Afrikanetz smithi Yakovlev & László, 2020

Yakovlev, Roman V., László, Gyula M. & Vetina, Alvaro A., 2020, Contribution to the knowledge of the Carpenter Moths (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) of the Maputo Special Reserve in South Mozambique with description of two new species, Ecologica Montenegrina 28, pp. 40-52 : 42-43

Afrikanetz smithi Yakovlev & László sp. n.

Figs 3−4 , 15

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:15A75C76-C6D6-4E4F-8B1A-3DA49D2FB270

Material. Holotype: male, Mozambique, Maputo Special Reserve, West Gate (Sand Thicket), 22 m, 26°30’14.2”S, 32°42’59.6”E, 21−30.xi.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Cristovao, J., László, G., Miles, W. leg., ANHRT:2017.22, ANHRTUK 00002157, Gen. Slide No.: ANHRT 00070 ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. The new species is easily distinguishable from the three known representatives of the genus: A. bugvan Yakovlev, 2009 (Type locality: Cote de Ivoire, Lamto), A. inkubu Yakovlev, 2009 (Type locality: Congo, Odzala N.P.), and A. makumazan Yakovlev, 2009 (Type locality: Arabia, Jedda) by its much less sharply defined brown spot of the forewing discal area, shorter and thicker phallus, and by its less developed ribs on the inner surface of the valva.

Description. Male. Length of forewing 15 mm. Antennae short, bipectinate, crest rami three times longer than antenna rod diameter. Tegulae and patagia grey. Forewing narrow, pale grey with thin blackish transverse lines in submarginal and postdiscal areas and a poorly visible brownish patch in discal area; basal area grey without pattern. Hind wing pale grey, with faint pattern of strokes in cubital area.

Male genitalia. Uncus long, robust, distally tapered, apically rounded; gnathos arms long, thick; gnathos compact, covered with tiny spines; valva relatively narrow, long, membranous in distal quarter with a pronounced ledge on costal margin; transitional area between sclerotized membranous part with three transverse ribs on inner surface of valva, the middle one of them more developed than the other two; transtilla process relatively short, medially curved, apically tapered, pointed; juxta robust, with relatively large, diverged lateral processes; saccus semicircular, medium sized, phallus short (somewhat shorter than valva), thick, slightly curved in medium third, with small spike ventrally, vesica aperture in dorso-apical position, equal to 1/3 of phallus in length, with two small spines on vesica aperture edge, vesica without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Etymology. The new species is named after Mr. Richard Smith (Leominster, U.K.), founder of the ANHRT, organizer of extensive entomological exploratory program in Subsaharan Africa.

Figures

Figures 3−10. Сossidae, adults (all from ANHRT): 3. Afrikanetz smithi Yakovlev & László sp. n., holotype, dorsal; 4. Afrikanetz smithi Yakovlev & László sp. n., holotype, ventral; 5. Brachylia maputo Yakovlev & László sp. n., holotype, dorsal; 6. Brachylia maputo Yakovlev & László sp. n., holotype, ventral; 7. Azygophleps asylas (Cramer, 1779), ♂; 8. Azygophleps inclusa (Walker, 1856), ♂; 9. Azygophleps leopardina Distant, 1902, ♂; 10. Phragmataecia irrorata Hampson, 1910, ♂.

Figures 15−16. Сossidae, male genitalia: 15. Afrikanetz smithi Yakovlev & László sp. n., Holotype (ANHRT Gen. Slide: 00070); 16. Brachylia maputo Yakovlev & László sp. n., Holotype (ANHRT Gen. Slide: 00071).