Alucita safi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2020

Ustjuzhanin, Petr, Kovtunovich, Vasily & Streltzov, Alexander, 2020, New species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera: Alucitidae) from Liberia and Ghana (Western Africa), Ecologica Montenegrina 32, pp. 26-31 : 28

Alucita safi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich , sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 , 4 )

Type material: Holotype, male, ( ZMJU, gen.pr. Nr. 202005), GHANA, Western Region Visitor Centre , Ankasa N.P., 27-30. xi. 2011, lgt. Dall’ Asta U., Safian Sz., Ochse M.

External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae light-brown. Labial palpi brown, bent upwards, third segment thin and narrow. Antennae brown. Wingspan 11 mm. Wings yellowish-brown. Along fore wing costa, series of elongated spots basally dark (almost black), medially and distally brown. Mottled pattern of alternating brown, orange and white scales on lobes of all wings. Fringe on wings corresponding to color of these portions of scales. Hind legs light-brown.

Male genitalia. Uncus wide throughout its length, apically even. Gnathos long, lanceolate, apically slightly tapered, equal to uncus in length. Gnathos arms short. Valves long, narrow, poorly sclerotized. Anellus arms narrow and long. Saccus arched. Aedeagus robust, straight, cornuti distally and medially.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. In the male genitalia, in the lanceolate gnathos, shape of the uncus and the aedeagus, the species resembles Alucita crococyma (Meyrick, 1937) (Type locality: Mount Cameroon), but differs in the long narrow valves. Externally, differs from A. crococyma in the specific color and the smaller wings.

Flight period: November.

Etymology. The species is named after the prominent Hungarian entomologist Szabolcs Sáfián.

Figures

Figure 3. Alucita safi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov., adult, male (Holotype, ZMJU).

Figure 4. Alucita safi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov., male genitalia (Holotype, ZMJU, gen.pr. Nr. 202005).