Alucita tatjana Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2020

Ustjuzhanin, Peter, Kovtunovich, Vasily, Maicher, Vincent, Safian, Szabolcs, Delabye, Sylvain, Streltzov, Alexander & Tropek, Robert, 2020, Even hotter hotspot: description of seven new species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae) from Mount Cameroon, ZooKeys 935, pp. 103-119 : 103

Alucita tatjana Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Figs 9 , 10

Type material.

Holotype • female, (NECJU 201904) Cameroon, PlanteCam, 1100 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (SW slope), 4.1175°N, 9.0709°E, 09-14.IV.2015, V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janeček, R. Tropek; Paratype • 1 female, (CUK), Ekonjo, 1150 m a.s.l., Mount Cameroon (S slope), 4.0881°N, 9.1168°E, 24.X.2017, lgt. V. Maicher, P. Potocký, S. Delabye.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles Alucita mischenini Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2018 in the light colour of its wings and the wide medial band, but it differs in its larger size (21 mm vs. 12-15 mm wingspan). Additionally, the position and shape of dark markings in the basal and distal portions of the wings differentiates A. tatjana from A. mischenini whose forewings bear extensive brown areas in in the basal portions and almost continuous dark brown marks covering the distal halves of the first two forewing lobes ( Ustjuzhanin et al. 2018). Additionally, forewings of the new species differ from A. mischenini by the continuation of the brown medial band through most of the length of the second forewing lobe. In female genitalia, A. tatjana is similar to A. compsoxantha Meyrick, 1924 (Fig. 22 ), especially in the shape of the antrum and the absence of any signa in the bursa copulatrix. However, A. tatjana differs in its shorter and wider ductus and substantially shorter anterior and posterior apophyses. These species also differ in the colouration of their wings.

External characters.

Wingspan 21 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae with appressed white scales. Labial palpus twice as long as longitudinal eye diameter, white, with a brown band of the third segment, thin, apically tapered, sharp. Antenna white. Scape extended and flattened. Wings white with well-expressed wide median band, brown on forewing and almost black on hindwing. Subterminal band narrower, consisting of brown spots of scales, intermittently traced throughout all lobes. First forewing lobe apically brown. Second forewing lobe with brown colouration continuous between median band and subterminal band. Forewing basally white with well-expressed dark brown fringes near the base of the cleft between the second and third lobes. Hindwing basally white with scattered dark brown scales and a prominent dark brown marking across base of second to sixth lobes. Hind leg pale yellow (although not so apparent in Fig. 9 ).

Female genitalia.

Papilla analis narrow, elongated. Posterior and anterior apophyses thick, straight. Anterior apophyses equal in length to posterior apophyses. Antrum wide, goblet-like. Ductus short, expanded in median part around junction with ductus seminalis, and corrugated at junction with bursa copulatrix. Bursa copulatrix small, oval, without signa.

Distribution.

Cameroon.

Flight period.

April, October.

Etymology.

The species is a noun in apposition in honour to Petr Ustjuzhanin’s sister, Tatjana Ustjuzhanina.

Figures

Figures 9, 10. Alucita tatjana Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. 9 adult female, Holotype, NEJCU 10 female genitalia, Holotype, preparation slide no. 201904. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figures 19 - 24. Comparative illustrations of other Alucita species mentioned in the new species' diagnoses 19 A. balioxantha (Meyrick, 1921), type, male genitalia 20 A. tesserata (Meyrick, 1918), type, male genitalia 21 A. rhaptica (Meyrick, 1920), female genitalia 22 A. compsoxantha (Meyrick, 1924), type, female genitalia 23 A. chloracta (Meyrick, 1908), type, adult female 24 A. chloracta, type, female genitalia.