Gibbalaria analcis ( Razowski, 2015 ) Brown & Aarvik & Timm, 2023

Brown, John W., Aarvik, Leif & Timm, Alicia, 2023, Gibbalaria: A new genus of Olethreutini from the Afrotropical Region (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), and a new combination in Cosmopoda Diakonoff, Zootaxa 5263 (2), pp. 217-239 : 233-234

Gibbalaria analcis ( Razowski, 2015) , new combination

Figs 14, 15 , 28, 29

Afroploce analcis Razowski 2015: 34 .

Nepheloploce prodroma Razowski 2015: 35 (in part).

Diagnosis. Males of G. analcis has a dark grayish black patch of androconial scales on the undersurface of the hindwing, as in many congeners. However, in G. analcis the patch continues into the lower portion of the discal cell, whereas in all other species the patch of scales is restricted to the area below the cell. Gibbalaria analcis can be further distinguished superficially by its forewing maculation, which has a considerably broader area of pale scaling in the tornal and subterminal regions. The male genitalia of G. analcis ( Figs 28, 29 ) are easily distinguished by the rounded dorso-posterior half of the tegumen, in combination with a very short uncus.

Redescription. Head: Rough scaled, grayish brown; labial palpus mostly pale tan on outer surface, mostly cream on inner surface. Thorax: Dorsum grayish brown mixed with darker markings; metathoracic tuft scales pale gray with white tips [lost on most specimens]. Forewing length 7.3–8.0 mm (mean = 7.5 mm; n = 5) in males, 8.0 mm (n = 1) in female; forewing broad, weakly expanding distally; costa evenly convex; termen slightly oblique, indistinctly convex; in male, ground color pinkish white in distal 0.33 of wing, remainder mixed with brown, diffusely strigulated dark brown with some faint, refractive, slight raised grayish spots; ill-defined, small patch of darker scales at base and at costa ca. 0.33 and ca. 0.65 distance from base to apex; apical region pale, with cream and pale gray scales, pale brown at apex; in female darker throughout. Fringe blackish gray [mostly lacking]. Hindwing cream and pale gray above in male; brown in female; in male, fringe cream to white, with scales at inner angle much larger, round-tipped; in female, fringe mostly brown throughout, with scales at inner angle forked; male underside with irregularly ovoid patch of blackish gray secondary scales near middle of wing, with a few paler brown scales along inner margin of discal cell; female underside without secondary scales; scales fork-tipped at inner angle. Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs 28, 29 ) with uncus short, but at least partially parallel-sided, confluent with top of tegumen; socius broad, fused to tegumen laterally throughout their length; gnathos membranous, ill defined; tegumen triangular, somewhat ovoid in top half; valva broad basally, abruptly narrowed at middle, distal 0.5 (= cucullus) nearly uniform in width, somewhat long-rectangular, but slightly broadened and rounded apically; subbasal process of costa of valva large, rounded-triangular, densely covered with fine setae dorsally; sacculus with subrectangular flange in distal 0.3, with brush of bronze-orange, hairlike setae (Spc 2) basal to flange; a pair of strong, conspicuously socketed setae between basal portion of cucullus and flange of sacculus. Phallus ca. 0.5 length of valva, nearly straight, vesica with two deciduous cornuti. Female genitalia ( Fig. 36 ) with papillae anales broadest near middle, rounded at each end; apophyses posteriors and anteriores about equal in length; ostium with narrow, sclerotized edges laterally, with edges approaching each other posterad; antrum parallel-sided, lightly sclerotized, about as wide as ostium, followed by membranous ductus bursae with short triangular diverticulum on left side.

DNA barcodes. DNA barcodes from two specimens, one from the Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Gabon, represent a BIN ( BOLD: ADE2144 ) .

Types. Holotype ♁, Republic of Cameroon, Dint Efok , 40 km NE Yaounde, 29‒31 Oct 1986, G. Bassi, GS 6476 ( GBC). [male photo; genitalia photo]

Paratype (♁). Republic of Cameroon: Dint Efok , 40 km NE Yaounde, 29‒31 Oct 1986, G. Bassi, GS 6480 ( GBC) .

Additional Material Examined. Cameroon: Dint. Efok , 40 km NE Yaounde, 29‒31 Oct 1986 (1♀), G. Bassi, Bassi 6468 [paratype of N. prodroma ] ( GBC) . Congo Belge [ Democratic Republic of Congo]: P.N.A. [ Parc National Albert ], 13 Nov 1956 (1♁), 13 Oct 1956 (3♁), 8 Nov 1956 (1♀), P. Vanschuybroeck, USNM slides 145,605 (♀), 144,470 (♁), 145,651 (♁) ( RMCA). Bas-Congo, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe , 320 m, 5°37, 13°05’, 23 May 2007 (1♁), J. & W. De Prins ( RMCA), USNM slide 145,604 .

Distribution. This species is known from Gabon (sequence in BOLD), the Republic of Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Remarks. A female paratype of Nepheloploce prodroma Razowski, 2015 is almost certainly the opposite sex of the holotype of Afroploce analcis —it was collected at the same locality and during the same dates. Also, we assign five specimens from the Democratic Republic of Congo to this name based on a high degree of similarity in facies and male genitalia with the holotype of G. analcis . Although the uncus of the holotype of G. analcis (from Cameroon) is slightly shorter and more triangular than in specimens from the Congo (the holotype slide is extremely flattened, so the genitalia are slightly distorted), all other features are fairly consistent, including the shape of the flange and position of the patch of setae associated with the sacculus, the shape of the subbasal process from the costa of the valva, and the presence of two cornuti in the vesica. Nonetheless, given their disjunct occurrence and subtle differences, it is possible that specimens from the Congo represent an undescribed species.

Figures

FIGURES 11‒18. Adults of Gibbalaria. 11. G. scabellana female, South Africa; 12. G. bagamoyo male, Tanzania; 13. G. bagamoyo female, Tanzania; 14. G. analcis male, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 15. G. analcis female, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 16. G. scabellana male underside, South Africa; 17. G. bagamoyo male underside, Kenya; 18. G. mabalingwae holotype male, underside.

FIGURES 25‒29. Male genitalia of Gibbalaria. 25. G. mabalingwae, Razowski slide 311; 26. G. bagamoyo, USNM slide 144,518; 27. G. bagamoyo, USNM slide 145,796; 28. G. analcis, GS 6476 (HT); 29. G. analcis, USNM slide 145,604.

FIGURES 36‒38. Gibbalaria and Cosmopoda. 36, Gibbalaria analcis, female genitalia, USNM slide 145,605. 37. Cosmopoda graziani, male holotype; 38. C. graziani, male genitalia, Razowski slide 6420.