Scrobipalpa ergasima (Meyrick, 1916)

Figs 88, 150, 195

Phthorimaea ergasima Meyrick, 1916: 568 .

Scrobipalpa ergasima (Meyrick, 1916) — Povolný 1966: 131.

Scrobipalpa (Ergasiola) ergasima (Meyrick, 1916) — Povolný 1967: 232.

Ergasiola ergasima (Meyrick, 1916) — Povolný 1989: 163

Teleia hyoscyamella Rebel, 1912: 89; secondary homonym of Lita hyoscyamella Stainton, 1869 .

Lita mignatella Caradja, 1920: 100; unavailable, nomen nudum.

Phthorimaea intestina Meyrick, 1921: 74 .

Scrobipalpa intestina (Meyrick, 1921) —Povolný 1964: 357

Scrobipalpa intestina (Meyrick, 1921) — Janse 1951: 211, Pl. 90, fig. 1, Pl. 93, fig. 3, Pl. 98, fig. 10, Pl. 94, fig. 7, Pl. 99, fig. 7. Synonymized by Povolný 1966: 131.

Gnorimoschema mirabile Gregor & Povolný, 1955 . Synonymized by Povolný 1964: 357.

Gnorimoschema pervada Clarke, 1962: 101 . Synonymized by Povolný 1966: 131.

Type material examined. Holotype of intestina ♂, [South Africa] “Pret. North., 11.i.1917, T.J. Swierstra ” | “Phthorimaea intestina Meyr., Type No. 2524.” | “793” (TMSA).

Material examined. South Africa: 15 ex., Pret. Nort., 10, 21.i.1917 (Swierstra); same data, 23.ii.1917; 21.iii.1917 (TMSA); 1 ♀, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, Hongony Camp, 30.iv–1.v.2010 (Mey & Kühne); 3 ♂, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, 20.v. 2015, 1550 m (Mey) (all MfN); 1 ♀, 2 ex, nr. Graaf-Reinet, Kenorew, i.1987, reared ex S. eleagnifolium, flowers, coll. H. Zimmerman; 1 ♀, Pret. North, 21.xii.1916 (Swierstra) (gen. slide 5273); 3 ♂, 6 ♀, Pret. North, 21.xii, 10, 16, 17, 23.i, 23.ii , 21.iii.1917 (Swierstra); 1 ♀, Bela Vista, xi.1916 (Swierstra); 1 ♀, Magude, ii.1910 (Swierstra); 2 ♂, Cathedral Peak, Nat. Forestry, 1090 , 15.iii.1976 (Endrödy-Younga); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Ponda Milia, K.N.P. Survey, 6–15.v.1976 (Potgieter & Scoble); 1 ♂, Satara, K.N.P. Survey , 29.iv–2.v.1968 (Potgieter & Goode); 1 ♂, Louis Trichardt, 12 km South , 12–17.iii.1954 (Janse) (all TMSA); 1 ♀, Eastern Cape, Graaff Reinet, Petersburg, Sourkloof, 7.xi. 2012, 1196 m (Bidzilya) (ZMKU) . Ethiopia: 6 ♂, 3 ♀, Athiopein, Addis-Abeba, 7, 11, 19 , 23.vi.1979 (Angenstein) (MfN). 1 ♂, Yemen: 13.57/43.57, Ibb, 1.5 km W Jiblah, 2100 m , 7.xi.1996 (Hacker); 1 ♀, Yemen, Al-Mahwid, Kawkaban, 2750 m , 31.x.1996 (Hacker); 1 ♀, Yemen, 13.33/43.49, Ta’izz, Vill. Lagius, 750 m , 18.xi.1996 (Hacker) (all MfN). Namibia: 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Brandberg, Wasserfallfläche, 18,20 . iii. 2001, 1940 m ( Mey) ; 5 ♂, Namibia, Brandberg, Mason Shelter, 7 , 9.iii. 2002, 1740 m ( Mey) ; 2 ♂, Brandberg, Hungarob-valley, 17.iii.2001, 1200 m (Mey) (all MfN); 1 ♀, Abachaus, SWA, July, 43 (Hobohm) (TMSA); 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Halali, Etosha nat. Park, 16–17.xii.1993 (Mey & Ebert); 1 ♀, Otjikondo W Outjo, Holstein farm , 13.iii.2005, LF (Mey); 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Brandberg, Wasserfallfläache, 18 , 20.iii. 2001, 1940 m, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 251/07 ♀; 339/07 ♂, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN); 1 ♀, Gobabeb. S.W.A., Game Reserve No. 3 , 23–24.iv.1967 (Potgieter); 1 ♂, same data, but 8.v.1059 (Vari) (TMSA). Zimbabwe: 1 ♂, Vict. Falls Road, 38 m from Bulawayo, 25–26.iv.1954 (Janse) (TMSA). 1 ♀, Tanzania: Morogoro, Morogoro Town, 25.ii.1993 (Aarvik) (Afr Gel 082); 1 ♀, same data, but 1.iv.1992 (Afr Gel 083); 1 ex, same data, but 5.iv.1992 (all NHMO). 1 ♀, Kenya: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 0˚20’N 36˚51E, 1000 m , 10.xi.2004 (Agassiz) (DA). Benin: 1 ♀, Atlantique, Coptonou, Institute for Tropical Agricultural Research, on campus, ex flower bugs of Solanum macrocarpum, viii.2015 (Goergen) (gen. slide MIC 7581) (BOLD:ACZ 6166); 1 ♂, same data as for proceeding, (gen. slide MIC 7582) (BOLD:ABW0932); 1 ♀, same data as for proceeding (BOLD:ACZ 6166); 1 ♀, same data as for proceeding, ex flower buds of Solanum aethiopicum (BOLD:ACZ 6166) (all CNC) .

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa ergasima is distinguished superficially by its comparatively broad forewing covered with grey, black-tipped scales, with light brown suffusion along the veins, and black spots and dashes in the cell. This pattern is unique among Afrotropical Scrobipalpa . The male genitalia are unmistakable, characterized by a very short, hump-shaped sacculus; a very broad truncate saccus; and other characters. The most characteristic feature in the female genitalia is segment VIII densely covered posteriorly with foam-sculpturing. For differences from the somewhat similar S. aptatella, see the diagnosis of that species.

Biology. In South Africa, larvae feed on flowers of Solanum eleagnifolium Cav. (new record), Solanum rigescens and S. panduriforme (?) ( Solanaceae) (Bidzilya 2021: 518). In Benin, adults were reared from flower buds of Solanum macrocarpum and S. aethiopicum . Adults fly from January to May, July and from October to December.

Distribution. Spain (Canary Islands), South Europe, northern Africa, Middle East, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Yemen (first record), Ethiopia (first record), Sudan, Tanzania (first record), Zimbabwe (first record), Kenya, DR Congo, Namibia, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, China, Japan, Australia (Ghesquière 1931, Povolný 1964; Bidzilya & Li, 2010; Huemer & Karsholt 2010; De Prins & De Prins 2021). The species appears to be broadly distributed in the Afrotropics.