Thaumetopoea latinivea László & Schintlmeister, 2021

László, Gyula M., Schintlmeister, Alexander & Vetina, Alvaro A., 2021, A contribution to the knowledge of the prominent moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea Notodontidae) of the Maputo Special Reserve with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 4965 (2), pp. 201-243 : 225-226

Thaumetopoea latinivea László & Schintlmeister sp. n. ( Figs. 100–101 , 134 )

Holotype. Male , “ Mozambique, 22m, Maputo Special Reserve, West Gate, (Sand Forest), 26°30’14.2”S, 32°42’59.6”E, 13–15.II.2018, MV Light Trap, László, G., Mulvaney, J., Smith, L. leg., ANHRT:2018.2”, unique number: ANHRTUK 00019995, genitalia slide No.: LG 5317 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. Mozambique. 1 male, with the same data as the holotype, unique number: ANHRTUK 00019996, genitalia slide No.: LG 4555 ; 1 male, Maputo Special Reserve, Futi Corridor ( Sand Forest Woodland Mosaic ), 17m, 26°32’10.1”S, 32°43’09.7”E, 23–24.ii.2018, Actinic Light Trap, László, G., Mulvaney, J., Smith, L. leg., ANHRT:2018.2, unique number: ANHRTUK 00020025, genitalia slide No.: ANHRT 00349 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. This species is reminiscent of Thaumetopoea apologetica Strand, 1909 (figs. 102–103), but is distinguished by its considerably paler forewing ground colour and markedly broader whitish oblique stripe of the forewing, with a much narrower dark area at the basal third of the costa. The male genitalia of all Thaumetopoea species are rather simplified, displaying only subtle differences between species (cf. Hacker 2016, plate 8: a–d). Nevertheless, T. latinivea can be distinguished from T. apologetica by its noticeably broader socii and apically broader, rounded quadrangular valva, which is more triangular in its congener (figs 134–135).

Figures

FIGURES 94–106: adults (collected in the MSR and deposited in coll. ANHRT except where otherwise indicated). 94, Janthinisca joannoui, ♂; 95, Ibidem, ♂; 96, Ibidem, ♀; 97, Peratodonta heterogyna, ♂; 98, Ibidem, ♀; 99, Clostera lentisignata, ♂; 100, Thaumetopoea latinivea sp. n., holotype, ♂; 101, Ibidem, paratype, ♂; 102, T.apologetica, holotype,Tanzania, Mkalama, ♂ (MFN); 103, Ibidem, Uganda, Mudende District, ♂; 104, Anaphe reticulata, ♂; 105, Ibidem, ♂; 106, Ibidem, ♀.

FIGURES 133–135. Male genitalia (a: clasping apparatus, b: phallus, c: 8th abdominal segment; coll. ANHRT). 133, Clostera lentisignata, slide No. LG 5322 (MSR); 134, Thaumetopoea latinivea sp. n., holotype, slide No. LG 5317 (MSR); 135, T. apologetica, slide No. LG 5320 (Uganda).