Crambus mozarti, Bassi & I- & To, 2012

Bassi, Graziano, 2012, New Afrotropical species of the genus Crambus Fabricius, 1798 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Crambinae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 119 (3), pp. 269-286 : 276-278

Crambus mozarti n. sp. Figs 4, 16, 20

HOLOTYPE: HNHM, without registration number; 3; Africa , Tanzania, Usa River [3°22’S, 36°51’E], 3900 ft; 19.IV.1965; leg. Dr. Szunyoghy , Holotype Crambus mozarti n. sp. G. Bassi det. 1995, GS 3258 GB.

PARATYPES (all from TANZANIA): HNHM, MHNG (1) and CB (1), without registration number ; 4♀♀; same data as holotype except 20.IV.1965, GS 3281 and 5228 GB. - HNHM, without registration number ; 1♀; idem, 23.IV.1965. - CB, without registration number ; 1♀; E. slopes of Mt. Meru forestry 5700 ft.; 12.V.1965; leg. Dr. J. Szunyoghy, GS 5222 GB .

ETYMOLOGY: The species is named after the Austrian composer Wolfgang

Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).

DIAGNOSIS: Forewings with inner lines of subterminal area not angled at cell level. In male genitalia the bilobed pointed tip of the valva separate the species and C. berliozi (described below) from the other members of the mozarti complex. C. mozarti differs in the stronger pedunculi of the tegumen, the lower and more broadly rounded costal extension of the valva, and the larger dorsal apical tooth of the valva. In female genitalia the lateral process of the lamella antevaginalis are longer and narrower than in the other species of the mozarti complex. Within the mozarti complex this species is also the only one found in Tanzania.

DESCRIPTION (Fig. 4): Wingspan 18-22 mm. Labial palpi 4 X longer than widest diameter of eye, white on inner side and brown on outer side. Frons slightly produced, rounded, white and brown. Male antennae serrate, female antennae simple. Ocelli and chaetosemata well developed. Head laterally bronze brown; medially white. Tegulae bronze brown. Thorax laterally white and medially golden yellow. Abdomen white on first two segments, then ivory, more intense on anal tuft. Forewings golden yellow with costal margin white and large submarginal area with scales white with thick dark brown edge; double golden and silvery inner line curved around the end of the cell; terminal line brown with six small black dots; medial stripe large, silvery white with distal dorsal margin dark brown, reaching inner band of submarginal area; fringes white with outer margin golden yellow. Hindwings white with ivory suffusion; fringes white. Legs bronze brown.

MALE GENITALIA (Fig. 16): Uncus subvestigial and membranous. Gnathos broadly bilobed, poorly sclerotized. Tegumen almost fused with vinculum, with two symmetrical pedunculi longer than gnathos. Vinculum stubby, with slight dorsal extension. Pseudosaccus well developed. Valva concave, with swelling in last third of costa and cucullus sclerotized with two well developed tips. Phallus as long as whole apparatus, vesica with three small cornuti.

FEMALE GENITALIA (Fig. 20): Papillae anales simple, without medial fold, but with membranous and speculate dorsal fold. Apophyses posteriores medium sized, with bulge apically. Abdominal segment VIII completely membranous except for slight FIGS 16-19

Male genitalia of Crambus spp. , scale bars 0.5 mm. (16) C. mozarti sp. n., holotype GS 3258 GB. (17) C. berliozi sp. n., holotype GS 3310 GB. (18) C. bachi sp. n., holotype GS 5200 GB. (19) C. netuncus sp. n., holotype, GS 6545 S. Błeszyński (11335 British Museum).

ventral sclerotization, probably remains of apophyses anteriores. Ostium bursae slightly produced from margin of lamella antevaginalis, trapezioidal with inner part covered with small teeth. Sterigma very complex and strongly sclerotized, with lamella antevaginalis deeply bilobed and narrowing to level of proximal third of ductus, with lamella postvaginalis subtriangular. Ductus bursae 0,5 long as corpus bursae, sclerotized in first third, then corrugated. Ductus seminalis opening distal third of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae suboval, without signa, delicately wrinkled.

DISTRIBUTION: The species is only known from the Arusha area (Mt. Meru slopes) in Northern Tanzania.

REMARKS: In this species and in the following, C. berliozi , the sterigma in female genitalia is slightly variable. Based on my previous studies on Crambinae this feature occurs very rarely, as female genitalia are very homogeneous within the same species.

Crambus mozarti and the following, Crambus berliozi , C. frescobaldii , C. bachi and C. netuncus , are closely related, as shown by the same external appearance and very similar genitalia of both sexes. I know at least two more new species of this complex from Kenya, not described here because the available material is too rubbed. Despite the great similarity to many common Holarctic Crambus (such as pascuella ) in adult features, the genitalia of both sexes state that this complex of species is quite distinct. The most important characteristics are, in male genitalia, the subvestigial uncus, the bilobed gnathos, the well developed pedunculi, the concave valva with a sclerotized and pointed cucullus. Female genitalia have the papillae anales without a clear median fold, abdominal tergite VIII completely membranous, the ostium bursae sclerotized and opening between well differentiated strong bifurcate lamella antevaginalis and subtriangular lamella postvaginalis, and no real signa. The phallus with external teeth and few little and medium-sized cornuti appears many times in African Crambus . Moreover, the papillae with a dorsal membranous fold, subvestigial apophyses anteriores, and a complex ostium bursae area are common characters in many African and Holarctic Crambus .