taxonID	type	description	language	source
20595A6C7070FFB4FE6B92CFFAF7FAA0.taxon	description	Molecular analysis Both unpartitioned (PHYML 3.0) and partitioned analyses (MrBayes, IQTree) produced an identical topology, and addition of terminals with COI - only data for the same 6890 nucleotide alignment had no effect on that topology. On the basis of our analyses, the genus Hemiceratoides emerges supported [posterior probability (PP) = 1 for MrBayes, bootstrap = 79 % for PHYML] as sister to Eudocima (Fig. 3). Three species of Hemiceratoides have so far been DNA barcoded, one of which (H. sittaca) benefits also from nuclear genes, but the topology of the genus remains a polytomy, which is not surprising as only DNA barcode data unite all of them. Hemiceratoides + Eudocima are supported via MrBayes (PP = 1, bootstrap = 79 %) and IQTree (PP = 1, ultrafast bootstrap = 91 %; results not shown), although submarginally by ML bootstrap in PHYML (59 %) as sister to other Calpini, i. e. the Neotropical genus Gonodonta Hübner, 1818 + (Calyptra + (Plusiodonta Guenée, 1852 + Oraesia )). Calpini is monophyletic (PP = 1, bootstrap = 87 %) and Phyllodini is also supported (PP = 1, bootstrap = 72 %, ultrafast bootstrap = 93 % for IQTree) as sister to all other Calpinae, thus in agreement with Zahiri et al ’. s (2012) arrangement of the three tribes (albeit there with 78 % bootstrap and no Bremer support) instead of Zaspel et al. ’ s (2012) topology which has Phyllodini sister to Ophiderini. Our tree was rooted graphically with Hypocalinae (Hypsoropha hormos Hübner, 1818 + two species of Hypocala Guenée, 1852) as the outgroup (Hypocalinae are recovered as monophyletic), with respect to which all Calpinae are also monophyletic (PP = 1, bootstrap = 100 %; ML bootstrap = 99 % and PP = 1 in Zaspel et al. 2012). Larval morphology The pictures of the caterpillar of one new species of Hemiceratoides described here below show a greenish larva with a fairly typical Calpinae habitus, looping the anterior part of the trunk (Fig. 2 A – C). Fully developed prolegs are present on A 3. The development of most anterior prolegs is a highly variable feature in Calpinae (commonly also the pair on A 4), being sometimes inconstant even within a single genus or between larval instars of a same species. More noteworthy is the presence of paired subdorsal ringed eyespots on A 2, a trait hitherto known only in Ophiderini and, at least in the early instars, some Phyllodini, but not in Calpini, which would also support the exclusion of Hemiceratoides from the last tribe. Taxonomy Hemiceratoides Strand, 1911	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7070FFB4FE6B92CFFAF7FAA0.taxon	discussion	Taxonomic remarks: Cynisca thisbe Fawcett, 1918, whose currently valid name is Siccyna thisbe (Fawcett, 1918), is the type species of the genus Siccyna Nye, 1975 (= Cynisca Fawcett, 1918 nec Gray, 1844) (Nye 1975). Despite the obvious ‘ calpine’ features of its habitus, Cynisca thisbe has never been considered in recent works dealing about the tribe Calpini or subfamily Calpinae. Its study unambiguously reveals the presence of the same specialized structures occurring both in the proboscis and genitalia of Hemiceratoides Strand, 1911 (Fig. 4 A, B), so that these generic names are here brought into synonymy. Poole (1989) combined with Syccina a second species, namely S. reichi (Gaede, 1940), originally described under Cynisca by Gaede (1940 in 1939 – 40: 333, who also planned a figure on plate 43, row c, but no plates of Gaede’s work beyond no. 41 have ever been published). Examination of a specimen identified as C. reichi by Max Gaede himself (in SMNF) and especially of pictures of the female holotype of C. reichi by courtesy of Théo Léger and Viola Richter (MNKB) clearly reveals this taxon to be conspecific with another one that had previously been described by Walker ([1858]), so that the following synonymy is here established: Devena atomifera Walker [1858] = Cynisca reichi Gaede 1940 (currently in Siccyna Nye, 1975) synon. nov .. Devena atomifera, presently known from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Malawi, is unrelated to Hemiceratoides and, following dissections of a male and a female, there is no morphological rationale currently purporting its placement in Calpinae. We comment here on a partial DNA barcode sequence for Devena atomifera from ‘ NGS failure tracking’ (468 bp in two non-overlapping segments, at the 5 ʹ end 325 bp and at the 3 ʹ end 133 bp; CCDB- 29481 - D 03, LNAUV 2319 - 17, voucher USNM ENT 01276521, from Zomba, S. Malawi, 1829 m, leg. Henry Barlow, likely from fruit trapping study between 1995 and 1998, see: Van Bergen et al. 2016). This proved to be highly uninformative and apparently also chimaeric, the 5 ʹ end querying (probably unreliably) to an itself incomplete sequence (HM 406139; first 100 bp missing) of Colotis celimene (H. Lucas, 1852) (at 3.6 % divergence) and the 3 ʹ end (with ~ 4.5 % divergence) to Calyptra minuticornis (Guenée, 1852). A calpine placement for atomifera is almost certainly coincidental, as the 3 ʹ fragment is also not a reliable match.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7070FFB4FE6B92CFFAF7FAA0.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Erebidae with typical ‘ calpine’ habitus, viz. conspicuous ‘ beak’ - like labial palpi (Fig. 5), anal margin of forewing sinuous, outwardly produced into a flap or tooth just before middle of its length, cryptic coloration of forewing sharply contrasting with pale, often yellow-orange one of the hindwing, and with robust body. Head large, eye globular, frons nearly flat, overhung by compact cuspidate hood of scales proceeding from vertex, antenna of male with basal part of flagellum thickened, bearing short to medium-elongated paired rami from basal to median flagellomeres, distally filiform, that of female filiform throughout, ocular sclerite voluminous and swollen, pilifer well developed, with long bristles, proboscis with sharp pointed stiff apex bearing subapically numerous tetrahedral cusps with sharp edges and vertices, the cusp bases being fused to the proboscis surface (unlike the tearing hooks of Calpini lying on membranous sockets), labial palpus appearing compressed because of long scaling mainly oriented along the vertical plane, the palpomeres arranged in shape of Z, with the third one more or less strongly oriented ventrally and often incorporated into the silhouette of the second one so as to confer a blunt appearance to the whole palpus. Thorax robust, with well convex notum, patagium relatively long, tegula bicoloured, split between darker part facing notum and paler lateral one. Forewing elongated, with oblique and convex termen and feebly to strongly pronounced submedian flap along anal margin, pattern elements faint, blurred or, conversely, consisting of weakly marked and broadly undulated crosslines in basal field, large ovate-subrectangular reniform stigma with thin striga inside, irregularly double postmedial line, crenulate submarginal and lunulate adterminal lines. Hindwing oblong, its ground colour pale. Legs slender, with unspined tibiae. Male genitalia with broadly U-shaped vinculum and short transverse saccus, tegumen hood-shaped; valvae asymmetrical, especially in sacculi, whose inner edges are variously excised and produced into lobes that match each other and sinuosities of juxta-like pieces of a three-dimensional jigsaw, valva ending into variously expanded plate with acute corners and / or processes pointing to different directions; juxta extraordinarily modified, that is narrow saddlelike ventrally, bulged or folded midventrally, strongly sinuous, also with lateral expansions that combined altogether match and articulate with corresponding parts of valval bases and sacculi, then apically elongated into exceedingly long, stick- or whip-like process, here termed as ‘ mastigojuxta’ (from the Greek ‘ μάστῑξ, μάστῑγος = whip’, combined with ‘ juxta’), that is positioned to the right of manica penis and either reaches or overpasses the uncus, such prolongation either bearing apical bundle or belt of spines for most of its length. Uncus simple, tuba analis with long, paired, poorly sclerotized, thin scaphium rods. Phallus with pointed coecum and shaft dilated in posterior half; vesica compact, unarmed, with multiple diverticula; all species but one (see below) show a broad auriculate carinal plate minutely scobinate along on the outer edge. Female with pregenital abdominal segment (A 7) with long and wide rectangular tergum and sternum, of tough consistency, genitalia with segment A 8 relatively long, subcylindrical or frustum-of-cone shaped, ostium bursae sided by more or less elongated anterior prolongations of tergum A 8 that join ventrally with one to two strongly sclerotized asymmetrical plates and accessory structures of either A 8 basisternal or intersegmental origin overhanging a broad pit leading to the gonopore, such ‘ chamber’ with inner side of its ventral wall (i. e. internal side of plates) and base convoluted (due to different preparation style female segment A 7 could not be studied in H. hieroglyphica); apophyses anteriores short and thick, contorted; ductus and corpus bursae membranous, the latter pyriform or ovoid, appendix bursae a small papilla from postero-dorsal section of corpus bursae; ovipositor short, with large, terminally blunt papillae anales setose in their distal two thirds; apophyses posteriores rod-like, much longer than anteriores.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7070FFB4FE6B92CFFAF7FAA0.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The name Hemiceratoides evidently derives from Hemiceras, the genus with which hieroglyphica was originally combined by Saalmüller (1891), and obviously means ‘ Hemiceras - like’, but its gender was not declared by Strand (1911). As Hemiceras is based on the Greek neuter ‘ κέΡας, κέΡατος’ (horn, hence by extension ‘ antenna’) preceded by ‘ ἡμι- ’ (half), for the split appearance of the male antennae (with long rami only to half of the flagellum), it can reasonably be argued that Hemiceratoides is neuter, thus falling under the exceptions admitted by ICZN (1999: art. 30.1.4.4) for considering names ending in - oides as masculine.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7070FFB4FE6B92CFFAF7FAA0.taxon	discussion	Morphological remarks: Peculiarities of the Hemiceratoides proboscis have been adequately discussed byBänziger (2007, 2021), Zaspel (2008), and Zaspel et al. (2011), though the species examined has incorrectly been reported as H. hieroglyphica, and those of genuine H. hieroglyphica were illustrated by Hilgartner et al. (2007) and Hilgartner (2022). Here we draw attention to some other extraordinary morphological features present in some members of the genus. 1. The first is the sexually dimorphic configuration of the labial palpi in Hemiceratoides sittaca (Karsch, 1896), in which the female exhibits the third palpomere as cylindrical with an obliquely truncated tip, whereas in the male the same part is basally thickened, terminating in a long, downwardly recurved and pointed fang, that is apically unscaled and swollen at base (Fig. 6 A – C). This feature was noted by Karsch (1896) in the description of the species where the labial palpi suggested to him a parrot’s beak (‘ papageishnabelartig’), lending the name ‘ (p) sittaca’. However, when the third palpomeres rather than the general silhouette of palpi are examined under the microscope, the labial palps bear a striking resemblance to the fangs of spiders’ chelicerae. The striking sexual dimorphism in this species is suggestive of different feeding behaviours between the sexes, the male being possibly aided in tear-drinking [yet unconfirmed in this species despite a record by Zahiri et al. (2012), who were simply referring to the behaviour already observed in H. hieroglyphica from Madagascar], as we hypothesize using such hooked palpi to prise open its hosts’ eyelids. 2. Extraordinary modifications are those seen in what has been termed here as mastigojuxta, i. e. the superior part of juxta positioned to the right of manica penis and lengthened into a long, thin process bearing spines (Fig. 9 A – F). In all species, except hieroglyphica, the mastigojuxta is flagellar or whip-like, sparsely spined along its length, and extends beyond the uncus, while in the type species of the genus it is rigid, shaped like an incurved stick that terminates into a club bearing a bundle of stout spines, and reaches only the base of the uncus. From the greatly convoluted and asymmetrical basisternal modifications of female segment A 8 (and possibly adjoining intersegmental membrane) such complex mastigojuxtae may play a role in locking the male genital parts with corresponding female ones during copula. 3. In the females, while the pregenital abdomen up to A 7 does not show any peculiar structures, as noted under (2), the basal part of sternum A 8, perhaps fused with sclerotizations from the intersegmental membrane A 7 – A 8, is greatly modified, likely to interlock specialized male structures such as the mastigojuxtae and other processes on the valvae during copula (Fig. 11 B – E). 4. Just proximal to the anal angle of the cucullus, numerous species of Hemiceratoides show a rod-like, ventrally oriented process substantially set parallel to the ventral margin of valva (Fig. 9 C – F). In two species these processes seem to directly originate from the anal angle, but such species show almost a complete fusion between the valvula and cucullus, whilst the orientation and slenderness of their processes suggest homology with corresponding ones in species where they are proximal to the cucullus. Indeed, analysis of the proximal sclerotization to such processes indicates that they are of saccular origin. Their length is variable; noteworthy is their configuration in H. sittaca, a species in which they are so long as to almost reach the base of the valva, with a distal club bearing a thick tuft of hair-like scales (Fig. 9 C). 5. Carinal structures in Noctuoidea are usually narrowly elongated, terminal processes of the phallus shaft in the shape of bars, sticks, rods, and may be variously ornamented with teeth. In Hemiceratoides, with the sole exception of H. vadoni Viette, 1976 in which there is no such structure, there is a broadly rounded, ear-shaped (auriculate) carinal plate (Fig. 10 A, C – F). This is partly folded inside the phallus shaft when the vesica is at rest and is comparable to eversible bars or bands sometimes seen in noctuoid moths (e. g. Zilli et al. 2005, Mikkola et al. 2009, San Blas 2014), but such introflexion is only partial because of the size of such a structure, so that it cannot be easily accommodated inside the shaft. Molecular phylogenetics: The position of Hemiceratoides as a genus of tribe Ophiderini has been discussed in the ‘ Molecular analysis’ section above. As regards the ingroup relationships, for H. hieroglyphica (BIN, BOLD: ACM 6895) there are two identical DNA barcodes on BOLD, based on vouchers KLM _ Lep _ 01342 from Nosy Be and 25029 - 240120 - MA from Mahajunga, Madagascar (Fig. 3). This BIN, though, is 4.56 - 4.86 % divergent to that for H. ornithopotis sp. nov. (BIN, BOLD: ABV 4876; 25030 - 240120 - MA from Uganda; BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 58324 from Mozambique). The last BIN comprises the ‘ third haplotype’ of Borth and Kons (2022: 132, fig. 78), and exhibits a 1.52 % sequence divergence based on the above two (complete) DNA barcodes for H. ornithopotis. Second, the pairwise divergence of H. hieroglyphica to H. sittaca (BIN, BOLD: AAZ 8376) is very similar to its divergence with H. ornithopotis, at 4.71 – 4.72 % (BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 47483; JN 401290; Zahiri et al. 2012). Finally, the pairwise divergence of H. ornithopotis to H. sittaca (BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 47483) varies from 3.65 % (25030 - 240120 - MA, Uganda) to 4.26 % (BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 58324, Mozambique). So, for Hemiceratoides the three available BINs are of a similar divergence to one another, with the two mainland ones only slightly more similar. The partial 294 - bp COI sequence of H. ornithopotis (as H. ‘ sittaca ’, voucher M-JMZ 518, NMNH, sequence: JMZC 002) is identical to that of 25030 - 240120 - MA. However, GenBank accession JN 401294 (voucher RZ 105, from Hong Kong, Zahiri et al. 2012) identified as Hypocala deflorata represents a clear contamination or mixup from RZ 155 in the same study (but see Materials and Methods).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707CFFB6FC699124FDB7F833.taxon	description	(Fig. 7 A, B)	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707CFFB6FC699124FDB7F833.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♂ holotypus, by monotypy, in SNMF (not traced by A. Z., but identity not in doubt). Type locality (verbatim): Madagascar … N. - B. (= Nossi-Bé, Nosy Be).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707CFFB6FC699124FDB7F833.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica is a relatively large species that can immediately be distinguished from its congeners by the concolorous pale-orange hindwing, which is deprived of any fuscous markings (cf. also: Saalmüller 1891, Gaede 1940 in 1939 – 40: pl. 39, row b). Fore- and hindwings are also the broadest within the genus, the former being of rather homogeneous pale beige colour with a more or less emphasized orange tinge and weakly expressed pattern elements, the latter with well-rounded margin before tornus, and so comparatively broad as to make the forewing appear less externally protruding than in other orange-hindwinged congeners. The antenna of male shows long paired pectinations along the basal two-thirds of the flagellum, much as in H. vadoni Viette, 1976 and H. ornithopotis sp. nov .. The latter is a large-sized species with present albeit weakly expressed fuscous markings on the hindwing, which, therefore, most closely resembles H. hieroglyphica, but besides its allopatric distribution, it can easily be distinguished by conspicuous differences in the genitalia, as detailed below in the description of the new species. In the male genitalia of H. hieroglyphica, the sacculi bear along their internal edges two big lobes, these are, as usual, strongly asymmetric between the valvae, and more developed on the right valva, where a very broadly spatulate lobe oriented internally is followed by a transverse thumb-like one; there is no evident separation or constriction between the saccular parts and cuculli in the valval outlines; the distal section of valva terminates with three finger-like processes radiating at approximately 70 – 90 ° from each other, one long from the costal angle followed by a more external slightly longer and stouter one, while the third one is short, incurved, and has been interpreted here to be of saccular origin (see above under ‘ Morphological remarks’: 4). The mastigojuxta is the shortest (reaching base of uncus) and stoutest in the genus, the distal section certainly being not flexible but in shape of a stiff, internally curved stick that terminates into clubbed blade-like end bearing on its outer edge a series of stout spines (Fig. 9 A). The phallus is immediately distinguishable from that of the other Madagascan endemic as it bears the typical auricolate carinal plate shared with species from the African mainland (Fig. 10 A). In the female genitalia, there is only a unique, very broad, fan-shaped midventral plate overhanging ostium bursae, such a plate being slightly incised midventrally at the posterior margin and broadly connected laterally with tergum A 8 (Fig. 11 A) (sclerotizations on sternum A 7 could not be studied).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707CFFB6FC699124FDB7F833.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Endemic to Madagascar but only known from low to middle elevation (15 – 640 m) west of the highlands (Viette 1976; MNHN collection data: N = 29). Adults have been noted on the wing from early November to mid-February (Hilgartner et al. 2007; MNHN collection data: N = 29). Often recorded from the African mainland, e. g. Liberia (Zaspel 2008), Nigeria (Hampson 1902), Ghana (Forsyth 1966), Malawi (Zaspel 2008, Zaspel et al. 2011), and South Africa (Hampson 1902, Staude et al. 2016); these are all quotations that we ascribe to the other species described in this paper.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707CFFB6FC699124FDB7F833.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: BIN, BOLD: ACM 6895. DNA barcoded specimens: Majunga, NW Madagascar, 25029 - 240120 - MA; Nosy Be, KLM _ Lep _ 01342 (C. Wieser). Remarks: This species has been recorded as frequenting the eyes of Newtonia brunneicauda (Vangidae) (two episodes witnessed) and Copsychus albospecularis (Muscicapidae) (one episode) by Hilgartner et al. (2007). Pictures provided by these authors clearly show this species on the vangid host and one voucher specimen (a male) is also available, but the moth on the muscicapid species cannot be surely identified from the illustration. However, the fact that the observations were done in the same area and period reasonably allow us to exclude that H. vadoni was involved, as the latter is a second Madagascan endemic considered to be allopatric with respect to H. hieroglyphica in Madagascar (Viette 1976) (but see distribution of vadoni below).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB6FC2694F1FABBF9D5.taxon	description	(Fig. 7 C, D)	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB6FC2694F1FABBF9D5.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♂ holotypus, by original designation, in MNHN (examined). Type locality (verbatim): Madagascar Est, baie d’Antongil, base de la presqu’île Masoala, Hiaraka, 500 m.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB6FC2694F1FABBF9D5.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Hemiceratoides vadoni is straightforwardly distinguishable from other orange-hindwinged congeners by the combination of its pattern, which is as in H. sittaca, i. e. with slender, dark coloured forewing and hindwing with well-expressed fuscous elements (these being, however, sharper in sittaca), and the male antenna, which has long pectinations as in H. hieroglyphica and H. ornithopotis sp. nov .. In the male genitalia, the median saccular lobes of the left and right valva are similarly shaped and sized, although differently oriented, there is no constriction between valvula and cucullus, and the valvae are terminated by three processes as in H. hieroglyphica, though in H. vadoni the median one is much longer than in the other Madagascan endemic; the mastigojuxta is long, flexible, and bears spines on either sides in its distal fourth (Fig. 9 B); the phallus has a long, narrow coecum and only a thin sclerotized strip in place of the auriculate carina, and shows vesical diverticula as in Fig. 10 B. The female is unknown.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB6FC2694F1FABBF9D5.taxon	distribution	Distribution: A rarely collected species endemic to Madagascar. Previously only reported from the Baie d’Antongil area in the North-East of the island, where it has been collected from mid-October to January at elevations between 200 and 1000 m (Viette 1976; MNHN collection data: N = 4), the specimen illustrated here in Fig. 7 D (ex coll. C. Oberthür, in NHMUK) is labelled instead as from ‘ Sud de Madagascar, 1922 ’. Similarly labelled specimens of other species seem to originate from other regions of Madagascar, being nowadays known as ‘ microendemics’ of particular areas, but the remarkable environmental changes introduced in the island over the last century may have altered the distribution of species that were once more widespread (Green and Sussman 1990, Harper et al. 2007, Schüssler et al. 2018, Vieilledent et al. 2018).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB6FC2694F1FABBF9D5.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: None. Remarks: Described as, and supposed to be, the oriental Madagascan subspecies of Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica by Viette (1976); the same author subsequently upgraded vadoni to specific rank without providing any comments (Viette 1990).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB7FC57921CFEA3F9C9.taxon	description	(Figs 6 A – C, 7 E, F)	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB7FC57921CFEA3F9C9.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♂ holotypus, by monotypy, in MNKB (not examined, but identity not in doubt). Type locality (verbatim): Togo [Misahöhe (= Misa heights)].	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB7FC57921CFEA3F9C9.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: In Hemiceratoides sittaca the forewing is slender and with a rather homogeneous slate brown tinge, while the hindwing, of orange ground colour, shows sharp fuscous discal lunule and submarginal band. The pretornal area next to the median field of forewing may be consistently paler that the ground colour. Together with H. avimolestum sp. nov., the antenna of male has the shortest pectinations, which terminate around the middle of the flagellum. Noteworthy is the sexual dimorphism in the labial palpi, which in the female are configured as in both sexes of other congeners, while in the male the third segments are thin and fang-like (Fig. 6 A – C). The male genitalia are unmistakable: in the greatly asymmetric valvae, the large median saccular lobe of left one is broad and ligulate, the cuculli are stellate with variously prominent plates and spines, including a strong anal process and, below this, an extraordinarily elongated ventrally oriented rod of saccular origin that distally is clubbed and hairy; the mastigojuxta is long, overpassing the uncus apex, flexible and spined along its inner edge, and the uncus base is broad pear-shaped (Fig. 9 C). The phallus has a short, broad-based and anteriorly projected coecum, large auriculate carina and vesical diverticula as in Fig. 10 C. In the female genitalia, the plate overlapping ostium bursae is broad dome-shaped, asymmetrical, with a notch along the right edge, and to its right there is a very small lateral plate (Fig. 11 B).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB7FC57921CFEA3F9C9.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Widely distributed in Western, Central, and Southern Africa (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Zambia).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707EFFB7FC57921CFEA3F9C9.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: BIN, BOLD: AAZ 8376, Ghana, specimen GWOSR 217 - 11 BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 47483; NCBI: JN 401294 (as ‘ Hypocala deflorata ’). Hemiceratoides sittaca voucher RZ 155 (RZ 155 - RMCA-UD- 260), 28 S, 636 bp: JN 674833; GAPDH, 502 bp: JN 401614; RpS 5, 559 bp: JN 401912; MDH, 405 bp: JN 401820; IDH, 645 bp: JN 401717; EF 1 α, 457 bp: JN 401516 and 707 bp: JN 401405; COI- 5 P, 671 bp: JN 401290; COI - 3 P, 807 bp: JN 401172; Wingless, 347 bp: JN 400971 (sequences in our final alignment were slightly shorter; see methods). A partial 294 - bp COI sequence attributed to H. sittaca (Uganda, voucher M-JMZ 518, NMNH, sequence: JMZC 002) is also included in Zaspel (2008: 201), but evidently corresponds to a specimen of H. ornithopotis sp. nov. (Fig. 3). Remarks: Zaspel et al. (2012: 788) mention this species as tear feeding. Despite there being no formal records for that, morphological congruence with lachryphagous congeners strongly supports this view. Sympatry with other Hemiceratoides spp. occurs at least in Zambia (with H. avimolestum sp. nov.). The species was also illustrated by Gaede (1940 in 1939 – 40: pl. 39, row a, misspelled as sithaca).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	description	(Figs 7 G, H, 8 A – C) http: // zoobank. org / urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 5 EF 3 E 6 DE- 9891 - 4 D 7 F- 82 AF- 750 A 3 A 11 D 04 B.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined Holotypus: ♂ (Mozambique) Port [uguese] E. Africa, Ruo Valley, 2000 ft, 28. XI. 1913, S. A. Neave (1914 - 171), NHMUK 010604374, in NHMUK. Paratypi: (15 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀) Uganda: 1 ♂, SW Uganda, Kigezi District, [Bwindi] Impenetrable Forest, Kanungu, 9000 ’, May [19] 52, J. A. Burgess, NHMUK 010918895, in NHMUK. Kenya: 1 ♀, Nairobi, van Someren, Nairobi Museum Reg. No. E 1375 (V. G. l. van Someren Collection, Brit. Mus. 1959 - 468); 1 ♀, B [ritish] E [ast] A [frica], Kibwezi, May 1921, W. Feather (Rothschild Bequest, B. M. 1939 - 1), NHMUK 010604375; both in NHMUK. Malawi: 2 ♂♂, Nyasaland, Limbe, Nov. 1925, H. Barlow; 1 ♂, Mlanje, Luchenya R [iver], 31. XII. 1912; 1 ♀, idem, 10. I. 1913, gen. prep. NoctuidaeBMNH (E) Slide No. 21432; 1 ♂, idem, 20. I. 1913; 1 ♂, idem, 29. I. 1914, NHMUK 010604373; 1 ♀, Mt. Mlanje, 5. II. 1913; 1 ♂, idem, 3. II. 1914; these 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, S. A. Neave (1914 - 171), in NHMUK. Zambia: 1 ♂, Jiwundu Swamp, S 11 ° 51 ʹ 54 ʹʹ, E 25 ° 33 ʹ 20 ʹʹ, 21 – 24. xi. 2014, 1340 m (Light Trap), leg. Smith, R. and Takano, H., in ANHRT. Zimbabwe: 2 ♂♂, S. Rhodesia, Mountain Inn Melsetter, Nov. 1950, H. B. Kettlewell (B. M. 1951 - 555), NHMUK 010604376; 1 ♂, Khami, nr. Bulawayo, 10.1957, Nat. Mus. S. Rhodesia (Brit. Mus. 1965 - 259); these 3 ♂♂ in NHMUK; 1 ♂, 120 km South East of Milange, 16 ° 42 ʹ 39 ʹʹ S, 36 ° 27 ʹ 01 ʹʹ E, 370 m, 16. iv. 2011, R. Yakovlev leg., in ANHRT. South Africa: 1 ♂, Transvaal (Ex Oberthür Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927 - 3), NHMUK 010918894; 1 ♂, Natal, Durban, bred 9.3. [19] 20 (Joicey Bequest, Brit. Mus. 1934 - 120); 1 ♀, idem, E. L. Clark (1920 - 171), 1 ♀, idem, 20 / 12 / [19] 24, G. H [illegible] (Joicey Bequest, Brit. Mus. 1934 - 120); 1 ♂, Victoria Dist [rict], Purch [ased] 1879, W. D. Gooch ([18] 99.336), gen. prep. Noctuidae BMNH (E) Slide No. 22055; these 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ in NHMUK.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Species of Hemiceratoides most similar in external appearance to the Madagascan species H. hieroglyphica but still with some fuscous patterning of the hindwing, which is, however, much less expressed than in other continental orange-hindwinged congeners. The antenna of the male has long pectinations as in H. hieroglyphica and H. vadoni, but the absence of terminal, distally oriented finger-like processes from the apex of valva will immediately allow distinction from both Madagascan species, its whip-like mastigojuxta being similar to that of vadoni but being instead devoid of pinning on the outer side. The valvae are similar in outline to those of H. avimolestum sp. nov. and H. thisbe comb. nov., but they differ in numerous details, most notably in the configuration of the median saccular lobe of left one. In the female genitalia the two long basisternal plates covering the ductus bursae will enable distinction from the other species.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	description	Description Male: Wingspan 48 – 57 mm (x = 52.68 mm, N = 14). Habitus and pattern as in H. hieroglyphica, except for the forewing, which is darker brown with more evident finely rippled ornamentation and appearing slightly more elongated because of the comparatively smaller hindwing, and with even less expressed, barely perceptible or fully rounded tornal angle, and for the hindwing, less broad and with faint discal lunule and antemarginal band. On the rather uniformly pale yellow-orange-coloured underside, a fuscous lunulate discal spot is well distinct on forewing, most often so a triangular one on hindwing; both may be followed by suffused fuscous distal band. Male genitalia (Figs 9 D, 10 D): General configuration as in generic diagnosis above. Vinculum inferiorly, blunt. Valvae weakly asymmetric, more conspicuously so in shape of median saccular lobes, that of left valva complex, thumb-like with dentate, mesially oriented dentate cusp, that of right valva a short dome-shaped process; terminal section of valva misaligned with respect to longitudinal axis of structure, outwardly oriented and without constriction separating cucullus at base, ending with sharp costal process (more pronounced on right valva), broad palmate distal plate (whose very edge differs between valvae) prolonged at anal angle, and finger-like, ventrally incurved process of saccular origin. Uncus stout and wide, almost hood-like, slightly incurved. Mastigojuxta long whip-like, with spines along inner side on its distal half. Phallus with short anteriorly projected coecum and lengthened auriculate carina, vesica short and compact, with diverticula as in Fig. 10 D. Female: Wingspan 48 – 59 mm (x = 53.83 mm, N = 6). Habitus as in male, with filiform antenna and feebly broader wings. Female genitalia (Fig. 11 C): General configuration as in generic diagnosis above. Ostium bursae overlaid by two irregularly edged plates of same length, big submedian one and slender right one, the former approximately two-three times as wide as the latter, with narrow groove between the two; ductus bursae arched and narrow. Larva (L 3 – L 5 instars) (Fig. 2 A – C): Slender (L 3) to stouter cylindrical (L 4 – L 5), with humped A 8 enhancing aspect of posteriorly blunt body; head semi-prognathous, yellowish green (L 3), green (L 4), or brownish green (L 5); ground colour of trunk from yellowish green (L 3) to increasingly green in later instars, while pattern elements less sharply expressed against almost diaphanous integument in L 5; legs with tibia and tarsus rusty brown, prolegs on A 3 – A 6 and A 10 fully developed, with pinkish lilac plantae; body coloration above spiracular line paler than below (thus either larvae not showing countershading or grasping twigs from below); subdorsal – epispiracular zones of T 1 – A 1 with loose rippled pattern due to sparse thin, white and rusty brown, irregular longitudinal lines of uneven length, the most anterior dorsal ones slightly divergent posteriorly and the most posterior lateral ones convergent posteriorly towards subdorsum; dorsum of T 3 – A 1 substantially devoid of pattern, excepting for brown postero-dorsal suffusion on A 1; spiracular line sharp, thin, rusty brown, interrupted on A 1, where it bends subdorsally beyond the spiracle to end before posterior margin of segment and it is paralleled by epispiracular line proceeding from T 3; spiracular single from T 1 to T 3, double on A 1 and all other urites, just subspiracular from T 1 to A 2, then intercepting spiracles from A 3 to A 7, and again subspiracular on A 8, to end at side of anal shield on A 10; where double, such spiracular line line filled by green on A 1 and anterior half of A 2, and by white from posterior half of this segment; spiracular zone from T 1 to A 1 as a blurred paler band bound inferiorly by spiracular line, but indistinct and concolorous with ground colour where it is interrupted on A 1; anterior half of A 2 with short paired longitudinal dorsal and subdorsal white streak from anterior margin and large subdorsal oval eyespot with large eccentric oval black pupil, this edged internally by white smear, then circled by wide ring with several nuances of colours (vivid orange posteriorly) and externally by thin rusty brown ring, with another white smear on internal (facing dorsum) side; spiracular zone between eyespot and spiracular line vivid yellow, embedding spiracle, in posterior half of A 2 with diffuse white irroration and oblique, zigzagging double rusty brown line filled by white starting from yellow area and running towards subdorsum, thence entering epispiracular zone; a wholly similarly shaped and oriented zigzagging line, broken in correspondence of transversal folds of integument, also on each urite from A 3 to A 10, although in these segments starting from their anterior edge next to spiracular line; A 3 – A 8 with small prespiracular white dot circled by rusty brown, and A 3 – A 7 further with a series of four thin irregular waved dorsal-subdorsal white lines creating a finely rippled pattern; dorsal-subdorsal areas zone of A 8 – A 10 essentially without pattern; spiracles straw-coloured, circled by rusty brown.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology: Reared on Smilax sp. (Staude et al. 2016: S 170, as H. hieroglyphica, and Warren K. Dick, pers. comm.).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The name of the new species is a latinization of the Greek names ‘ ὄΡΝῑς, ὄΡΝῑθος’ (bird) and ‘ πότης’ [(male) drinker] combined together, inspired by the drinking habits on bird tears of its congeners that very likely this species also deploys. The name is a masculine noun in apposition with the generic name of neuter gender.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Widespread in Eastern and Southern Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707FFFB3FF05920EFD41F9C6.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: BIN, BOLD: ABV 4876. Uganda, Nkuruba Lake (mislabelled Madagascar, Majunga in data), specimen, 25030 - 240120 - MA; Mozambique: Zambezia, as ‘ Erebidae’, specimen BC _ ZSM _ Lep _ 58324. As shown under H. sittaca, a partial 294 - bp COI sequence recorded as ‘ Hsittaca ’ (Uganda, voucher M-JMZ 518, NMNH, sequence: JMZC 002) (Zaspel 2008: 201) corresponds to a specimen of H. ornithopotis (Fig. 3). Remarks: The distribution of this species partly overlaps with that of Hemiceratoides avimolestum sp. nov. and H. sittaca.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	description	(Fig. 8 D – F) http: // zoobank. org / urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A 80 BAF 88 - 447 F- 4204 - 9 A 01 - 0 CEF 3311 B 9 B 3.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined Holotypus: ♂ South Africa, KwaZulu Natal, Mkuze-Ndoumo Game Reserve, Ndoumo rest camp loc. 7, 26 ° 54 ʹ 32.8 ʹʹ S, 32 ° 18 ʹ 52.0 ʹʹ E, 25. XI. 2014, S. Dupont leg., in DNMNH. Paratypi: (6 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀) Tanzania: 1 ♂, Dar es Salaam, Minaki, 30. II. [19] 64, NHMUK 010604377; 1 ♂, idem, 8. I. [19] 65; both (Brit. Mus. 1960 - 223); 1 ♀, Mal [ariological] Inst [itute] Amani, V. [19] 65 (G. Pringle Coll., B. M. 1966 - 281); these 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ in NHMUK. Zambia: 1 ♂, Loangwa R [iver] affl [uent] of Zamb [ezi], Mpeta, xi. xii. [18] 95, B [eginning] of rainy s [eason], Coryndon, in NHMUK; 1 ♀, Mayukuyuku, Kafue NP, S 14 ° 54 ʹ 55 ʹʹ, E 26 ° 03 ʹ 47 ʹʹ, 1080 m, 21 – 26. xi. 2013 (Light Trap), leg. Smith, Takano and Oram, in ANHRT. Mozambique: 1 ♀, Port [uguese] E. Africa, Ruo Valley, 2000 ft, 28. XI. 1913, S. A. Neave (1914 - 171), NHMUK 010918892, slide NHMUK 010316595, in NHMUK. Zimbabwe: 1 ♀, NW Rhodesia, Mwengwa, 24. XI. 1913, H. C. Dollman (1919 - 79), NHMUK 010604378, in NHMUK. South Africa: 2 ♂♂, KwaZulu Natal, Mkuze-Ndoumo Game Reserve, Ndoumo rest camp loc. 9 (‘ Crock from the house’), XI. 2014, (1 ♂: NHMUK 010918891, slide NHMUK 010316597); 1 ♂, idem, Tembe Elephant Reserve, Dejam station loc. 10, 01. XII. 2014; these 3 ♂♂ S. Dupont leg., in DNMNH, NHMUK.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Species of Hemiceratoides closest in external appearance to H. sittaca but with very variegated forewing pattern on markedly pale ground colour and paler yellow-orange ground colour of hindwing, and no sexually dimorphic labial palpi. By virtue of the strongly expressed fuscous markings of the hindwing also similar to the Madagascan H. vadoni, which, however, has darker, less variegated forewings and longer male antennal pectinations than H. sittaca and the new species. The valvae are similar in outline to those of H. ornithopotis and H. thisbe, but they differ in the configuration of the median saccular lobes and details of the apex of valvae and their processes. In the female genitalia there is a single ventral plate of oblong shape, much extended antero-laterally to the left, covering the ostium bursae.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	description	Description Male: Wingspan 44 – 49 mm (x = 46.79 mm, N = 7). Habitus as in H. sittaca, excepted for the much paler ground colour of forewing, beige with paler sand-coloured areas, whitish sprinkles, and with more distinct pattern elements, the hindwing with less sharp fuscous markings, among which the distal band less closely approaching the termen, and the third labial palpomere short. Underside as in H. ornithopotis, with more strongly expressed fuscous pattern elements, especially distal bands of both wings. Male genitalia (Figs 9 E, 10 E): General configuration as in generic diagnosis above. Vinculum inferiorly narrowed and blunt. Valvae asymmetric only in their sacculi, that of left valva with long and narrow, rectangular scale-like median lobe, that of right one with only slight hump in place of median lobe; terminal section of valva very dilated, and aligned with rest of valva, without distinct processes arising but with shortly pointed costal and anal angles, and with another short point between these; process of saccular origin proximal to anal angle long, subbasally angled, reaching the basal third of valva. Uncus thin, slightly broader based and arched. Mastigojuxta long whip-like, shortly spined all through from the middle to tip on its inner side. Phallus with short broad-based obliquely oriented coecum, large auricolate carina, long distal diverticulum and smaller ones as in Figure 10 E. Female: Wingspan 46 – 51 mm (x = 48.33 mm, N = 3). Habitus as in male, with filiform antenna. Female genitalia (Fig. 11 D): General configuration as in generic diagnosis above. Tergum A 8 with broad paired anterior subventral prolongations flanking ostium bursae, this covered by single asymmetrical ventral plate broadly extended antero-laterally on left side, and dome-shaped posteriorly; ductus bursae wide and rugulose.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The name of the new species is drawn from the Latin ‘ avis, avis ’ (bird) and ‘ molestum ’ (annoying) combined altogether, to stress the pestering of a bird by this species that has been witnessed by one of the authors (L. J. D.) in Tanzania. The name is a neuter adjective agreeing in gender with the generic name.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Widespread in Eastern and Southern Africa: Tanzania, Zambia, East Namibia (Roland and Roland 2017), Mozambique, Botswana (https: // www. afromoths. net / species / 41941, as H. sittaca [accessed 20 Feb 2024]), Zimbabwe, and South Africa.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C707BFFACFF0B9207FBBCFE52.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: None. Remarks: A male of this species has been observed pestering an individual of Curruca communis (Latham) (Sylviidae) in Tanzania (Dorward 2016) (Fig. 1 A, B). The bird was roosting at a height of approximately 4 m, and was awake and alert, presumably having been disturbed by the movements and lights of the observers. The moth was sitting on the roosting bird’s back and was observed probing the bird’s nape and face with its proboscis. After a period of around 4 min, the host moved higher into the tree and the moth dismounted on to a branch. The observation was made on the 29 December 2015, at 19: 44 (approximately an hour after sunset) in a camp near Ruaha National Park (– 7.746, 35.137). The surrounding area is mostly grazed dryland Acacia – Commiphora scrub with maize-based subsistence agriculture and sections of riverine woodland. The individual of C. communis was seen roosting in the same tree on the following two nights; however, there were no further H. avimolestum sightings. The distribution of this species partly overlaps with that of Hemiceratoides ornithopotis sp. nov. and H. sittaca, the latter having also been found in the same biotope in Zambia (Kafue National Park) (ANHRT).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7064FFADFC6C959FFE1AFE96.taxon	description	(Fig. 8 G – J)	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7064FFADFC6C959FFE1AFE96.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Easily distinguishable from all other species of Hemiceratoides by the ground colour of the hindwing, white instead of yellow-orange. Other obvious differences are found in the forewing, less slender, with blurred pattern where only reniform stigma is barely appreciable and not in all individuals, more scalloped anal margin because of stronger median lobe and tornal angle, and distinctly crenulated termen. Patagium and tegulae are comparatively less developed, the latter appearing concolorous due to the generally pale overall colouring, which is still longitudinally bisected between darker dorsal and paler lateral areas. The labial palpi look more slender because of slightly shorter scale vestiture, so that the outline of the third palpomere is more appreciable. The male antenna has relatively long pectinations up to the middle of flagellum. The male genitalia are remarkably similar to those of H. avimolestum and H. ornithopotis, and differ from these in numerous details, but most conspicuously in the folding fan-shaped saccular lobe of left valva. The valva terminates into a broad expansion that fully incorporates the base of the distal process of saccular origin, so that no distinct anal angle is present, the process being thinner and shorter than in H. ornithopotis. The uncus is as thin as in H. avimolestum, while the long, whip-like mastigojuxta is spined on the inner side slightly before its middle (Fig. 9 F). In the phallus, the pointed coecum has a recurved tip and is almost perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, gaining a boot-shaped silhouette to this extremity, while on the distal end an auricolate carina is present; the vesica has a main U-shaped corpus with a tubular diverticulum from it and other smaller diverticula and bulges as in Fig. 10 F. In the female genitalia there is a very wide, roughly rhomboid ventral plate overlapping the ostium bursae and to its right a narrow, scale-like plate (Fig. 11 E).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7064FFADFC6C959FFE1AFE96.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya).	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
20595A6C7064FFADFC6C959FFE1AFE96.taxon	discussion	Molecular resources: None. Remarks: Little is known about this species, which has been collected in semi-deserts and dry savannah areas in the southernmost Southern Region of Ethiopia and southern parts of the Eastern and Coast Regions of Kenya.	en	Zilli, Albelto, Balbut, Jélôme, Dolwald, Leejiah J., Lees, David C. (2024): The bild teal-dlinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptela: Elebidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4): 1-22, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae047
