Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970

Graziano Bassi, 2016, Studies on Afrotropical Crambinae (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea, Crambidae): Notes on the genus Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (1), pp. 11-20 : 11-13

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.46283
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6082406
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2B259052-7974-FF06-FC2B-FB2FFA0CF7B1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970
status

Treatment

Genus Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970 View in CoL

Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970: 20 View in CoL , type species Aurotalis dionisa View in CoL

Błeszyński, 1970, by original designation.

Diagnosis: So far, the only diagnostic character for Aurotalis is the presence in female genitalia (on the papillae anales) of strong setae originating from the tips of short projections in the highly corrugated upper surface. Adults are distinguished from those of the most closely related genera in having long labial palpi, associated with the forewing colour being at least partly white.

Redescription ( Figs 1 -6 View Figs 1 - 6 ): Ocelli and chaetosemata well developed. Labial palpi three times or more as long as the maximum diameter of the composite eye in side view. Forewing at least partly white. Wing venation of A. nigrisquamalis , slightly different from that of A. delicatalis as illustrated by Schouten (1992: 192, fig. 2): in forewing R1 present and free, not connected to Sc; R2 free; R3 connected with R4 at 3/4; R5 free; M1 from middle of cell; cell opened between R5 and M2; M2 and M3 not stalked; CuA1 from lower corner of cell; CuA2 at distal 1/3 of cell; 1A+2A strong. Hindwing with Sc connected to Rs at distal 1/3; M1 free, visible only distally; M3 connecting to M2 and Cu1 at distal 1/3, Cu2 connecting to M2 at half of length; a1, a2 and a3 unforked. Colours tend to become faint in old specimens. Abdominal segment VIII, simple and narrow in the female, shows distinguishing sclerotizations in the male ( Figs 16-19 View Figs 13 - 20 , 30 View Figs 26 - 30 ).

Tympanal organs ( Fig. 23-25 View Figs 21 - 25 ). Transverse ridge round- ed. Tympanic bridge well developed, lightly sclerotized. Tympanic drum ovoid. Venulae secundae well developed, concave. The well developed and lightly sclerotized tympanic bridge seems to be the more constant feature through the genus, other characteristics being rather variable.

Male genitalia ( Figs 9 View Figs 7 - 9 , 13-15 View Figs 13 - 20 , 26, 29, 30 View Figs 26 - 30 ): Uncus more or less apically downcurved. Gnathos strongly upcurved while being straight, simple or bifid. Tegumen and valva stout being tapering. Vinculum without or with small dorsal projection. Pseudosaccus small. Phallus stout to elongate, with maximum two cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Figs 12 View Figs 10 - 12 , 20-22 View Figs 13 - 20 View Figs 21 - 25 , 27, 28 View Figs 26 - 30 ): Papillae anales with strong setae on upper surface, originating from tips of short projection of highly corrugated membrane. Both apophyses strongly developed. Ostium bursae and sterigma membranous. Corpus bursae suboval, without signa.

Systematic position: This genus is part of the Ancylolomia Hübner View in CoL complex of genera (Bassi,

2013). Błeszyński (1970: 20) claimed that is closest to Conotalis Hampson , but the most closely related genus seems to be Prionotalis Hampson 1919b: 152 , as in Conotalis species the phallus has a long cornutus, a feature never seen in Aurotalis . The relatively short valva, strong vinculum and tegumen, phallus about as long as valva in male genitalia suggest that both Aurotalis and Prionotalis are closely related to the locupletella group of Ancylolomia ( Figs 7-9 View Figs 7 - 9 ). In the same way, female genitalia are similar in these three groups in the stout papillae anales and corpus bursae, and in the ductus ejaculatorius departing from the corpus bursae ( Figs 10-12 View Figs 10 - 12 ).

Biology: Early stages are unknown, probably feeding in grasslands. The adults are easily attracted by light.

Distribution: The genus seems to be distributed through the highlands and mountains from Austral Africa to Kenya. However, only one species, A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson) is a common moth in RSA and Swaziland.

Remarks: The morphological character evolution appears very diversified, especially those of the genitalia.

Key to the species of Aurotalis Błeszyński View in CoL

1a Forewing ground colour white ................................................................................................................................. 3 1b Forewing ground colour not white ........................................................................................................................... 2 2a Forewing ground colour yellow ............................................................................................................................... 5 2b Forewing ground colour ochre brown; hindwing brown suffused white basally; male genitalia with juxta u-shaped and phallus clearly divided into two parts ....................................................................................... A. dicksoni sp. n. 3a Median and subterminal fasciae on forewing present .............................................................................................. 4 3b Fasciae on forewing absent, ground colour almost entirely white, with only a fulvous tinge along costa; hindwing brown margined white; female genitalia with a globular wrinkled extension at the end of ductus bursae................ ............................................................................................................................................ A. argyrastis (Hampson) View in CoL 4a Forewing with orange median fascia, subterminal fascia ill-defined, dorsum chestnut brown and three large dots at tornus; hindwing light brown; male genitalia with two cornuti on vesica .................................... A. hermione Bassi View in CoL 4b Forewing with double subterminal fascia; hindwing grey suffused white; male genitalia with gnathos stout with dorsal crest-like process and juxta with finger-like dorsal process; female genitalia with papillae anales dorsally bulged, ductus bursae short and sclerotized and corpus bursae proximally spinulate ..................... A. cristata sp. n. 4c Forewing with single subterminal fascia; hindwing white suffused grey; male genitalia with vesica with single spatulate cornutus; female genitalia with rather long ductus bursae, lightly sclerotized only close to corpus bursae ...................................................................................................................................................... A. similis Bassi View in CoL 5a Hindwing white ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 5b Hindwing yellow suffused grey and brown with yellow fringes; forewing with orange yellow median and subterminal fasciae; male genitalia with bilobed gnathos; female genitalia with papillae anales with ventral upturned tip ................................................................................................................................ A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson) 6a Hindwing pure white; forewing with two longitudinal white lines and median and subterminal fasciae yellow; male genitalia with tapered cucullus and narrow and curved phallus; presence of feathery coremata; female genitalia with papillae anales straight margined and semicircular sclerotization in the ductus bursae............................. ................................................................................................................................................. A. dionisa Błeszyński View in CoL 6b Hindwing white suffused yellow; forewing with bicolored median fascia and terminal spots beneath vein 5; male genitalia with phallus stout, shorter than valva and vesica without cornuti; female genitalia with funnel-shaped ductus bursae and large corpus bursae................................................................................ A. delicatalis (Hampson)