Tumicla smithi, Volynkin & László, 2019

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2019, Four new species of the genus Tumicla Wallengren, 1863 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 4668 (3), pp. 421-434 : 433-434

Tumicla smithi sp. nov.

( Figs 23, 24 , 44 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 23 , 44 ): ♀, “ Zambia, 1456m, Changwena Falls, N. Swaka F.R. , Central Prov., 13°22’48’’S, 29°33’18’’E, 27–30.I.2019, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Mulvaney, L., Takano, H. Leg. ANHRT: 2019.4”, ANHRT unique number: ANHRTUK 00073348 , slide No.: AV5243♀ (Coll. ANHRT) .

Paratypes: 3 ♀, with the same data as the holotype, ANHRT unique numbers: ANHRTUK 00072417, 00072418, 00072419 (Coll. ANHRT) .

Remark. Tumicla smithi is to date, only known by females. However, despite its unusual wing pattern, T. smithi certainly belongs to the genus Tumicla due to its legs tibial spur formula 0-2-2 characteristic for all Tumicla species ( Durante 2008), forewing shape, and female genitalia being similar to those of some other species of Tumicla , in particular to T. fasciata and T. admiranda .

Diagnosis. Tumicla smithi ( Figs 23, 24 ) is also an unmistakable species differing clearly from other congeners by its orange forewing lacking transverse lines and having a broad unicolorous black distal band. The female genitalia of T. smithi ( Fig. 44 ) are most similar to those of T. fasciata ( Fig. 43 ), but differ from them by their shorter and less curved ductus bursae without a lateral protrusion (that of T. fasciata bears a well-developed, rounded lateral bulge), more heavily sclerotised posterior section of corpus bursae lacking a lateral protrusion (that is less strongly sclerotised, rugose having a long and broad lateral protrusion in T. fasciata ), and shorter appendix bursae having sclerotised basal section and membranous distal section with granulation (that is larger and evenly sclerotised in T. fasciata ).

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 23, 24 ). Forewing length 14.5– 15 mm in females. Head black; antenna black, filiform in female. Thorax black; patagium orange; tegula orange with large black basal spot. Forewing moderately broad, with rounded apex, outer margin and tornus evenly arcuate. Forewing ground colour bright orange; pattern black, represented by a short basal dash on costa, short V-like subbasal streak, narrow semilu- nar discal spot which may be absent, and broad black terminal area with S-curved inner margin filling in postmedial, subterminal and terminal areas unicolorously; cilia black. Hindwing paler than forewing, orange, with intense black suffusion on subterminal and terminal areas, varying widely in width; cilia black, pale orange along anal margin. Abdomen orange with admixture of brown scales. Female genitalia ( Fig. 44 ). Ovipositor short and broad; papillae anales rectangular, with rounded angles; apophyses moderately long and thin, equal in length. Ostium bursae relatively narrow; ductus bursae moderately long, dorso-ventrally flattened, heavily sclerotised, slightly broadened posteriorly, gently curved to the left, with convex right margin. Posterior section of corpus bursae conically tapered posteriorly, sclerotised; anterior section of corpus bursae globular, moderately sclerotised, rugose. Appendix bursae short, conical, sclerotised basally and membranous with granulation distally, situated postero-laterally on the left side of ductus bursae.

Male unknown.

Distribution. Tumicla smithi is to date, only known from its type locality collected near Changwena Falls in Central Zambia.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Mr Richard Smith, founder of the African Natural History Research Trust, organiser of extensive entomological exploratory program in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 19–26. Tumicla spp.: adults. 19, T. admiranda, holotype ♂, DR Congo (©NHMUK); 20, T. admiranda, paratype ♀, DR Congo (©NHMUK); 21, T. fasciata, holotype ♀, CentralAfrican Republic (©NHMUK); 22, T. fasciata, paratype ♀, Central African Republic (©NHMUK); 23, T. smithi, holotype ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 24, T. smithi, paratype ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 25, T. sagenaria, ♂, South Africa (©NHMUK); 26, T. sagenaria, ♀, South Africa (©NHMUK).

FIGURES 41–45. Tumicla spp.: female genitalia. 41, T. similis, paratype, Kenya, Kibwezi, slide NHMUK010314047 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 42, T. admiranda, paratype, DR Congo, slide NHMUK 010314600 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 43, T. fasciata, paratype, CentralAfrican Republic, slide NHMUK010314046 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 44, T. smithi, holotype, Zambia, slideAV5243 (ANHRT); 45, T. sagenaria, lectotype, [South Africa] Caffraria, slide NHRS 000011009 (photo by T. Malm, ©2017NHRS).