Meyameta straminea ( Aurivillius, 1921 ) Prozorov & Volkova & Saldaitis & Prozorova & Sulak & Yakovlev & Traore & Revay & Müller, 2024

Prozorov, Alexey M., Volkova, Julia S., Saldaitis, Aidas, Prozorova, Tatiana A., Sulak, Harald, Yakovlev, Roman V., Traore, Mohamed M., Revay, Edita E. & Müller, Günter C., 2024, A new genus Meyameta for South African “ Napta ” straminea and description of its sister species from Namibia (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 71, pp. 172-183 : 178

Meyameta straminea ( Aurivillius, 1921) comb. n.

( Figs 5–8, 14–16 , 25 )

Glocia straminea Aurivillius, 1921 , Annals of the South African Museum, 18 (2), 237. Type specimens: series of ST (DMNH; SNHM).

= Pachymeta eborea Tams, 1924 , the Entomologist, 57, 129. Type specimen: HT ♂ (DMNH).

Diagnosis. Comparing to M. roberti sp. n., M. straminea is overall bigger, has light-colored hindwings, and larger extensions of saccus.

Distribution ( Fig. 25 ). Highveld grasslands, Nama Karoo shrublands, and Kalahari xeric savanna in RSA.

Biology. Adults were collected in January – March, September, October, and December from altitudes up to 1570 m. One larva, potentially of fourth or fifth stage, is known to us from the collection of SNHM ( Figs 13–14 ). It is dark brown laterally and ventrally with yellow and white long lateral hairs, black dorsally with short orange and long black and white hairs.

Type material examined: ST ♂, [ RSA], GS 10965 ( SNHM) ; HT ♂ of Pachymeta eborea, Bloemfontein, III.1919 , leg. H. E. Irving ( DMNH) ; PT ♂ of Pachymeta eborea, Bloemfontein , 30.I.1919, leg. H. E. Irving, GS 458 ( NHMUK) . Additional material examined. ♂, ♀, and larva, Bloemfontein , 17.XII.1921, 4.II.1922, 3.III.1926, leg. H. E. Irving ( SNHM) ; ♂, Northern Cape Province, Colesberg, farm Stockenstromskop, 30.59833 S, 25.40666 E, grassy Upper Karoo , 1240 m, 19.XII.2014, leg. H. S. Staude ( CGM / USTTB); 2♂ , Northern Cape Province, Kalahari, 50 km E Hotazel, Tswalu NR, 27.30975 S, 22.47063 E, 1215 m, 21.II.2010, leg. D. Bartsch & J. Berg ( SMNS) ; ♂, Northern Cape Province, 10 km N Kimberley, Dronfield NR, 28.61811 S, 24.80916 E, 1215 m, 10.II.2012, leg. D. Bartsch & J. Berg ( SMNS) ; ♂, Northern Cape Province, 50 km W Kimberley, Rooipoort NR, 28.63733 S, 24.28008 E, 1200 m, 13.II.2012, leg. D. Bartsch & J. Berg ( SMNS) ; ♂, ♀, Northern Cape Province, Vanderkloof, P. K. Le Roux Dam , 29.99166 S, 24.73158 E, 23–26.II.1970, leg. Potgieter & Snyman, GS Las-1, Las-3 ( DMNH) ; ♂, Eastern Cape Province, Steynsburg , 31.29274 S, 25.8288 E, 3–10.II.1965, leg. R. J. Southey, GS Las-2 ( DMNH) . Other specimens from DMNH were collected near Bloemfontein, Thabanchu, Zastron , Steynsburg , and Vanderkloof ; more locations are known from the database of the late John G. Joannou whose collection was moved to DMHN, here they are : Northern Cape Province, Williston, Kareeboom Farm , 30.85 S, 21.43 E, 20.X.2001, leg. H. S. Staude ; Northern Cape Province, Griquatown, Dandyslaagte Farm , 28.7383 S, 23.10805 E, 1380 m, 15.XII.2007, leg. H. S. Staude ; Northern Cape Province, Olifhantshoek, Langeberge , 27.84205 S, 22.68138 E, 1570 m, 24.I.2009, leg. H. S. Staude ; Northern Cape Province, Olifhantshoek, Langeberge , 27.94638 S, 22.73086 E, 1320 m, vegetation type Koranna-Langeberg Mountain Bushveld (SVk15), 28.IX.2011, leg. H. S. Staude ; Eastern Cape Province, Oviston, Gariep Dam , 30.6 S, 25.5 E, 1250 m, 16.XII.2001, leg. H. S. Staude ; Eastern Cape Province, Nieu Bethesda , 31.85 S, 24.55 E, 1500 m, 17.XII.2001, leg. H. S. Staude ; Free State Province, Winburg, Bells Pass , 28.535778 S, 25.959667 E, 80 m, 5.II.2006, leg. H. S. Staude.

Figures

Figure 25. Collecting localities of Meyameta gen. n. spp.: M. roberti sp. n. (grey) and M. straminea (orange). Circles with stars are for the collecting localities of primary types, other tags are for additional material.

Figures 2–14. Adults and caterpillar. 2–4. Napta serratilinea, Madagascar. 2. LT ♂ of Borocera madinika (MNHN). 3. ♀, Nosy Be (CRF). 4. ♂, Ankarana NP (CRF). 5–8. Meyameta gen. n. straminea, RSA. 5. ST ♂ of Glocia straminea, GS 10965 (SNHM). 6. HT ♂ of Pachymeta eborea, Bloemfontein (DMNH). 7. ♂, Steynburg, GS Las-2 (DMNH). 8. ♀, Vanderkloof, GS Las-3 (DMNH). 9–10. Meyameta gen. n. roberti sp. n., Namibia, Nasepberg (MfNB). 9. HT ♂, GS 2011-027. 10. PT ♂, GS 2010-011. 11–12. Henometa clarki, RSA. 11. ♂, Blouberg NP (MWM/ZSM). 12. ♀, Ben Lavin Nature Reserve, GS 17.462 (MWM/ZSM). 13–14. Caterpillar of Meyameta gen. n. straminea, RSA, Bloemfontein (SNHM). Scale bar – 1 cm.

Figures 15–20. ♂ genitalia. 15. Henometa clarki, RSA, Kruger NP, GS Las-53 (DMNH). 16–18. Meyameta gen. n. straminea. 16. ST, RSA, GS 10965 (SNHM). 17. Pachymeta eborea, drawing from Tams, 1924. 18. Vanderkloof, GS Las-1 (DMNH). 19–20. Meyameta gen. n. roberti sp. n., Namibia, Nasepberg (MfNB). 19. HT, GS 2011-027. 20. PT, GS 2010-11. Scale bar – 1 mm.