Afrasura indecisa (Walker, 1869) Walker, 1869

Durante, Antonio, 2009, Revision of the Afrotropical species of Asura Walker, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 2280, pp. 27-52 : 32-36

Afrasura indecisa (Walker, 1869) comb. n., stat. rev.

( Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 41, 42, 43, 48 , 58 )

Barsine indecisa Walker, 1869 , Proc. N. H. Soc. Glasg. I: 325.

Asura xantha Bethune-Baker, 1911 , Ann. Mag. Nat. H. 8: 537; syn. n.

Type locality. Congo (type 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 1 BMNH, examined). At the time of the description of indecisa the high basin of the Congo river was called “ Congo ” along with the lands on the left of the Congo river after its confluence with the Ubangi river: these lands are today part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Distribution. Ghana, Kumasi. Nigeria, Port Harcourt. Ethiopia, Menegesha-Suba State forest ( Afrasura indecisa orientalis ssp.n.). Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ruwenzori [ Uganda]. Angola.

Material examined. Gold Coast [ Ghana]: 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 309 BMNH; Kumasi 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 5845 BMNH. Nigeria: 11 3 in author coll. Ethiopia: 6 3 in author coll. Congo, Ubanghi R.: Ƥ Arct. g.sl. n. 5749 BMNH. Democratic Republic of the Congo: type 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 1 BMNH. Uganda: 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 6, 10, 11 BMNH. Angola: type of Asura xantha Bethune-Baker 1911 ; 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 2 BMNH; 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 5737 BMNH; 3 Arct. g.sl. n. 5846 BMNH.

FIGURES 13–24. Adults of Afrasura . 13, A. dubitabilis . 14, A. emma . 15–16, A. hieroglyphica . 17–18, A. hyporhoda . 19, A. ichorina . 20–21, A. neavi . 22, A. numida . 23–24, A. obliterata .

Diagnosis. Afrasura indecisa presents the ala valvae ending uniformly slender and longer than the supravalva. The species is similar to A. discocellularis and A. obliterata and also resembles Afrasura rivulosa . However, the genitalia are distinctive: the distal portion of ala valvae is long and slender in indecisa , and short and large in rivulosa with an evident thorn-like process. The female ductus bursae in indecisa is on average large and long without a discernible antrum, whereas in rivulosa there is a short and large antrum with a short and membranous ductus bursae.

Description. Coremata between seventh and eighth abdominal sterna dimple-shaped; one Nigerian specimen shows a small papillar extension in cephalic direction on the bottom of the corematal invagination. Male genitalia have the costa of the valva with the characteristic undulation; the two distal ends of the valva are both slender: the supravalvar one is shorter, slightly larger and less sclerotized than the one of the ala valvae. Saccus slightly deeper than the other species of Afrasura . Vesica with a slender cornutus long three fifth of the whole aedeagus; a small cluster of tiny thorns on the vesica and a bigger one of small thorns at the distal end of the aedeagus. Female pheromone dorsal gland a little longer than the posterior apophyses. The female presents the seventh abdominal segment membranous and has small pleural pouches between A6 and A7. Female genitalia with ductus relatively long and large: it has an annular sclerotization at its conjunction with the bursa. Cervix membranous, sub-conical; corpus bursae membranous, covered inside by small thorn on left side; a small dimple-shaped signum.

Remarks. Barsine indecisa had been synonymized with Asura obliterata by Hampson (1900), but comparison to the genitalia of obliterata indicates it should be restored to species rank. The male specimens with g.sl. Arct. 10, 11, 309, 5737, 5845, 5846 BMNH, that were part of the series of Asura obliterata , are now considered to belong to Afrasura indecisa as they conform to the male genitalia of the type of indecisa . Asura xantha had been synonymized with Asura obliterata by Hampson (1914), but the examination of the genitalia of its type shows it to be conspecific with indecisa . Kühne (2005, 2008) synonymized Asura discocellularis with Asura indecisa Walker , but in the present work they are considered to be different species (see diagnosis under the description of discocellularis ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Adults of Afrasura. 1 – 3, A. indecisa indecisa. 4 – 5, A. indecisa orientalis. 6 – 8, as yet unplaced Afrasura species from within the BMNH series of Miltochrista craigii (see text for elaboration). 9, A. crenulata. 10 – 11, A. discocellularis. 12, A. discreta.

FIGURES 41 – 52. Genitalia of Afrasura. 41 – 42, A. indecisa indecisa (A: type genitalia; B: coremata). 43, A. indecisa orientalis. 44 – 45, as yet unplaced Afrasura species from within the BMNH series of Miltochrista craigii (see text for elaboration). 46, A. crenulata. 47, A. discocellularis. 48, distal end of valva of A. discocellularis (left) and A. indecisa (right). 49, A. emma (right: coremata). 50, A. hieroglyphica (A, B: type; C, D: Arct. g. sl. 5736 BMNH). 51, A. hyporhoda (A: tegumen-vinculum complex; B: distal end of right valva; C: coremata; D: aedeagus). 52, A. ichorina.

FIGURES 53 – 64. Genitalia of Afrasura. Males of Afrasura: 53, A. neavi (lateral view). 54, A. numida (A: distal margin of supravalva; B: cornutus). 55, A. peripherica hilara (lateral view). 56, A. rivulosa (A, B: A. r. rivulosa; C: valva of A. r. ethiopica). 57, A. cervicalis. Females of Afrasura: 58, A. indecisa indecisa. 59, as yet unplaced Afrasura species from within the BMNH series of Miltochrista craigii (see text for elaboration). 60, A. discocellularis. 61, A. discreta (right: signum). 62, A. dubitabilis (right: appendix and sclerotizations). 63, A. hieroglyphica. 64, A. ichorina (right: signum).