Platyptilia stanleyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2016

Peter USTJUZHANIN & Vasiliy KOVTUNOVICH, 2016, New species of “ giant ” plume moths of the genus Platyptilia (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae) from Uganda, European Journal of Taxonomy 172, pp. 1-6 : 4-5

Platyptilia stanleyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5429545B-1FA2-469C-BF69- A81605 ADAEA2

Figs 5–6

Diagnosis

Platyptilia stanleyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. can be distinguished by its giant wingspan, which is unique among all the species of the genus Platyptilia as well as among all the African Pterophoridae . In the male genitalia the new species resembles Platyptilia Fetcheri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp.nov. in the shape of the phallus and uncus, but clearly differs from it by the short and wide anellus arms and the fold on the inner side of the sacculus.

Etymology

The species is named after the famous British traveler, journalist and explorer of Africa, Henry Morton Stanley, the Frst European who visited the Rwenzori Mountains in 1876.

Material examined

Holotype

UGANDA: ♂, Ruwenzori Range , Nyamaleju, 10,530 ft, 14–19 Jul. 1952, Ruwenzori Exped. B.M. 1952-566, D.S. Fletcher ( BMNH 21803 ).

Description

Male

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. Wingspan 49 mm. Thorax and tegulae brown-grey, head noticeably paler. Labial palpi straight, twice as long as eye diameter; third segment narrowed at top and bent down. Antennae thin, brown. Fore wings brown. Medial area slightly clariFed. Dark brown spot in middle part of Frst quarter of wing. Two other spots (poorly expressed and slightly fuzzy) near cleft. First lobe dark brown in apical part. Second lobe signiFcantly darker than basic wing color. Fringe inside cleft brown-grey; grey at outer margin of wing, with bunches of dark brown cilia. Hind wings unicolorous, pale grey. Third lobe fringe with well expressed black cilia at outer margin, from middle of wing to base of lobe. Abdomen brown. Hind legs long, brown, with portions of dark scales at base of spurs and in distal part.

MALE GENITALIA. Valves symmetrical. Аpex isolated and slightly tapered. Sacculus wide in basal and middle part; distal part signiFcantly narrowed. Fold on inner side of sacculus. Tegumen bilobed. Uncus narrow, rather long, slightly widened in middle part and tapered at apex. Anellus arms short, wide, tapered only at apex. Saccus with proximate wedge-like outer edge and with triangular process from above, on its inner side. Phallus short, curved in center and rounded at base; basal process long, equal to length of coecum. Vesica with thin, needle-shaped cornutus in distal part of phallus.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Uganda.

Flight period

July.

Figures

Figs 5 - 6. Platyptilia stanleyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (BMNH 21803). 5. Adult, habitus. 6. Male genitalia.