Afrasura discreta Durante

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 : 41-42

Afrasura discreta Durante sp. n.

( Figs. 12 , 61 )

Holotype. Ƥ. French Guinea [ Republic of Guinea], Massadou, nr. Macenta, 1600 ft, 13/ 17-5-1926, C. L. Collenette leg., genitalia Arct. g.sl. n. 5847 BMNH. In coll. BMNH (formerly included in the series of Asura submarmorata ).

Diagnosis. Similar to Afrasura submarmorata but with the discal dot and marginal dots blackish in colour, whereas in discreta they have the same colour of the bands; fringes buff ( Kiriakoff, 1958:4) in submarmorata , yellowish-white in discreta .

Description. Ƥ wingspan 19 mm. Forewing upperside ground colour whitish; pattern light brown. Only one roughly straight basal band discernible; the median and postmedian ones join to form a marbled pattern; one dot at the distal ending of the cell; sub-marginal series of four dots. Hindwing upperside ground colour same as in forewings. Forewing underside with bands less evident, and only two submarginal dots. Hindwing underside as in upperside. Fringes of all wings yellowish-white. Head, thorax, and all appendices yellowishwhite. Antennae ciliated. Labial palpi slender, slightly inclined downwards, not extending beyond the frons. Spurs 0, 2, 4. A7 large membranous, but stiff, with its cephalic margin forming two sterno-pleural pouches. A8 small and membranous. Female dorsal pheromone glands shorter than posterior apophyses. Male unknown. Ƥ antrum large, sub-cylindrical, slightly narrower at its cephalic ending. Ductus bursae membranous, short, forming connection between long antrum and cervix, comprising thick membranous tissue and enclosing two clusters of thorns. Corpus bursae membranous, sub-spherical, about two times the cervix, with small spread thorns inside. Signum small, formed by minute thorns in a rosette. Ductus seminalis arising from corpus bursae in cephalic position, rather than from the cervix as is usually typical in Afrasura .

Etymology. From the Latin verb discerno (distinguish), reflecting the fact that the type has been distinguished from submarmorata .

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 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).