Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea morettoi, László & Hausmann & Karisch, 2023

László, Gyula M., Hausmann, Axel & Karisch, Timm, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the African taxa of the Racotis Moore, 1887 generic complex (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini), Zootaxa 5308 (1), pp. 1-109 : 41

Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea morettoi ssp. n.

( Figs 58–60 , 160–161 , 240 , 311 )

Holotype. Male , “ IVORY COAST 39–48m, Abidjan, Banco Forest (Parc-National du Banco), 05°23’03.8”N, 04°03’11.2”W, 21–30.iv.2017, MV Light Trap, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. Leg., ANHRT:2017.25.”, unique id.: ANHRTUK 00086258, gen. slide No.: LG 5416, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: ANHRTUK00086258/ANLMN3665-21 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. Ivory Coast. 1 female, with the same data as in the holotype, unique id.: ANHRTUK 00086233, gen. slide No.: LG 5417, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: ANHRTUK00086233/ANLMN3666-21 ; 1 male, 1 female, Banco National Park , 40m, 05°23’3.8”N, 04°03’11.2”W, 29.xi.–5.xii.2019, Actinic and LepiLED Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., Ouattara, S. Leg., ANHRT : 2019.23, unique ids: ANHRTUK 00181351, 00181933, gen. slide No.: LG 5909 (male) ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, Lamto , 36 km NNW Tiessalé, 20– 23.iv.1969, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: HERB 7256 ( ZSM) ; 1 female, Côte d’Ivoire 15.x.1993, Forêt classée Bossématié Near Dam 3°30’W, 6°30’N, gen. slide No.: LG 5846 ; 1 female, Forêt classée Bossematié, 04.x.1996 Layon 21 Nord, leg. Ugo Dall’Asta, gen. slide No.: LG 5850 ( RMCA) .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 20–23 mm. The new West African subspecies of A. argillacea is distinguished from the nominotypical subspecies by its somewhat smaller size: the males have a wingspan of 20–21 mm in ssp. morettoi ssp. n., while it is 23–25 mm in ssp. argillacea . The postmedial patch of the forewing is markedly smaller and paler in the new subspecies than in the nominate taxon. There has not been any constant distinctive character observed in the male genitalia of the two subspecies. As the female of the nominate subspecies is unknown, the female genitalia of the two taxa could not be compared. The distinctive characters between A. a. cedrici and A. a. morettoi are discussed under the diagnosis of the former taxon.

Genetic information. Afroracotis argillacea morettoi has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD:AAQ2189. The intraspecific variability is 0.00%. The nearest neighbour of the new taxon is the nominate subspecies of A. argillacea differing by 1.39–1.54%.

Etymology. The new subspecies is dedicated to Philippe Moretto, Scarabaeinae specialist, renowned researcher of the insect fauna of Cote d’Ivoire and one of the collectors of the new taxon.

Distribution ( Map 4 ). The new subspecies of A. argillacea was recorded west of the Dahomey Gap only, with confirmed records from coastal lowland rainforest fragments around Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Figures

MAP 4. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea species-group.

FIGURES 41–60. Adults, dorsal view. 41. Afroracotis apodosima, HT of Racotis apodosima, ♁, Mozambique (NHMUK); 42. Ibidem, ♁, Tanzania (ZSM); 43. Ibidem, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 44. Ibidem, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 45. A. dargei sp. n., HT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 46. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 47. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 48. A. deportata, ♁, Madagascar (RCHS); 49. Ibidem, HT of Racotis deportata, ♁, Madagascar (MNHN); 50. Ibidem, ♀, Comoros (NHMUK); 51. A. argillacea argillacea, HT of Alcis argillacea, ♁, DRC (NHMUK); 52. Ibidem, ♁, DRC (NHMUK); 53. Ibidem, ♁, DRC (ZSM); 54. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (RCMO); 55. A. argillacea cedrici, HT of Racotis cedrici, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 56. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 57. Ibidem, ♀, Bioko (RCTK); 58. A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n., HT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 59. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 60. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ZSM).

FIGURES 151–170. Adults, ventral view. 151. Afroracotis apodosima, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 152. Ibidem, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 153. A. dargei sp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 154. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 155. A. deportata, ♁, Madagascar (RCHS); 156. Ibidem, ♀, Comoros (NHMUK); 157. A. argillacea argillacea, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 158. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 159. A. argillacea cedrici, HT of Racotis cedrici, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 160. A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n., HT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 161. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 162. A. longicornuta sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 163. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea (ZSM); 164. A. l. congolana ssp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 165. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 166. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., PT, ♀, Uganda (RCHS); 167. A. aristophanousi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 168. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 169. A. muscivirens sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ZSM); 170. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT).

FIGURES 239–244. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 239. Afroracotis argillacea argillacea, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4405 (ZSM); 240. A. a. morettoi ssp. n., HT, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 5416 (ANHRT); 241. A. longicornuta longicornuta sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 5064 (ANHRT); 242. Ibidem, Guinea, slide No. LG 4424 (ZSM); 243. A. l. congolana ssp. n., HT Cameroon, slide No. LG 4088 (RCMO); 244. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 5043 (ZSM).

FIGURES 306–313. Female genitalia. 306. Afroracotis apodosima, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4767 (ZSM); 307. Ibidem, Mozambique, slide No.: LG 4826 (ANHRT); 308. A. dargei sp. n., PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 4771 (ZSM); 309. A. deportata, Madagascar, slide No.: LG 4082 (ANHRT); 310. A. argillacea cedrici, PT, Bioko, slide No.: HERB 7255 (ZSM); 311. A. a. morettoi ssp. n., PT, Ivory Coast, slide No.: LG 5417 (ANHRT); 312. A. longicornuta congolana ssp. n., PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5044 (ZSM); 313. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., PT, Uganda, gen. slide No.: LG 5531 (RCHS).