Neomardara fontainei, László & Volynkin, 2023

László, Gyula M. & Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, Review of the genus Neomardara Hering, 1926 with descriptions of two new species and updated information on the distribution of the genus (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 68, pp. 103-126 : 111-117

Neomardara fontainei sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B2EA8926-2727-4583-99D4-DE6A7F71A30D

( Figs 7–9 , 22–24 , 36–37 , 47–49 , 61–62 , 74–75 , 86–87 )

Holotype. Male , “COLL. MUS. TERVUREN / Burundi: Gitega / 1-4-1967 / Dr M. Fontaine ” // [with handwritten] “ Neomardara africana Holland U. Dall Asta det.” / QR code label with unique id.: RMCA ENT 000049538 / gen. slide No.: LG 6196 ( RMCA).

Paratypes. Burundi. 2 males, 2 females, from the same site as the holotype, but collected at 19.iv.1967, 15.iv.1966, 19.x.1962, 11.xi.1963 , QR code labels with unique ids: RMCA ENT 000049539–000049542 , gen. slide Nos: LG 6197, LG 6198 (males), LG 6199, LG 6200 (females); further specimens from the same site, collected by M. Fontaine : 1 male, 16.ii.1964; 1 male, 25.iii.1964; 1 male, 21.iv.1964; 1 male, 19.ii.1968; 1 male, 10.xi.1967; 1 female, 12.x.1966; 1 female, 8.x.1965; 1 male, 28.iii.1968; 1 male, 12.iv.1965; 1 female, 3.iv.1965; 1 male, 28.iii.1965; 1 male, 23.iii.1966; 1 male, 29.iii.1965, gen. slide No. Ly. 196 ; 1 female, 20.x.1963; 1 female, 2.xi.1962; 1 female, 11.iv.1964; 1 female, 19.iii.1964; 1 female, 15.xi.1963; 1 female, 21.xi.1963; 1 female, 20.x.1965; 1 female, 2.iv.1965; 1 female, 15.iv.1967; 1 male, 7.v.1964; 1 male, 20.xi.1963; 1 male, 17.x.1962; 1 female, 28.x.1962; 1 female, 17.xi.1963; 1 female, 16.xi.1963 ( RMCA) . DRC. 1 male, Ituri, Nioka, 6.ix.1953 ; 1 female, Kibali-Ituri, Nioka, 30.iv.1954, leg. J. Hecq ( RMCA). 1 female, 35. 24. Katana, W. Kivu, 5000–7000 ft. highland forest bordering pasture land. April '24 Beginning of wet season. T. A. Barns, QR code label with unique id.: NHMUK 014173342 , gen. slide No. : NHMUK014331557 ( NHMUK) . Uganda. 10 males, 1 female, Bwindi Impenetrable NP, Cuckooland Lodge, 01°00.083’S, 29°42.448’E, 27–30.iii.2013 , 1700m, leg. R. & S. Fiebig, D. Stadie; 5 males, same site, but collected at 27.x.–02.xi.2021 ( RCRF).

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 15–16 mm in males and 18–20 mm in females. Neomardara fontainei sp. n. is reminiscent of N. africana but clearly distinguished by the noticeably shorter forewings, the S-shaped subterminal band (it is evenly arcuate following the termen in N. africana ), the smaller postmedial patch with markedly shallower posterior notch and the considerably narrower wedge-shaped marking unconnected to the subterminal band.

In the male genitalia, the new species has the largest transtillar lobes, where especially the inner lobe is conspicuously broad at base, and the shortest vinculum in the genus. The tegumen is similarly narrow as in N. africana , distinguishing thus N. fontainei from N. divergens , N. mondika and N. congolana sp. n. which all have a considerably broader tegumen. The aedeagus of the new species is approximately 10% shorter than that of the other Neomardara species and has a markedly smaller carinal plate with a less rounded margin compared to the other taxa of the genus.

The female genitalia of N. fontainei has more strongly bent and slightly narrower peri-ostial lobes than in N. africana and N. congolana sp. n., a ca. 10–20% shorter ductus bursae and a considerably smaller, less curved, more elliptical rather than reniform bursa copulatrix compared to the other Neomardara species.

Etymology. This new species is named in honour of Dr. Maurice Fontaine, Belgian entomologist, a prominent explorer of the Lepidoptera fauna of the Congo Basin and adjacent areas, collector of the type series deposited in RMCA.

Bionomics and distribution. Neomardara fontainei is currently known from the mountainous areas of Burundi, Uganda and the Kivu in eastern DRC, and is probably endemic to the mountains surrounding the Albertine Rift with flying periods from February to April and September to November.

Figures

Figures 1–9. Adults, male. 1. Neomardara africana, holotype of Lepasta africana Holland, 1893, Gabon (CMNH). 2. Idem, Gabon (ANHRT). 3. Idem, Republic of Congo (ANHRT). 4. Idem, Republic of Congo (ANHRT). 5. Idem, Ivory Coast (ANHRT). 6. Idem, Guinea (ANHRT). 7. N. fontainei sp. n., holotype, Burundi (RMCA). 8. Idem, paratype, Burundi (RMCA). 9. Idem, paratype, Burundi (RMCA).

Figures 19–25. Adults, female. 19. Neomardara africana, Ivory Coast (NHMUK). 20. Idem, Zambia (ANHRT). 21. Idem, DRC (RMCA). 22. N. fontainei, sp. n., paratype, DRC (RMCA). 23. Idem, paratype, DRC (RMCA). 24. Idem, paratype, DRC (NHMUK). 25. N. congolana sp. n., paratype, DRC (RMCA).

Figures 32–37. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 32. Neomardara africana, Gabon, LG 6042 (ANHRT). 33. Idem, Gabon, LG 6041 (ANHRT). 34. Idem, Liberia, LG 6050 (ANHRT). 35. Idem, Republic of Congo, LG 6132 (ANHRT). 36. N. fontainei sp. n., HT, Burundi, LG 6196 (RMCA). 37. Idem, PT, Burundi, LG 6198 (RMCA).

Figures 44–52. Male genitalia, details of uncus-gnathos-tegumen complex. 44. Neomardara africana, Gabon, LG 6042 (ANHRT). 45. Idem, Liberia, LG 6050 (ANHRT). 46. Idem, Republic of Congo, LG 6133 (ANHRT). 47. N. fontainei, sp. n., holotype, Burundi, LG 6196 (RMCA). 48. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6197 (RMCA). 49. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6198 (RMCA). 50. N. congolana, sp. n., holotype, Republic of Congo, LG 6125 (ANHRT). 51. Idem, paratype, Republic of Congo, LG 6126 (ANHRT). 52. Idem, paratype, DRC, LG 6127 (RCHS).

Figures 59–64. Male genitalia, distal end of aedeagus. 59. Neomardara africana, Republic of Congo, LG 6133 (ANHRT) 60. Idem, Liberia, LG 6050 (ANHRT). 61. N. fontainei sp. n., holotype, Burundi, LG 6196 (RMCA). 62. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6198 (RMCA). 63. N. congolana sp. n., holotype, Republic of Congo, LG 6125 (ANHRT). 64. Idem, paratype, DRC, LG 6127 (RCHS).

Figures 71–76. Female genitalia. 71. Neomardara africana, DRC, LG 6201 (ANHRT). 72. Idem, Zambia, LG 6215 (ANHRT). 73. Idem, W Africa, Ivory Coast, NHMUK 014331760 (prepared by Laszlo) (NHMUK). 74. N. fontainei sp. n., paratype, Burundi, LG 6199 (RMCA). 75. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6200 (RMCA). 76. N. congolana, sp. n., paratype, DRC, LG 6203 (RMCA).

Figures 83–88. Female genitalia. 83. Neomardara africana, DRC, LG 6201 (RMCA). 84. Idem, Zambia, LG 6215 (ANHRT). 85. Idem, Ivory Coast, NHMUK014331760 (prepared by Laszlo) (NHMUK). 86. N. fontainei, paratype, DRC, LG 6199 (RMCA). 87. N. fontainei, paratype, DRC, LG 6200 (RMCA). 88. N. congolana, paratype, DRC, LG 6203 (RMCA).