Rodolphia hombergi Le Cerf, 1911

Bartsch, Daniel, 2018, Taxonomic changes in Synanthedonini from Madagascar, with description of two new genera and species (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), Zootaxa 4433 (1), pp. 174-186 : 176

Rodolphia hombergi Le Cerf, 1911

Figs 1–5

Holotype: ♀, Madagascar, Soanirano [South-Eastern Madagascar, west of Fort-Dauphin (Tolagnaro), river Soanirano] ( MNHN).

= Malgassesia pauliani Viette, [1955] syn. nov.

Holotype: ♂, Madagascar, extreme-Sud, piste entre Faux-Cap et le cap Sainte-Marie ( MNHN).

Additional material examined: 2♂, 2♀, Madagascar, Reg. sud de l'Ile, Bekily, Nov. [19]33 ( MNHN).

Rodolphia hombergi is a very distinct and strongly sexual dimorphic species. The four examined specimens from Bekily are part of a rather large homogenous series, which was caught at the same place and time. In size and coloration, the females of this series agree well with the female holotype and there is no doubt regarding their conspecifity. The description of the male by Viette (1982: 26) was also based on this series. The male holotype of Malgassesia pauliani Viette, 1955 syn. nov. is a heavily damaged, greasy specimen. It is somewhat difficult to assess, but the structure and coloration of labial palps, wings and abdomen show no differences from the males from Bekily. More important, the genitalia structures of one male from Bekily, figured by Viette (1982: 27, fig. 12) and of the holotype of M. pauliani ( Viette 1982: 38, fig. 24) are strikingly similar. Direct comparison of the two slides revealed no significant differences, except for the somewhat different embedding position. Furthermore, the collecting localities of all specimens examined lie close together in southern Madagascar, with less than 180 km distance.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Adult specimens of Madagascan Synanthedonini: 1–5. Rodolphia hombergi Le Cerf, 1911. (1–2) male, Madagascar, Bekily, Region sud de l’Ile. (4–5) female, same data. (3) male, holotype of Malgassesia pauliani Viette, 1955, ventral view. 6–7. Malgassesia andrianony (Viette, 1982) comb. nov., male holotype. 8–12. Malgassesia rufescens Le Cerf, 1922. (8–9) male, Madagascar, Ihosy, Region sud de l’Ile. (10–11) female, Madagascar, Bekily, Region sud de l’Ile. (12) female, holotype of Malgassesia biedermanni Viette, 1982. Scale bars 10 mm, ventral view right.