Haplopacha lunata, Dupont, Steen, Simonsen, Thomas J. & Zilli, Alberto, 2016

Dupont, Steen, Simonsen, Thomas J. & Zilli, Alberto, 2016, Haplopacha (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) reviewed: four new species, first descriptions of the genitalia of both sexes, and unique alar scale organs, Zootaxa 4109 (4), pp. 445-457 : 454

Haplopacha lunata sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 I)

Type (s): holotype ♂, in NHM.

Type locality: District of the Great Craters, Tanganyika Territory.

Diagnosis. This species is most easily distinguished by the crescent-shaped discal spot, grey lunulate submarginal spots of forewing and pale-coloured hind wing.

Distribution and localities. Only a single specimen from Northern Tanzania.

Flight period. February–March.

Material examined: Holotype male ( Fig. 1 I) ( BMNH (E)_1377279, NHM London, Tams dry genitalia dissections (1955/796) mounted on slide: Lasiocampidae #1572 ( Fig. 6 D)), District of the Great Craters, Tanganyika Territory, Feb.–March 1921, TA. Barnes [leg.].

Description: Forewing triangular, grey-coloured, with pale cinereous tinge in basal and distal fields. ante- and postmedial bands not sharply defined all the way to costa, thus making median field somewhat blurred anteriorly Antemedial line straight and very oblique inferiorly. Submarginal spots darker grey, lunulate. Basal wing spot oval with major axis oriented parallel to the costa. Discal wing spot crescent-shaped, spanning the entire width of open discal cell and lined with white scales along inner margin. Hind wing pale beige-brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 D): Vinculum undifferentiated, U-shaped. Cucullus very small and flimsy, finger-like, originating high on vinculum-tegumen ring. Sacculus large, overpassing cucullus by at least a full length of the cucullus itself with stout, distally spatulate saccular process, which is exteriorly ornamented with small spines. Saccular lobes about 1/3 of basal width of sacculus, with sparse covering of long setae. Uncus and gnathos missing from the preparation. Phallus broad cylindrical, slightly curved. Vesica as a cylindrical elongation of phallus with single terminal straight cornutus, at least ½ as long as phallus itself.

Etymology. The species name lunata refers to the characteristic crescent shape of the discal wing spot.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Haplopacha spp. including H. cinerea (A – D): A) holotype male, B) male, C) male, D) female; H. riftensis (E – F): E) holotype male, F) paratype female; H. tangani (G – H): G) holotype male, H) paratype female; H. lunata (I): I) holotype male; H. nduomoi (J – K): J) holotype male, K) paratype female; and Haplopacha sp. indet. (L).

FIGURE 6. Male genitalia of H. cinerea (A – B), H. tangani (Holotype) (C), H. lunata (Holotype) (D), H. nduomoi (Holotype) (E). Abbreviations are as follows: gnathos (gn), phallus (ph), uncus (un), vesica cornuti (vec), valve cucullus (vc), valve sacculus (vs) and valve saccular lobe (vsl).