Meganaclia gaerberfesti Ignatev, 2023

Ignatev, Nikolai, László, Gyula M., Paśnik, Anna, Fric, Zděnek Faltýnek, Sulak, Harald & Müller, Günter C., 2023, Five new species of the genus Meganaclia Aurivillius, 1892 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Syntomini), Zootaxa 5296 (3), pp. 457-474 : 471-472

Meganaclia gaerberfesti Ignatev , sp. n.

zoobank.org

( Figs. 10, 11 , 20, 26, 31, 37, 39)

Holotype. J, “ Congo, D′Ozala Parc National [Odzala-Kokoua], 400–500m 1°,00″N.B./ 15°,00″ E.L. 29. Januar–3. March 1997, leg. S. Murzin & V. Siniaev. ”, gen. slide No. GP 34.679 ( MWW).

Paratypes (2J, 6♀ in total).

Republic of Congo. 1♁, with the same data as in the holotype, gen. slide No. GP 34.676 ( CHS); 4♀ , same data, gen. slide No. GP 34.688 ( MWW) .

Gabon. 1♁, Assok , 0°20‘43‘‘N, 10°10‘15‘‘E, 29–30.v.2011, H= 45m, leg. Viktor Siniaev & Yury Bezverkhov ( MWW); 2♀ , Ogooué Ivindo P.N., Ivindo , Station de Recherche d′Ipassa, 450m, 0°30′43″N, 12°48′12″E, 14– 26.vi.2016, Light Trap, Ruzzier, E., Tasane, T. leg., ANHRT :2017.19 ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. The new species is highly reminiscent externally of M. johannae due to the comparatively light brown colouration and similar wing pattern ( Figs 8–11 ). However, M. gaerberfesti sp. n. can be distinguished from M. johannae by the considerably brighter colouration of the antennae, which lack the admixture of dark scales; in addition, the forewing apex of M. johannae sp. n. female is more pointed. The most reliable way to distinguish this new species from others is the examination of the male genitalia structures, where the dorsal appendage of the uncus of M. gaerberfesti is highly modified, bifurcate, resembling an antler, whilst it is a simple, apically pointed or Cshaped rounded projection in M. johannae and M. josephi , respectively (Figs 18–20). The seeming allopatry of M. gaerberfesti and M. johannae is discussed under the diagnosis of the latter species ( Fig. 39 ).

Description. Male ( Fig. 10 ). Wingspan: 40–45 mm; FW length: 20 mm, width: 10 mm, ratio 2: 1; HW length: 13 mm, width: 8 mm, ratio 1.6: 1. Antenna bipectinate, bright yellow. Head yellowish-brown, tegula and patagia pale orange-brown. Thorax covered by pale orange and greyish-yellow scales, with two black spots near patagia. Abdomen dorsally pale orange-brown, with a black round spot on each segment. Forewing pale orange-brown with an admixture of greyish-yellow scales, spots m1 and m2 blurred, greyish-yellow; m3, m4, m5 rounded pale yellowish-white, m3 and m5 somewhat smaller than m4. Forewing base with small, black dot. Hindwing pale yellow with a mixture of pale orange-brown scales, slightly transparent; spot m1 absent; m2 very small, rounded; m3 and m4 oval shaped, m4 somewhat larger than m3.

Male genitalia (Figs 20, 26, 31). Uncus dorso-ventrally C-shaped with large, heavily sclerotized dorsal appendages; dorsal process strongly curved in entire length, very broad at base, gradually tapered, apically pointed, dorso-laterally covered in dense, long setae; ventral process of uncus gently curved, distally srongly dilated with slightly notched distal margin, shorter than dorsal process; dorsal appendage of uncus divided into two, distally diverging relatively long, bifurcate projections with acute tips reminiscent of antlers. Tegumen short and broad, dome-shaped. Valva rather elongate, narrow at base, slightly dilated ventro-medially, pointed apically; valva costa heavily sclerotized, somewhat S-shaped, rather broad, somewhat dilated sub-medially, costal margin conspicuously sinuous. Ventral margin almost straight in basal half, gently undulate in distal half. Sacculus very narrow and relatively short, distally dilated into a acute triangular setose plate reaching the center of valva. Juxta well-developed, short and broad tubular. Saccus extremely long and thin, thread-like, distal part slightly dilated. Aedeagus extremely long and thin, needle-like, proximally slightly dilated with short, rounded coecum penis, tapered distally, pointed apically; vesica without cornuti.

Description. Female ( Fig. 11 ). Wingspan: 52–55 mm; FW length: 27 mm, width: 12 mm, ratio 2.3: 1; HW length: 17 mm, width: 10 mm, ratio 1.7: 1. Antenna bipectinate, yellow-orange. Head yellowish-brown, tegula and patagia pale brown. Thorax covered by pale brown scales, with two black spots near patagia.Abdomen dorsally pale brown, with a black round spot on each segment. Forewing pale brown with an admixture of greyish-yellow scales, spots m1 and m2 strongly blurred, greyish-yellow; m3, m4, m5 rounded pale grey, m 4 markedly larger than m3 and m4. Forewing base with a small, black dot. Hindwing pale greyish-brown, spot m1 absent; m2 teardrop-shaped; m3 and m4 oval shaped, m2 markedly smaller than m3 and m4.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 37 ). Papilla analis rounded trapezoidal, covered in short, sparse setae; apophysis posterioris relatively long, thin, noticeably dilated subapically, rounded apically. Eighth sternite short, weakly sclerotized, with more or less straight margins; apophysis anterioris well-developed, short, ca. half as long as apophysis posterioris, abruptly tapered subbasally, apex pointed. Lamella postvaginalis rather large and heavily sclerotized, gobletshaped with slightly concave distal margin. Ostium bursae very narrow with broad funnel-like lateral sclerotization connecting with base of posterior apophysis. Ductus bursae very narrow and long, heavily sclerotized, distal three-quarters arcuate, proximal quarter curved; cervix bursae moderately sclerotized, short sack-like. Corpus bursae membranous, ovoid; signum bursae moderately large elongate, narrow ribbon-like, finely scobinate, covering ca. half the length of bursa copulatrix.

Etymology. We gladly name this new species in honor of Mrs Martina Gaerber Fest , acknowledging her support of the Museum Witt Lepidoptera collection.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Distribution of Meganaclia species.

FIGURES 1–11. Adults of Meganaclia Aurivillius, 1892 species. 1. Meganaclia sippia, lectotype ♁ of Naclia sippia Pl̂tz, 1880 Cameroon (ZIMG); 2. M. smithi sp. n., holotype ♁, Uganda (ANHRT); 3. M. smithi sp. n., paratype ♀, Uganda (SMNS); 4. M. grehani sp. n., holotype ♁, Guinea (MWW); 5. M. grehani sp. n., paratype ♀, Guinea (CHS); 6. M. josephi sp. n., holotype ♁, Guinea (MWW); 7. M. josephi sp. n., paratype ♀, Liberia (ANHRT); 8. M. johannae sp. n., holotype ♁, Guinea (MWW); 9. M. johannae sp. n., paratype ♀, Guinea (CHS); 10. M. gaerberfesti sp. n., holotype ♁, Republic of Congo (MWW); 11. M. gaerberfesti sp. n., paratype ♀, Republic of Congo (MWW).

FIGURES 33–37. Female genitalia of Meganaclia spp. 33. M. grehani sp. n. paratype, gen. slide No. GP 34.683, Guinea (CHS); 34. M. smithi sp. n. paratype, gen. slide No. 3898, Uganda (SMNS); 35. M. josephi sp. n. paratype, gen. slide No. GP 34.687, Côte d’Ivoire (ZSM); 36. M. johannae sp. n. paratype, gen. slide No. GP 34.684, Guinea (CHS); 37. M. gaerberfesti sp. n. paratype, gen. slide No. GP 34.688, Republic of Congo (MWW).