Chryseacampa evani, Prozorov & Prozorova & Yakovlev & Volkova & Saldaitis & Sulak & Revay & Müller, 2023

Prozorov, Alexey M., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Yakovlev, Roman V., Volkova, Julia S., Saldaitis, Aidas, Sulak, Harald, Revay, Edita E. & Müller, Günter C., 2023, Chryseacampa gen n. - a new genus with two new species for Afrotropic Lasiocampinae (Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera), Ecologica Montenegrina 67, pp. 1-11 : 8

Chryseacampa evani sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9CDA40FD-ED09-4067-B83D-9302C0783005

( Figs 7–11 , 19–21 , 23–24 )

Holotype: ♂, Kenya, Kibwezi, 2.41052S, 37.96784E, 900 m, 20–27.VIII.1990, GS 0340 ( CGM / USTTB) . Paratypes (32♂, ♀). Kenya : 21♂, Kenya, Kibwezi , 2.41052S, 37.96784E, 900 m, 20–27.VIII.1990, GS 0341 ( CGM / USTTB) ; ♀, South Coast, Marenje Forest , 4.52138S, 39.21777E, 110 m, VIII–IX.2002, leg. Politzar, LBEOW1155-11 ( ZSM) ; 4♂, Coast Province, Malindi District, Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve , 3.2S, 39.83E, 100 m, Cynomethra red soil forest, 21.VII.2002, leg. H. Staude ( DMNH) . Tanzania: ♂, Pwani Region, Mandera , savanna, 6.21422S, 38.37714E, 250 m, 15.I.2005, LBEOW1154-11 ( ZSM) .

Description. Male ( Figs 7–8, 10–11 ). Flagellum creamy, rami orangish. Head, thorax and abdomen creamy. Forewing. Forewing length: 18–19 mm; wingspan: 38–40 mm. Background color creamy with more or less pronounced brown speckles. Medial lines may be doubled, interspace between the lines, including external one, may have brownish or purplish tint. Fringe speckled creamy and brown. Hindwing. Background color creamy with more or less pronounced reddish or brownish anal field and anal angle. Fringe speckled creamy and brown. Genitalia ( Figs 20–21 ). One of two apices of socia longer. Inner margin of cucullus may have tiny dents. Aedeagus S-shaped. Vesica dorsally bears minute cornuti. Female ( Fig. 9 ). Externally similar to male. Forewing. Forewing length: 31 mm; wingspan: 60 mm. Genitalia ( Fig. 19 ) with generic characters.

Variability. Speckled pattern on male forewings is more ( Figs 10–11 ) or less pronounced ( Figs 7– 8 ), anal field on hindwings is more ( Figs 10–11 ) or less pronounced ( Figs 7–8 ).

Diagnosis. Cryseacampa evani sp. n. has creamy wings with dark speckled pattern ( Figs 7–11 ), vesica bears minute cornuti ( Figs 20–21 ), while Ch. ralphyi sp. n. has brownish red wings ( Fig. 12 ), vesica bears several medium-sized cornute ( Fig. 22 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 24 ). Northern Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets and Northern Swahili coastal forests in Kenya, dry miombo woodlands in Tanzania. This area may be a hot-spot since 8 more lasiocampid species are restricted to it: Dinometa ethani Prozorov et al., 2023d ; Dinometa abigailae Prozorov et al., 2023d ; Eucraera decora ( Fawcett, 1915) (see Prozorov, 2016); Opisthodontia budamara Zolotuhin & Prozorov, 2010 ; Opisthodontia vensani Zolotuhin & Prozorov, 2010 Theophasida kawaii Zolotuhin & Prozorov, 2010 ; Odontopacha dargei Prozorov et al., 2023b ; and Vavizola hela Prozorov et al., 2023a .

Biology. Adults were collected in January, and from July to September from an altitude of 100 to 900 meters a.s.l. Preimaginal stages are unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Evan Radu (Little Silver, NJ, USA).

Figures

Figures 1–12. Adults. 1–2. Pachymetana custodita. 1. HT ♀, Equatorial Guinea, Nkolentangan, GS 2008-29 (MfNB). 2. ♂, DRC, Ekongo camp (CGM/USTTB). 3–4. Mallocampa audea, ♂ and ♀, DRC, Ekongo camp (CGM/USTTB). 5– 6. Dollmania cuprea, ST ♀ and ♂ of D. purpurascens, Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, GS 9967, 10953 (SMNH). 7–11. Chryseacampa evani. 7. PT ♂, Tanzania, Mandera, LBEOW1154-11 (ZSM). 8. HT ♂, Kenya, Kibwezi, GS 0340 (CGM/USTTB). 9. PT ♀, Kenya, Marenje Forest, LBEOW1155-11, GS 20694 (MWM/ZSM). 10. PT ♂, Kenya, Kibwezi, GS 0341 (CGM/USTTB). 11. PT ♂, Kenya, Arabuko Sokoke FR, GS Las-54 (DMNH). 12. Chryseacampa ralphyi, HT ♂, Tanzania, Amani, GS 1510 (NHML). Scale bar – 1 cm.

Figures 13–19. Genitalia. 13–15. ♂. 13. Pachymetana custodita, Cameroon, Nyasoso, GS 2013-016 (ZSM). 14. Mallocampa audea, RCA, Mongoumba, GS 2017-042 (MfNB). 15. Dollmania ivoriensis, PT, Vavoua, Ivory Coast, GS 0339 (CGM/USTTB). 16–19. ♀. 16. Pachymetana custodita, Cameroon, Nyasoso, GS 2013-024 (ZSM). 17. Mallocampa audea, Cameroon, Nyasoso, GS 2013-021 (ZSM). 18. Dollmania purpurascens, ST, Zimbabwe, Mashonaland (SMNH). 19. Chryseacampa evani, PT, Kenya, Marenje Forest (MWM/ZSM). Scale bar for Figs 13–15 – 1 mm.

Figures 20–22. ♂ genitalia of Chryseacampa spp. 20–21. Ch. evani, Kenya, Kibwezi (CGM/USTTB). 20. HT, GS 0340. 21. PT, GS 0341. 22. Ch. ralphyi, HT, Tanzania, Amani, GS 1510 (NHML). Scale bar for Figs 20–21 – 1 mm.

Figures 23–24. NJ tree (23; K2P, bootstrap 1000, built with MEGA X) based on sequence variation at COI and pairwise distances (%), and collecting sites (24) of Chryseacampa evani and Ch. ralphyi (for details visit bit.ly/chryseacampa). Circles with stars are for the type localities, other tags are for additional material.