Afrasura hieroglyphica (Bethune-Baker, 1911)

(Figs. 13–16, 21, 22, 28, 29)

Miltochrista hieroglyphica Bethune-Baker, 1911, The Annals and magazine of natural history (8) 7: 537 (Type locality: [Angola] “N’Dalla Tando”).

= Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913, Novitates Zoologicae 20 (1): 211 (Type locality: “Island of St. Tomé, West Africa”), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype of Miltochrista hieroglyphica (Fig. 14): ♂, “N’Dalla Tando, N. Angola, 2700 feet, 30.XI.1908, Dr. W.J. Ansorge ” (upper side) | “ Miltochrista hieroglyphica B-B. Type” (under side) / green and white round label “Type” / “G.T. B.-Baker Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927-360” / “ Arctiidae genitalia slide No. 3” / label with QR-code “ NHMUK010914355 ” (Coll. NHMUK); syntype of Asura thomensis (Fig. 13): ♀, “ St. Tomé, X. XI. 99 (Mocquerys)” / “Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-I. ” / red label “ Asura thomensis Type Rothsch.” / label with QR-code “ NHMUK010914356 ” (Coll. NHMUK).

Additional material examined. THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA: 1 ♀, W Africa, Guinea, Konakri, Macenta Prefecture, Ziama Forest, 550 m, 250 watt, IX.2016, leg. Pétranyi G., Müller G.C., Kravchenko V.D. et al., slide MWM 33762 Volynkin (coll. MWM/ZSM); SIERRA LEONE: 1 ♂, 80m, Kalainkay, nr. Kamabai Northern Prov. 3–6.XI.2015, 09°10’52”N, 11°56’44”W, Light Trap R. Goff coll. Leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H., slide No.: AV 2986 ♂ (coll. ANHRT); 1 ♂, 420m, Loma Mountains farmland/forest mosaic, 09°07’47”N, 11°05’24”W, 11– 15.VI.2016 Light Trap leg. Takano, Miles & Goff, ANHRT :2017.18, slide No.: AV 4504 ♂ (coll. ANHRT); LIBERIA: 1 ♀, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 7°56’36”N, 10°16’36”W, 10–19.XI.2017 MV Light Trap (125W), Aristophanous, M., Safian, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L. leg. ANHRT :2017.33, slide No.: AV 4531 ♀ (coll. ANHRT); SÃO TOMÉ: 22 ♂, 17 ♀, 264m, Guadalupe, Antenna, 0°22’49.9”N, 6°38’47.4”E, 31.X.2016, MV, Dry coastal forest and scrub, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 11 ♂, 7 ♀, 174m, Guadalupe, 0°23’12.8”N, 6°37’6.9”E, 22.X.2016, savanna dry mosaic: grassland/forest scrub/ plantation, MV, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 60m, Mucumbli Lodge, Praia das Furnas, Neves, 0°26’56.1”N, 6°32’22.7”E, 16–17.X.2016, MV, plantation with remnant native dry scrub forest, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 2 ♂, same site and collectors, but collected at 30.X.2016, ANHRT:2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 28 ♂, 4 ♀, 254m, Guadalupe, Antenna, (dry coastal scrub forest) 0°22’49.8”N, 6°38’47.4”E, 31.I.–2.II.2018, MV/ Actinic light trap, Aristophanous, M., Miles, W. leg., ANHRT : 2018.1, slide Nos: AV 4502 ♂, AV 4503 ♂, AV 4505 ♀ (coll. ANHRT); ANGOLA: 1 ♀, Quicolungo, 120 km N of Lucala, Angola, IV. 1936, 800 m (R. Braun), slide NHMUK 010314043 Volynkin (coll. NHMUK) .

Remark. In his revision of Afrasura species, Durante (2009) did not examine Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913 . The study of the genitalia of both sexes of this taxon demonstrated its conspecificity to Afrasura hieroglyphica (Bethune-Baker, 1911), which is widespread in West Africa (Figs. 21, 22, 28, 29). Thus, the new synonymy is established here: Afrasura hieroglyphica (Bethune-Baker, 1911) = Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913, syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Forewing length is 7–9 mm in males and 8–10 mm in females. Externally rather variable species: the width of transverse lines may widely vary within the same population. A. hieroglyphica differs clearly from the other two Afrasura species found on São Tomé Island by its external appearance and configuration of male and female genitalia. In the male genitalia, the bilobate distal saccular process is very characteristic for A. hieroglyphica .

Distribution. The species is known from the Republic of Guinea, Sierra leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, Uganda (Durante 2009), and São Tomé Island.