snizek (MWM); 3. A. wahlbergi, holotype; 4. A. wahlbergi, paratype, ♀, Kenya, Garissa, S of Bura, 24.vi.2011, leg. Snizek (MWM); 5. A. defreinai, holotype; 6. A. junkeri, holotype (MWM); 7. A. junkeri, paratype, ♂, Tanzanie, Rukwa Province, Mbizi Mts., entre Kisungu et Muze, 1415 m, 07°43.826S 031°32.482E, 14.v.2004, leg. Ph. Darge (MWM); 8. A. liturata (Aurivillius, 1879), holotype, ♂; Damara (NHMS); 9. A. liturata, ♂, Nordost-Namibia, Westl. Caprivi, Okavango Region, 1050 m, 27.i.1998, leg. J. de Freina (MWM); 10. A. sheikh Yakovlev & Saldaitis, 2011, holotype, ♂, W Saudi Arabia, N-Asir, 40 km W Taif, 1000 m, 27.x.1997, leg. A. Legrain (MWM); 11. A. sheikh Yakovlev & Saldaitis, 2011, paratype, ♀, Saudi Arabia, Asir, Muhayl, 800 m, 8.x.1983, A. R. Pittaway (BMNH).