Asuroides calimerae Durante

Durante, Antonio, 2008, Asuroides, a new genus of lithosiine moths (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), Zootaxa 1713, pp. 53-68 : 59-60

Asuroides calimerae Durante , new species

(Figs. 7, 25)

Material analyzed: Ψ holotype, Sédhiou, Senegal; 20/ 30-8-1917, g. sl. Arct. 5860 BMNH, in BMNH; Ψ paratype, same data as holotype, in BMNH.

Forewing: wingspan 23–24 mm; upperside ground colour pale ochreous yellow; pattern grey; basal area with dot-shaped or longitudinally elongated patch; basal band bent with obtuse angle proximally at the cell level, continuing to the inner margin with slight deflection on anal vein; median band arising with short piece perpendicular to costa, at subcostal vein heading toward basal band, touching basal band with horizontal streak, continuing distally and joining postmedian band at CuA2, then angling obtusely in proximal direction to inner margin; postmedian band arising close to median band, in question-mark shape, with distal edge elongated in three or four points longitudinally at cell level; submarginal band shaped similarly to postmedian, and consisting of an uninterrupted line; longitudinal streaks on M1 and M3 clearly discernible; C-shaped patch at distal end of cell present; costa yellow with light grey dusting between median and postmedian band; underside same color as upperside, bands much paler than on upperside, with scattered grey among the bands; fringes yellow.

Hindwing: upperside straw-yellow, more deeply shaded along costa, termen and anal margin; underside like the upperside; fringes yellow.

Body: head, notum, thorax sterna, and entire abdomen same color as forewing ground (in specimens examined, the heads were faded, making it difficult to ascertain the presence or absence of dark scales); antennae filiform, yellow; labial palpi yellow, porrect, not extending beyond frons; tegulae with two grey dots; thorax with two grey dots on mesonotum, one on mesoscutellum; legs yellow, distal ends of femur and tibia dark (character not easily ascertained on mid- and hindlegs); tibial spurs 0-2-2; abdomen with VII sternum slightly longer than VI, its caudal edge presenting a small median hollow in line with ostium; VII tergum trapezoidal, twice as long as VI; VIII sternum slender, membranous, becoming stiff at lamella postvaginalis level; VIII tergum harder than sternum, sub-rectangular; dorsal pheromone gland unpaired, bilobate, almost twice as long as posterior apophyses; ventral pheromone glands paired, bag-shaped, slightly longer than half the apophyses.

Genitalia: Ψ: ostium roundish with rim blunted, almost bell-shaped, with ventral V-shaped notch; lamella postvaginalis sub-triangular, lightly sclerotized; ductus bursae with caudal portion rigid, sub-cylindrical, as long as VII and VI sterna together; median portion more than three times as long as caudal portion, wall with bee-nest-like structure, anterior portion becoming smooth and enlarging horn-like; ductus seminalis arising from median portion; corpus bursae bag-shaped, membranous, as in ductus enlarging and connecting creating a sharp bend; cervix bursae lacking; signa absent.

Etymology: this name honors the town of Calimera (South Italy) and its citizens, who proudly provide hospitality to the Museo di Storia Naturale del Salento.

Remarks: as a rule, the bands comprising the forewing pattern of A. calimerae are larger than other species in the genus, except A. fasciata . The yellow wing fringes distinguish A. calimerae from all other congenerics, and the genitalia are unlike other members of the genus. The male is unknown.