Athalia vollenhoveni Gribodo, 1879

(Figs 4 A–C, 15A–D, 16A–L)

Athalia vollenhoveni Gribodo, 1879: 346 . Locus typicus: Ethiopia, Scioa, Mahal-Uonz. Lectotype designated by Koch (2006:

314): ♀. Scioa, Mahal-Uonz [= Mahal Wenz, ca 09°34'N 039°54'E], III.1877, leg. Antinori. (MCSN). Athalia schweinfurthi Konow, 1891: 41 . Locus typicus: Yemen, Schibam. Holotype: ♀. Chibam, Arabic, Schweinfth. (SDEI). Athalia schweinfurthi schweinfurthi: Benson, 1962: 379 .

Additional Ethiopian material. Scioa [= Shewa Province] (1 ♀), Coll. Magretti, ex. Coll. Gribodo (MCSN); Wagira [= Wegera, 13°00'N 037°40'E] (12 ♂, 10 ♀), (ZSM, USNM); Harrar [09°19'N 042°08'E] (1 ♀); Scioa, Let- Marefia [09°38'N 039°45'E], IX–XI.1879, leg. Antinori (1 ♀), (UZMT); Dida [ca 07°50'N 039°30'E], Nordwest. Arussi Hochebene, 3000 m, 28.VII.1900 (1 ♀), leg. Neumann (MFN); Dire-Daua [09°36'N 041°52'E], 19.XI.1914 (1 ♀), leg. Kovàcs (NHNM); Addis Ababa, 8000 ft, 28.VII–15.VIII.1945 (1 ♀); 7500 ft, 07.X.1945 (5 ♂, 9 ♀); 7500 ft, 30.IX.1945 (3 ♀); 23.II.1946 (1 ♀), leg. K. M. Guichard (BMNH); Alemaya [09°24'N 042°01'E], 16.IV.1960 (1 ♀), leg. W. C. Kurt (MFN); Bale Mt., Goba [07°00'N 039°59'E], 2800 m, 15.XII.1989 (1 ♂), leg. A. Freidberg & F. Kaplan (USNM); "Arussi Prov.", Mt. Galama [07°39'N 039°22'E], Hagenia Forest, 08.I.1968 (1 ♂), leg. C. &. P. Brinck-Cederholm-Enckell (MZLU); Ilubabor pr., 2000 m, 15 km SW Bedele [ca 08°21'N 036°13'E], 05.IV.2007 (1 ♀), leg. J. Halada (OLML); Sebeta, 08°54’N 038°35’E, 2165 m, 03–04.X.2010, P3414 (1 ♂), P3416 & P3417 (1 ♂ & 1 ♀ in copula), leg. J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Holeta, Karsa, 03.X.2010, on Brassicaceae crop, P3415a to P3415e (4 ♂, 1 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Chancho, 09°20'N 038°44'E, 07.X.2010, on Brassicaceae crop, P3422b to P 3422m (12 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Abay Gorge, 10°01'32"N 38°14'43"E, 2485 m, 13.X.2011, on Brassica sp., P3584 (1 larva at last instar), leg. J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Simien Mountains N. P., 13°13'52”N 038°01'23”E, 3250 m, 17.X.2011, with yellow pan traps, P3585 (1 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Tarmaber Pass (see Ecological observations; Fig. 16 A–D), 09°50'N 039°45'E, 3160 m, 25.X.2011, mainly flying, P3586A_01 to P3586A_22 (among which P3596A_03 & P3596A_04; HBRC), P3586B_01 to P3586B_09, P3586C_01 to P3586C_05, P3586D_01 to P3586D_39, P3586E_01 to P3586E_11, P3586F2, P3586F3 (91 ♂, 20 ♀), 21– 24.XII.2011, mainly flying, P3590_01 to P3590_53 (68 ♂, 34 ♀), 29.IX.2012, on or near Ajuga integrifolia, P3639A to P3639E (40 ♂, 61 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé, Z. A. Hora, K. Amberbir, A. Pauly (RBINS); Ineseno, 08°02’N 038°31’E, 1835 m, 14.IX.2012, on Brassicaceae crop mixed with Caspicum, P3617, P3619 (2 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé, A. Pauly (RBINS); near Senkele N. P., 07°13’N 038°16’E, ≈ 2000 m, 17.IX.2012, on Vernonia auriculifera flowers, P3623 to P3628 (5 ♂, 1 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé, K. Amberbir, A. Pauly (RBINS); Holeta, 09°04’N 038°30’E, 2450 m, with yellow pan traps, 21.IX.2012, P3666_2 (1 ♀), 05.X.2012, P3649_3 (1 ♀), 06.X.2012, P3650 (1 ♀), 09.X.2012, P3652_2, P3652_3 (2 ♀), 11.X.2012, P3653 (1 ♂), 12.X.2012, P3655_2, P3655_3 (1 ♂, 1 ♀), 27.X.2012, P3659 (1 ♀), 06.XI.2012, P3660 (1 ♀), 23.XI.2012 (1 ♂), leg. Z. A. Hora, A. Pauly, J.-L. Boevé (RBINS); Oromia, Ghedo, 09°01’N 037°27’E, 2400 m, 21.IX.2013, with yellow pan traps, P3809a (1 ♀), leg. Z. A. Hora & A. Pauly (RBINS).

Distribution. Eritrea, Ethiopia (Fig. 8 D), Yemen.

Host plant. Brassica oleracea L. ( Brassicaceae) (Benson 1962: 378) and other Brassicaceae (see Ecological observations).

Remarks. Athalia vollenhoveni (Fig. 15) and A. excisa are distinguished from all other species of the A. vollenhoveni species group by the uniformly flavescent-hyaline wings and the entirely black tergum 1. Athalia excisa is separated from A. vollenhoveni by the deeply excised hypopygium (Figs 3 A, 4A), and in males the genitalia (Figs 3 B–C, 4B–C) are also conspicuously different. Some adults from Tarmaber Pass could be reared during a couple of generations (Fig. 16 E–H). The larva from Abay Gorge was collected (13.X.2011; Fig. 16 I–J) on a young, isolated plant. It molted into a prepupal stage during night (15–16.X.2011; Fig. 16 K), built a cocoon after one day (Fig. 16 L), and a female emerged on 11.XI.2011. In a cage, this adult laid eggs on seedlings of Sinapis alba, on which subsequent larvae fed, and two adult males emerged on 10–11.II.2012.