Cyana (Strigivulpecula) ebigane, Volynkin & Karisch & Durante, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V., Karisch, Timm & Durante, Antonio, 2021, Cyana ebigane, a new species from Gabon (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 5068 (3), pp. 435-442 : 436-440

Cyana (Strigivulpecula) ebigane sp. n.

( Figs 1, 2 , 9, 10 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 9 ): male, “ Gabon, 430m, Mikongo ( Rougier ), Monts de Cristal (Secondary forest), 0˚29’47’’N, 11˚10’42’’E, 28.vii.–12.viii.2019, MV Light Trap, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. Leg. ANHRT:2019.17” / “ANHRTUK 00165294” / “Slide AV6348 ♂ A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes (8 males in total). GABON: 6 males, the same data as in the holotype, MV , Actinic & LepiLED light traps, unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00152783, 00156168, 00162924, 00191180, 00191181, 00192722, gen. prep. Nos. : AV6345, AV6346, AV6347; 2 males, 10m, Nyonié (Lowland forest), 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. , unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00149671, 00149673, gen. prep. No. : AV6349 (all in ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The new species ( Figs 1, 2 ) is superficially very similar to C. nemasisha ( Figs 4–6 ) but is distinguished by the pink suffusion on the hindwing (the hindwing is pure white in C. nemasisha ). Cyana ebigane is also reminiscent of C. rufeola ( Fig. 3 ) from which it differs in the colouration of the transverse lines which are pale crimson medially and posteriorly and orange at the costal margin, whereas the transverse lines of C. rufeola are entirely orange. Additionally, the hindwing of the new species is suffused with pink scales medially and terminally while it is monotonous white in C. rufeola . Compared to two other Strigivulpecula species distributed in West Africa, C. (Strigivulpecula) klausruedigerbecki Karisch, 2005 ( Fig. 7 ) and C. (Strigivulpecula) fasciata Karisch, 2013 ( Fig. 8 ), C. ebigane has an antemedial line outlined in black inwardly and a postmedial line outlined in black outwardly, whereas both transverse lines are pure crimson in both the congeners. The new species is also somewhat larger than C. klausruedigerbecki and markedly smaller than C. fasciata . The male genital capsule of C. ebigane ( Figs 9, 10 ) differs from those of C. rufeola ( Fig. 11 ) and C. nemasisha ( Figs 12–14 ) in the less elongate and basally wider distal section of the valva and the basally thicker distal saccular process. Additionally, the saccus of the new species is somewhat less elongate and less sclerotized than in C. nemasisha . Compared to those of C. klausruedigerbecki ( Fig. 15 ) and C. fasciata ( Fig. 16 ), the male genital capsule of C. ebigane has a wider and somewhat more elongate uncus, a wider and somewhat less elongate distal section of the valva, and a distally tapered distal saccular process which is distally thicker with a subapically convex dorsal margin in C. klausruedigerbecki and C. fasciata . The phallus of the new species is nearly identical to that of C. rufeola and differs from that of C. nemasisha in the more dilated coecum and the proximal section, and from those of C. klausruedigerbecki and C. fasciata in the narrower distal section. The vesica structure of C. ebigane is most similar to that of C. rufeola , but in the new species, it is basally wider with markedly longer and broader diverticula (in proportion to the phallus size), and the cornuti on the subbasal diverticulum are smaller than in C. rufeola . Additionally, the vesica of C. ebigane lacks an additional lateral granulose diverticulum which is present at the base of the distal diverticulum in C. rufeola . The vesica of C. ebigane differs from that of C. nemasisha in the broader main chamber with an apical diverticulum, the longer subbasal diverticulum (it is very short in C. nemasisha ), the shorter and narrower distal diverticulum, and the shorter cornuti in each cluster. Compared to C. klausruedigerbecki and C. fasciata , the vesica of C. ebigane has a markedly narrower main chamber, shorter and narrower diverticula (especially the subbasal one) and shorter cornuti in each cluster.

Description. External morphology of male adults ( Figs 1, 2 ). Forewing length 8.5–10.0 mm (10.0 mm in the holotype). Antenna orange-brown, ciliate. Head white. Thorax white with crimson spot medially. Collar white with crimson margins. Forewing elongate, with rounded apex. Width of forewing, ante- and postmedial lines varying within the same population. Forewing ground colour white. Costa with thin black spot subbasally. Subbasal line thin, sinuous, pale crimson medially and posteriorly, and orange at costal margin. Antemedial line wide, straight, somewhat dilated at costal and anal margins, pale crimson medially and posteriorly, and orange at costal margin, outlined in black inwardly. Cell with two black spots, medial spot round, distal one elliptical. Postmedial line outlined in black outwardly, medial and posterior section pale crimson and almost straight while subcostal section orange and curved inwards. Postmedial area with orange dash along costal margin fused with terminal line, and black suffusion in androconial lobe area. Terminal line pale crimson, dilated subapically and apically, with inner margin strongly dentate on veins. Cilia white. Hindwing white with slight pink suffusion medially and more intense pink suffusion sub-terminally and terminally. Cilia white. Abdomen white. Male genitalia ( Figs 9, 10 ). Uncus short, triangular with rounded tip, dorso-ventrally flattened, its basal two thirds fused with tuba analis. Tuba analis with subscaphium represented by wide setose area. Tegumen shorter than valva, with narrow and weakly sclerotized arms dilated distally and fused in distal quarter. Vinculum equal to tegumen in length, with heavily sclerotized arms. Saccus short (ca. 1/4 of vinculum length) but broad, U-shaped. Juxta wide, shield-like with wide triangular basal depression. Valva lobe-like, strongly dilated medially and slightly tapered distally. Costa with large dorsal protrusion medially, bearing short, swollen and weakly setose crest. Distal section of valva tapered, apically rounded and weakly setose. Sacculus narrow (ca. 1/4 of valva width). Distal saccular process robust, flattened, tapered distally, with tiny thornlike tip. Phallus somewhat shorter than valva, relatively wide (length to width ratio ca. 4.5: 1 in medial section), somewhat dilated proximally, with short and rounded coecum. Main chamber of vesica moderately broad (ca. half the phallus width), granulose basally. Subbasal diverticulum elongate, with laterally dilated base, bearing cluster of few short spine-like cornuti apically. Medial diverticulum elongate, broad, curved dorsad, granulose, bearing cluster of several long spine-like cornuti apically. Distal diverticulum narrower and somewhat shorter than medial one, directed distally, granulose, bearing cluster of several long spine-like cornuti apically. Number of cornuti varying in all three clusters. Apical diverticulum short, globular, granulose. Distal plate of vesica short and thin.

Female unknown.

Distribution. The species is known from two localities in northern Gabon.

Etymology. In the folklore of the Fang people inhabiting southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and northern Gabon, Ebigane is a chimeric monster said to appear in various guises, and the new species is named thus in reference to its variability.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Cyana spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1, 2, 6 and 8 inANHRT; 3 and 5 in MWM/ZSM; 4 in CKDT; 7 in ZSM.

FIGURES 9–11. Cyana spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 9 and 10 in ANHRT; 11 in MWM/ ZSM.

FIGURES 12–14. Cyana nemasisha: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 12 in CKDT; 13 in MWM/ZSM; and 14 in ANHRT.

FIGURES 15–16. Cyana spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 15 in ZSM; 16 in ANHRT.