Rhipidarctia (Hemirhipidia) postrosea (Rothschild, 1913)

Przybyłowicz, Łukasz & Bąkowski, Marek, 2011, Anapisa monotonia Kiriakoff, 1963 – a junior synonym of Anapisa holobrunnea (Talbot, 1932), with new records of Arctiinae (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) from Ghana, Zootaxa 3031, pp. 54-60 : 56

Rhipidarctia (Hemirhipidia) postrosea (Rothschild, 1913)

( Figs. 2 B, 3A–C)

Metarctia postrosea Rothschild, 1913 . Novitates Zool. 20: 187.

Material examined. 43 Ajenjua Bepo Forest Reserve; 24–30.VIII.2006 (AMU, ISEA); 14 3 3 Ƥ Mamang River Forest Reserve; 31.VIII. – 04.IX.2006 (AMU, ISEA).

Distribution. New for Ghana. The species was so far recorded from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria. The new data indicate that the species also inhabits the narrow, western part of the African rainforest zone reaching the westernmost part of Guinea. The species is therefore likely to be found in other countries located along the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea.

Remarks. R. postrosea may be confused with some other members of the genus. Populations from Ghana are characterized by the much more extensive yellow colouration of the hind wing ( Fig. 2 B). Only one female has a well visible pale pinkish-yellow hind wing. The most reliable character distinguishing the species is the shape of male genitalia ( Figs 3 A–B) (gs - S133, ISEA). The specific characters of the female genitalia are not known yet ( Fig. 3 C) (gs - S134, ISEA). Their morphology does not differ from the related species belonging to the nominal subgenus. An additional problem is that the females of several species are still unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 2. (A) Pseudothyretes kamitugensis. (B) Rhipidarctia (Hemirhipidia) postrosea. (C) Metarctia paremphares. (D) Metarctia priscilla. (E) Metarctia sp. (scale bar = 10 mm).

FIGURE 3. (A – C) Rhipidarctia (Hemirhipidia) postrosea (gs S 133 (3) S 134 (Ƥ), ISEA): (A) Male genitalia. (B) Phallus. (C) Female genitalia. (D – E) Metarctia paremphares (gs S 136, ISEA): (D) Male genitalia. (E) Phallus. (F – G) Metarctia priscilla (gs S 137, ISEA): (F) Male genitalia. (G) Phallus. (H) Metarctia haematica (gs S 131, ISEA) female genitalia. (I) Metarctia sp. (gs S 139, ISEA) female genitalia.