Delorhachis baaka Fiebig, Taberer, Giusti and László, 2023

Taberer, Tabitha R., Fiebig, Ralf, Giusti, Alessandro & László, Gyula M., 2023, Taxonomic revision of the genus Delorhachis Karsch 1896 (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae), Journal of Natural History 57 (1 - 4), pp. 54-129 : 99-100

Delorhachis baaka Fiebig, Taberer, Giusti and László sp. nov. ( Figures 51–52 , 89 ,

12 6 , 152 )

Holotype. Male , ′2°24′37.22̍N 12°29′55.74″E | CAMEROON, S-Region | Sangmelima, 30 km E Oveng, | Ngbwassa, 610 m asl | 2. November 2011, MV-lamp″ || ′RF 2021.897̍ || ′ SMNS _Lep_001221̍ ( SMNS).

Paratype. Cameroon. 1 male, S-Region, Sangmelima , 18 km E Djoum, Anwam, 2 km NWbW on logging road, 680 m, 3 November 2011, 2°40′13.54″N, 12°48′17.14″E ( SMNS) .

Description

External morphology. Male. Fore wing length 13–13.5 mm. Head, collar, and tegula yellow-brown, antenna bipectinate in basal fourth, otherwise filiform, colour as of head. Tegula with one pale green rounded patch. Thorax uniformly ochreous-brown dorsally. Abdomen pale orange-brown dorsally, first two segments with ochreous-brown hair scales. Fore wing short, broad, triangular, with rounded apex; ground colour ochreous-brown, veins contrasting black in postmedial area. Medio-ventral fascia pale green, oval-shaped, margined with black on distal edge. Fringe long, colour as ground colour. Hind wing uniformly buff.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia. Uncus short, tapered, rounded apically. Tegumen broad. Gnathos large, very broad, shield-like, rounded quadrangular. Juxta short, rounded basally, with two short, broad, ventral ribbon-like distal processes; manica with a bunch of strongly curved, very long pseudocornuti. Vinculum relatively long, broad, rounded. Valva moderately long, medially abruptly tapered, with thin, curved, rounded dorsal tip without ventral process. Phallus relatively short, medially slightly bent, with sclerotised, apically pointed ventral surface in its basal half. Vesica membranous without cornuti.

Diagnosis

This species is closest externally to D. smithi due to the buff hind wing and the similarly rounded medial fore wing fascia, although in D. baaka sp. nov. the fore wings are darker in colour, and the tegula patch and fore wing fascia are pale green as opposed to the white markings of D. smithi . In the male genitalia, the uncus of D. baaka is considerably shorter, broader, and more rounded apically, and the gnathos is more strongly sclerotised and more quadrangular compared to the allied species. The valva of D. baaka is much wider basally, and the distal portion lacks a ventral process, whilst in D. smithi the valva is narrower and possesses a very narrow, long, pointed ventral process.

Compared to D. nimbaensis , D. baaka has ochreous-brown fore wing ground colour in contrast to the chestnut brown colouration of the related species. The hind wing of D. baaka is buff, whereas it is chestnut brown in D. nimbaensis . In addition, the tegula and fore wing patches of D. baaka are pale green compared with the white patches of the allied species. In the male genitalia, the uncus of D. baaka is shorter and broader, the gnathos is narrower and more quadrangular, the pseudocornuti are considerably longer and more curved, and the valva is markedly wider basally, lacking a ventro-apical process.

Genetic information

No D. baaka specimens were sampled for DNA barcoding.

Etymology

This species name is dedicated to the Baaka ethnic group inhabiting the southern rainforests of Cameroon, from which the holotype was collected .

Distribution and habitat ( Figures 178–179 , 186 )

This species has only been identified from the Guinea-Congolian wet rainforest of south Cameroon.

Figures

Figure 186. Distribution map of the D. syntomoctena species group (TL = type locality).

Figures 46–57. Adults. Figures 46–48. Delorhachis smithi sp. nov. 46: HT, Gabon, Mikongo, J (gen. slide no. TT 094) (ANHRT); 47: PT, Republic of the Congo, Odzala NP, J (gen. slide no. MWW 36.326) (MWW); 48: PT, Republic of the Congo, Odzala NP, J (gen. slide no. MWW 36.327) (MWW); Figures 49, 50. D. nimbaensis sp. nov. 49: HT, Liberia,Nimba Mts., J (gen. slide no. TT 105) (ANHRT);50: PT,Liberia, Nimba, J (gen. slide no. NHMUK 010317408) (NHMUK); Figures 51, 52. D. baaka sp. nov. 51: HT, Cameroon, Sangmelima, J (gen. slide no. RF 2021.897) (SMNS); 52: PT, Cameroon, Sangmelima, J (SMNS); Figures 53–57. D. nigrivenosa. 53: HT, Togo, Misahöhe, J (gen. slide no. SAV-08-32) (MfN); 54: Ivory Coast, Mt. Tonkoui Peak, J (gen. slide no. TT 011) (ANHRT); 55: Ivory Coast, Taï NP, J (gen. slide no. TT 031) (ANHRT); 56: HT of Miresa strigivena syn. nov., Nigeria, Lagos, ♀ (NHMUK); 57: Cameroon, La Falaise, J (gen. slide no. TT 095) (ANHRT). Scale bar: 1 cm.

Figures 67–90. Male fore wing pattern. Figures 67, 68: Delorhachis viridiplaga; Figure 69: D. charopa stat. rev.; Figure 70: D. ochsei sp. nov.; Figures 71, 72: D. chlorodaedala; Figure 73: D. kitale; Figure 74: D. tommasoi sp. nov.; Figure 75: D. pallidifascia sp. nov.; Figure 76: D. mariae; Figure 77: D. parvinota sp. nov.; Figures 78, 79: D. meyi sp. nov.; Figure 80: D. wetzelae sp. nov.; Figure 81: D. wetzelae shambaa ssp. nov.; Figure 82: D. kilosa; Figure 83: D. zambica sp. nov.; Figure 84: D. syntomoctena comb. nov.; Figure 85: D. manuelae sp. nov.; Figure 86: D. bakossii sp. nov.; Figure 87: D. smithi sp. nov.; Figure 88: D. nimbaensis sp. nov.; Figure 89: D. baaka sp. nov.; Figure 90: D. nigrivenosa.

Figures 1–15. Adults. Figures 1–3: Delorhachis viridiplaga. 1: ST, Togo, Misahöhe, J (gen. slide no. SAV-08-31) (MfN); 2: Nigeria, Port Harcourt, ♀ (gen. slide no. NHMUK 010317401) (NHMUK); 3: Cameroon, Bascho, J (gen. slide no. RF 299.2019) (MfN); Figures 4–6. D. charopa stat. rev. 4: ST, [DRC], Mawamba-Makala, J (gen. slide no. Lim-1324) (NHMUK); 5: [DRC], Kalambe, ♀ (gen. slide no. NHMUK 010317410) (NHMUK); 6: Cameroon, Mbalmayo Menguémé, J (gen. slide no. 36.636) (RCRF); Figures 7–9. D. ochsei sp. nov. 7: HT, Ghana, Ankasa NP, J (gen. slide no. RF 2021.884) (RCRF, later ZSM); 8: PT, Ghana, Ashanti, ♀ (gen. slide no. NHMUK 010317403) (NHMUK); 9: PT, Ghana, Kakum NP, J (gen. slide no. 31.150) (RCRF); Figures 10–12. D. chlorodaedala. 10: Zambia, Hillwood, J (gen. slide no. TT 044) (ANHRT); 11: HT, Angola, Benguela, ♀ (gen. slide no. Lim-1327) (NHMUK); 12: Zambia, Kapishya Hot Springs, J (gen. slide no. TT 009 (ANHRT). Figures 13–15: D. kitale. 13: HT, Kenya, Kitale, J (gen. slide no. Lim-1326) (NHMUK); 14: Kenya, Kitale, J (gen. slide no. NHMUK 10317405) (NHMUK); 15: Sudan, Kadugli, J (gen. slide no. RF 2021.838) (RCRF). Scale bar: 1 cm.

Figures 133–156. Male genitalia, valva apex. Figure 133: Delorhachis viridiplaga; Figure 134: D. charopa stat. rev.; Figure 135: D. ochsei sp. nov.; Figures 136, 137: D. chlorodaedala; Figure 138: D. kitale; Figure 139: D. tommasoi sp. nov.; Figure 140: D. pallidifascia sp. nov.; Figure 141: D. mariae; Figure 142: D. parvinota sp. nov.; Figures 143, 144: D. meyi sp. nov.; Figure 145: D. wetzelae sp. nov.; Figure 146: D. wetzelae shambaa ssp. nov.; Figure 147: D. syntomoctena comb. nov.; Figure 148: D. manuelae sp. nov.; Figure 149: D. bakossii sp. nov.; Figure 150: D. smithi sp. nov.; Figure 151: D. nimbaensis sp. nov.; Figure 152: D. baaka sp. nov.; Figure 153: D. kilosa; Figure 154: D. zambica sp. nov.; Figures 155, 156: D. nigrivenosa.

Figures 177–182. Habitat photos. Figure 177: Gabon, Mikongo, Monts de Cristal, type locality of Delorhachis smithi (© Violette Dérozier). Figures 178, 179: Cameroon, South Region, Sangmelima, type locality of D. baaka (© Daniel Bartsch). Figures 180, 181: Cameroon, Southwest Region, Bakossi Mts., type locality of D. bakossii (© Daniel Bartsch). Figure 182: Cameroon, Korup NP, habitat of D. viridiplaga and D. nigrivenosa (© Michael Ochse).