Meyoarabiella vansoni Yakovlev, 2020

Yakovlev, Roman V., 2020, Two new species of Meyoarabiella Yakovlev, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Namibia with World Catalogue of the Genus, Ecologica Montenegrina 38, pp. 166-171 : 167

Meyoarabiella vansoni Yakovlev , sp. nov.

Figs 3, 5 , 6 , 8

Material. Holotype (male): Namibia, Region Hardap, Umg. Mariental Hardap Damm , 1190 m, S 24º28.869 / E 17º50.364, 31.i.2016, leg. H. Sulak, S. Naumann & Elk Ott (Museum Witt, Genital Präparat Heterocera No. 32.730).

Description. Antenna bipectinate, crest processes long 3−3.5 times longer than antenna rod diameter, Antenna 1.5 times shorter than fore wing in length. Length of fore wing 9 mm. Fore wing grey with brown portions basally and discally, thin dark-brown transverse line submarginally, very thin brown stripe on border of wing, fringe brown, unicolorous. Hind wing brown, without pattern, very thin brown stripe on border of wing, fringe brown, unicolorous.

Male genitalia. Uncus relatively short, robust; gnathos arms relatively short, robust; gnathos small, narrow, densely covered with fine spikes; valve short, wide, outer edge rounded, costal edge smooth, abdominal edge oblique, gradually narrowing from base to apex; transtilla processes short, laminated, apices slightly curved, dorsal surface preapically serrated; juxta tiny, with wide leaf-like lateral processes; saccus almost reduced; phallus robust, short, straight, caudal end oblique, vesica without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis. The new species is characterized by the small size and the absence of cornutus in the vesica.

Etymology. The new species is named after the well-known South-African entomologist, Dr. Georg Van Son (1898−1967). Dr. Georg Van Son (1898−1967) was a son of the Dutch diplomat Stefan Van Son (1861- 1918) and the Russian countess Natalia Evgrafovna Komarovskaya. After the death of his father in the Civil War, the family emigrated to the Netherlands. George became a zoologist and after a 2-year internship in London received an invitation to Pretoria, where he worked without fail in the entomological department of the Transvaal Museum for 42 years. He is the author of many publications on entomology and of the 4- volume Atlas of South African Butterflies. In his free time he was occupied with his hobby - orchids ( Shergalin 2013).

Figures

Figure 6. Distributional map of Meyoarabiella Yakovlev, 2008.

Figures 1−5. Adult males and male genitalia of Meyoarabiella Yakovlev, 2008 (Museum Witt, Munich, Germany): 1. M. naumanni Yakovlev, sp. nov., holotype; 2. M. naumanni Yakovlev, sp. nov., paratype; 3. M. vansoni Yakovlev, sp. nov., holotype; 4. Genitalia of holotype M. naumanni Yakovlev, sp. nov. (Genital Präparat Heterocera No. 32.731); 5. Genitalia of holotype M. vansoni Yakovlev, sp. nov. (Genital Präparat Heterocera No. 32.730).

Figures 7−8. Photo of type locality of new species: 7. M. naumanni Yakovlev, sp. nov., (from https://www.namibweb.com/kav.htm); 8. M. vansoni Yakovlev, sp. nov. (photo by Elk Ott).