Afrasura rivulosa ethiopica 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 : 48-49

Afrasura rivulosa ethiopica Durante ssp. n.

( Fig. 30 , 56 C)

Holotype: 3, Ethiopia, Menegesha-Suba State forest, 2500 m a.s.l., 21/ 23-2-2003. In coll. MSNS. Paratype: 7 3, data as the holotype. 5 in coll. MAD and 2 in MSNS.

Diagnosis. Wingspan 21–26 mm, larger than rivulosa rivulosa . Wings almost transparent, with ground colour straw yellow, lighter than yellow of rivulosa rivulosa . Wing underside with faint pattern. Male genitalia similar to nominotypical subspecies, apart from the ala valvae distal end that becomes thin more gradually and is shorter.

Remarks. Afrasura rivulosa ethiopica is an interesting example of convergent evolution with Afrasura indecisa orientalis . Some distinguishing characters include: forewing submarginal series consisting of 7–8 similarly sized dots (in A. indecisa the 4 anterior dots are larger than the other 3, which are often obsolete); marginal series of dots present (lacking in A. indecisa ); male with ciliated antennae (serratae in A. indecisa ).

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 36. Adults of Afrasura and related genera. Afrasura: 25, A. pallescens. 26 – 27, A. peripherica hilara. 28 – 29, A. rivulosa rivulosa. 30, A. rivulosa ethiopica. 31, A. submarmorata. 32, A. terlineata. Related genera: 33, Asura cervicalis. 34, Asura lydia. 35, " Asura " phaeosticta. 36, " Asura " pectinella.

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).