Swammerdamia tobii, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 37

46. Swammerdamia tobii sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 6 ). Wingspan 10–12 mm. Head mixed white and brown, labial palpus white, segment 3 with broad scales, antenna brownish. Thorax and tegula mixed white and brown. Forewing whitish grey heavily suffused brown, apex a dull orange spot, edged black distally, fringe concolorous with adjacent wing. Hindwing fuscous, a little paler towards base. Abdomen dark fuscous.

Male genitalia. Not examined.

Female genitalia ( Plate 27 ). Lobes of lamella postvaginalis widely separated, ostial chamber conical, ductus bursae weakly scleotised, scobinate in distal half, gradually widening towards corpus bursae; corpus bursae ovoid, signum large, slightly waisted plate with spines which are larger in the centre of the signum.

Diagnosis. Its small size, dark colour and the orange terminal spot on the forewing distinguish this from other species in the family.

Biology. Larvae live gregariously in a web on Gymnosporia harveyana or Maytenus sp., adults recorded in January, February, May and June.

Derivation of the name. After our grandson Toby.

Distribution. Republic of South Africa: East Cape and West Cape provinces.

Type material. Holotype ♀ REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Knysna , Garden of Eden 16–20.i.1955 A.J.T. Janse. 15 Paratypes: 1 ♀ Sassveld, George Distr. 23–28.ii.1972 L & G. Vári; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Transkei, Langeni Forest, larva on Maytenus mozambiquensis em. 10.vii.1989 and 1.viii.1989; 1 ♂ 3 ♀ Transkei, Langeni Forest larva on Maytenus em. 20.v., 10.vi, 11.vi, 12.vi.1987; 8 specimens, 3 without abdomens Transkei, Umtata 11 and 12.vi.1988 N.J. Duke ( TMSA).

Figures

PLATE 6. The codes X1 to X6 refer to presently undescribed species, and are used to identify the specimens, and are also used in the museums where they are deposited.

PLATE 27.