Agrionympha pseudovari Gibbs

Gibbs, George W. & Kristensen, Niels P., 2011, Agrionympha, the long-known South African jaw moths: a revision with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae), Zootaxa 2764, pp. 1-21 : 14-16

Agrionympha pseudovari Gibbs sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 C, 11)

Material examined. Holotype Ƥ, labelled: Worcester, Fairy Glen, 15 and 19 Oct 1966, Vári and Potgieter (= A. vari Whalley , paratype 4856 TMP). RH FW missing. Abdomen slide G10440 ( TMP).

Description. Head: Antennae dark grey-brown throughout; 24 flagellomeres in female, lacking basal scales. Piliform scales on scape and pedicel ochreous-brown. Head piliform scales ochreous with brown tinge.

Thorax: Tegulae silvery-white scaled. Dorsum of thorax ochreous-grey. Legs with femora pale ochreous. FW length 3.5 mm in female. FWs ( Fig. 2 C) with bands distinctly edged with black scales; a lozenge-shaped claval mark, slightly angled toward the dorsum; a broad uninterrupted median band, almost straight; postmedian band represented by two separate almost circular spots, the larger on costal margin, the smaller on dorsum; a slightly kinked apical band which is distinctly subterminal.

Male postabdomen: Sex unknown.

Female postabdomen: The abdomen slide preparation has not been re-examined here, since we do not expect to find taxonomically decisive characters in the female genitalia.

Diagnosis. Like A. vari distinctive by forewing postmedian band being interrupted in central part; distinguishable from A.vari by dark lining of bands, and broader, ovoid costal remnant of postmedian band.

Etymology. The name conveys the superficial similarity of this species to A. vari Whalley, 1978 .

Remarks. Although believed to be conspecific with A. vari by Whalley (1978), we consider the different FW pattern to be convincing evidence that this specimen represents a distinct species. The taxon’s ocurrence in the semi-arid Klein Karoo , in October, is a far cry from the montane rainforest of the northern Drakensberg Ranges in January, where A. Vári collected the designated holotype of Whalley’s species, over 1400 km away. The type locality of A. pseudovari , in a deep sandstone kloof, where damp seepage has permitted growth of liverworts, is reminiscent of the habitat of A. karoo n. sp.

Distribution. South Africa, Western Cape, near Worcester in the Klein Karoo . Known only from the type locality.

Agrionympha sagittella Gibbs sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 D, 2F, 3A, C, E, 4C, 10C–G, 11)

Material examined. Holotype 3, labelled: SOUTH AFRICA, CP, 32º35´S 26º57´E, Kettlespout, 1260 m, Hogsback S.F. 11–13 Feb 1986, G.W. Gibbs ( TMP). Paratypes: 83 5Ƥ, South Africa (EC), Hogsback, Kettlespout track, 1260 m, 32º25´S 26º57´E, 11–13 Feb 1986, N. Duke & G.W. Gibbs (male genital preps, N.P. Kristensen 1034 ( ZMUC), G.W. Gibbs G1008 ( TMP)); 33, South Africa (EC), Hogsback, Auckland Nature Reserve track, 900– 1000 m, 5–7 Feb 2004, G.W. Gibbs; 23 2Ƥ, South Africa (EC), Ngadu Forest, 10 k N Umtata, 1304 m, 23 & 30 Nov 1986, N. Duke (male genital prep G1004, TMP). Other material: Alcohol preserved material from Hogsback: Kettlespout track (1200 m), Hogsback Pass roadside (940 m), Auckland Nature Reserve track (ca. 1000 m), 7 Feb 2004, G.W. Gibbs (female genital prep. G1020, wing slide G1026, TMP).

Description. Head: Antennae grey-brown to dark brown-black throughout; 45 flagellomeres in male with basal 3 scale-covered; 32–33 in female with basal 7 scaled. Piliform scales on scape and pedicel grey-black. Head piliform scales ochreous, greyish in mid-line on dorsum, paler on frons.

Thorax: Tegulae creamy-white scaled; mesonotum with black scales. Legs with all coxae and femora creamywhite, distal joints of coxae greyish; fore- and midtibiae mainly black but with whitish band in middle; fore- and midtarsi black with whitish bands at proximal ends of tarsomeres 1, 2 and 3, hindtarsus entirely black. FW length 3.4 mm in male (3.2–3.5), 3.7 mm in female (3.6–3.8). HW venation with Sc ‘doubling’ sometimes more pronounced than in any other micropterigid examined ( Fig. 3 E). FW maculation ( Figs. 1 D, 2F) with very conspicuous, broad, T-shaped basal band resulting from confluence of claval mark with median band; a postmedian band, kinked at dorsum and interrupted by lines of dark scales on major veins; a postmedian band, also kinked toward dorsum and broken by lines of dark scales along veins; apex dark-scaled.

Male postabdomen ( Fig. 10 C–G): Sternum VIII remnants small, irregularly oval, bearing about 14 small setae. Anteroventral margin of IX sclerotisation pointed and slightly thickened. Median plate narrow, rectangular, not pigmented anteriorly. Valvae long and slender (ratio length:width 5.7), gently curved upwards and tapering. Approximately 50 hair-sensilla present, uniquely located along the anterior border of tergum VIII rather than on dorsum IX. About two thirds of the sensilla are partially covered by a field of comb-edged micro-scales ( Fig. 4 C SEM). Lateroventral X plates considerably smaller than tergum X. Phallus ratio length:height 5.3, with only a hint of a ‘neck’ constriction in dorsal view; gonopore dorsal, heart-shaped, approximately half the width of the phallus between the lappets; ventral bulb moderate (male genital prep. G1008).

Female postabdomen: Segment V gland 0.4 mm diam., with 12–13 long piliform scales. Segment X very slightly elongated, lateral sclerites about 1.1x longer than high, anterior edge slightly emarginated in some specimens. Papilla cup-shaped, roughly equidimensional, parallel sided with only the posterior margin reflexed. Thickwalled proximal section of spermatheca with its bulbous distal end about 2/3 diameter of ductus length, thin-walled mid-section of utriculus with proximal bulb poorly defined, this section about equal to the ductus in length, anterior distal sac of utriculus 0.11 mm diameter (female genital prep G1020).

Diagnosis. The arrow-shaped or ‘T’-configuration of the confluent forewing median and claval bands is unique to this species.

Etymology. From sagitta (arrow), referring to the above-mentioned distinctive maculation trait.

Bionomics. This montane species may coexist with A. fuscoapicella along the margins of tall forest but is usually in sites that are more open to the sky. It has occurred amongst ferns, grasses and shrubs on damp sunny banks where liverworts are visible and along sunny roadsides or tracks at altitudes between 940 and 1300 m.

Distribution. South Africa, Eastern Cape, Hogsback and Ngadu Forests, which are about 340 km apart.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult moths from life: A, Agrionympha capensis Whalley, Storms River; B, A. kroonella, sp. nov. Mariepskop; C, A. fuscoapicella, sp. nov. Hogsback; D, A. sagittella, sp. nov. Hogsback. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Forewing maculation of Agrionympha species: A, A. capensis; B, A. karoo, C, A. pseudovari, D, A. fuscoapicella; E, A. kroonella, F, A. sagittella; G, A. jansella; H, A. pseliacma; I, A. vari.

FIGURE 3. Wing venation and head appendages, Agrionympha species: A, A. sagittella male, Hogsback; B, A. capensis male, Jubilee Ck; C, A. sagittella, hindwing front margin with apparent cross-vein between Sc 1 and Sc 2, R ‘ spur’ identifiable only as a minute process on Sc 2; D, A. jansella, hindwing front margin with cross vein between Sc 1 and Sc 2, R ‘ spur’ forming a sizable, proximally-directed process on Sc 2; E, A. sagittella, hindwing front margin with Sc 1 and Sc 2 separate for an unusually long distance, but unconnected by apparent cross-vein, no ‘ spur’ identifiable; F, A. capensis female, scape and pedicel of antenna; G, A. capensis female maxillary palp. Scale line for F and G = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Structural detail of Agrionympha species: A, A. capensis, antennal flagellomere with ascoid sensilla (SEM); B, A. capensis, segment V gland (SEM); C, A. sagittella, hair-sensilla and micro-scales on dorsum of male tergum VIII (SEM); D, A. kroonella, hair sensilla on dorsum of segment IX (SEM). asb, branch of ascoid sensilla; as, central disc of ascoid sensilla; ped, raised peduncle of segment V gland, S iv, fourth sternite; S v, fifth sternite; sc, long fluted piliform scale. Scale bars: A, B = 0.01 mm; C, D = 0.005 mm.

FIGURE 10. Agrionympha male genitalia. A – B, A. pseliacma, Meyrick, Karkloof Falls: A, lateral view, from slide 3830, Transvaal Museum, Pretoria; B, detail of phallus, lateral. C – G, A. sagittella, sp. nov. Hogsback: C, lateral; D, dorsal; E, ventral; F, phallus, lateral; G, phallus dorsal. H – J, Agrionympha ‘ species 1 ’, Diepwalle Forest: H, lateral; I, phallus lateral; J, phallus dorsal.