Aurotalis dicksoni, Graziano Bassi, 2016

Graziano Bassi, 2016, Studies on Afrotropical Crambinae (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea, Crambidae): Notes on the genus Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (1), pp. 11-20 : 19

Aurotalis dicksoni sp. n.

Figs 3 , 25 , 29, 30

Holotype: ♀, [RSA, Western Cape, 32°10S, 22° 20’E] Nieuwvelds M[oun]t[ai]ns, 20.XII.1957, CGC Dickson; Holotypus Aurotalis dicksoni n. sp. G. Bassi det. 1998. Deposited in TMSA. Not dissected.

Paratype: 1♀, same data as holotype, GS 3551 GB. Deposited in CGB.

Diagnosis: The broad silvery white and brown streaks on the forewings distinguish A. dicksoni from the congeners. The male genitalia are closest to those of A. dionisa Błeszyński , but the uncus and gnathos are less curved, the valva has no saccular modification, and the juxta is strongly bifurcated.

Etymology: This species is named in honour of the collector, C.G.C. Dickson, who made a very valuable collection of moths in RSA.

Description ( Fig. 3 ): Wingspan 28 mm. Labial palpi 4× longer than widest diameter of eye, with inner side white and outer side ochre brown. Maxillary palpi ochre brown. Frons conical, clearly produced, with one pointed tooth, ochre in middle, elsewhere white. Antenna thickened, brown. Ocelli well developed. Chetosemata present. Head yellow. Patagium ochre yellow. Tegulae ochre brown with apex and inner margin white. Thorax ochre. Forewing with broad silvery white and dark brown streaks embedded in ochre ground colour; submarginal area silvery white with dark brown scales along veins; terminal fascia dark brown; fringe with scales chestnut brown at apex, ochre in middle and white at basis. Hindwing brown; fringe whitish with scales brown at their basis. Legs brown to dark bronze brown. Sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII as in Fig. 30 .

Male genitalia ( Fig. 29 ). Uncus broad, with rounded apex slightly bent downward. Gnathos short and narrow, with rather pointed tip. Tegumen elongated and subtriangular. Vinculum narrow, more enlarged near tegumen, without dorsal projections. Juxta with two narrow lateral arms with curved tips. Pseudosaccus minute. Valva simple, elongated, with rounded cucullus and costal margin more strongly sclerotized. Phallobase with complex system of attachment to juxta. Phallus strongly divided into narrow dorsal part which includes the vesica and ventral pointed and sclerotized arm; vesica without cornuti.

Female genitalia unknown.

Distribution: RSA, known only from the type locality.

Remarks: This is a very characteristic species, both in forewing pattern and in male genitalia. It should belong to Aurotalis Błeszyński but it seems quite isolated and only the discovery of the female will resolve the correct generic attribution.

Figures

Figs 1 - 6. Adults of Aurotalis spp. (1) A. cristata sp. n., male paratype, Zimbabwe, wingspan 20 mm. (2) A. delicatalis (Hampson), female, RSA, wingspan 26 mm. (3) A. dicksoni sp. n., holotype, wingspan 28 mm. (4) A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson), male, RSA, wingspan 28 mm. (5) A. dionisa Błeszyński, female, Namibia, wingspan 28 mm. (6) A. similis Bassi, male, Zimbabwe, wingspan 28 mm.

Figs 21 - 25. Aurotalis spp., female genitalia and tympanal organs. (21) A. delicatalis (Hampson), female, RSA. (22) A. dionisa Błeszyński, female, Namibia. (23) A. dionisa Błeszyński, male, Namibia. (24) A. cristata sp. n., female paratype, RSA. (25) A. dicksoni sp. n., male paratype.

Figs 26 - 30. Aurotalis spp., genitalia and abdominal segment VIII. (26) A. cristata sp. n., holotype, on the right juxta and phallus. (27) A. cristata sp. n., female paratype, Zimbabwe. (28) A. argyrastis (Hampson), holotype. (29) A. dicksoni sp. n., male paratype, on the right juxta and phallus. (30) A. dicksoni sp. n., sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII. Scale: 0.5 mm.