Kenyatta iodes, Agassiz, 2011

Agassiz, David J. L., 2011, The Lepidoptera of Acacia domatia in Kenya, with description of two new genera and six new species, Journal of Natural History 45 (29 - 30), pp. 1867-1893 : 1891-1892

Kenyatta iodes sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Figure 3C ).

Wingspan 11–14 mm. Head pale buff, labial palpus ochreous white, segment 3 about half the length of segment 2, bent slightly downwards, antenna just over half fore wing length, fuscous whitish scales on each segment. Thorax and tegulae pinkish brown. Fore wing pinkish brown, seven brown costal strigulae from one-quarter to apex, three brown dorsal strigulae, second narrower than first and third, a longitudinal dark pinkish dash above these, a sequence of three blackish dots above tornus, termen brown. Hind wing in male pale fuscous, paler towards costa; female darker, fuscous, slightly paler basally. Abdomen pale ochreous brown, legs whitish.

The species is superficially similar in colour and pattern to Argyropoloce phoeniodes Meyrick but has a more square termen and is distinguished by the white hind wings of the male.

Male genitalia ( Figure 17 ). Uncus simple, drawn out to a point, valva narrowed near middle, aedeagus wider near base, apex pointed without cornuti. Tergite 8 with a T-shaped sclerotization.

Female genitalia ( Figure 18). Antrum abruptly widened at one-third, corpus bursae ovate, signa a pair of long curved cornuti. Apophyses posteriores curved outwards.

Larva

Within a domatium of Acacia seyal . Pupa within the domatium.

Distribution

Kenya.

Derivation

From the Greek´ιωδης for the colour “rusty”.

Material examined

Holotype ♀, KENYA: Rift Valley | Lake Bogoria 1000 m | 0 ◦ 21 ƖN, 36 ◦ 4 Ɩ E| l. in Acacia seyal galls| em. 20.xi.2005 | D.J.L. Agassiz, to be deposited in NMK. 2 paratypes: ♂ same locality, em. 11.xii.2005, ♀ em. 16.viii.2007.

Also ♂ KENYA, Eastern | Tsavo Safari Camp | 31.iii.1999 | D.J.L. Agassiz, DJLA slide No. 1176, 2 ♀♀ same data, one DJLA slide No. 1177 .

Figures

Figure 3. (A) Phthoropoea chalcomochla; (B) Endotera nodi; (C) Kenyatta iodes; (D) Hystrichophora vittana; (E) Hystrichophora bopprei; (F) Hystrichophora griseana;

Figure 17. Male genitalia of Kenyatta iodes.