Eoophyla leroii ( Strand, 1915 ) Published, 2012

Agassiz, David J. L., 2012, The Acentropinae (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) of Africa, Zootaxa 3494, pp. 1-73 : 35

Eoophyla leroii ( Strand, 1915) comb.n.

Cataclysta le Roii Strand, 1915: 107 .

Argyractis lithocharis Meyrick, 1936: 8 . syn.n.

Type locality: Sudan: Bahr el Abiad.

Imago (Fig. 39): Wingspan 11–15mm. Head white; labial palpus segment 2 long, segments 1 and 3 short, white with fuscous above on segment 2. Thorax and tegulae whitish. Forewing white; irregular fuscous markings along costa; a poorly defined oblique pale fuscous antemedian fascia, a fuscous costal strigula at about 4/5; a dull yellow-orange streak from near discal spot towards tornus; terminal area dull orange-yellow; a pale greyish tornal spot; some fuscous scales above dorsum in outer half of wing; terminal cilia greyish fuscous; Hindwing white; a broad dark fuscous antemedian fascia, beyond this some fuscous scaling before double subterminal line; four terminal eyespots clearly separated from each other, each with two small bluish metallic dots within. Legs whitish. Abdomen pale fuscous, suffused yellowish.

Male genitalia (Fig. 108): Uncus spatulate; gnathos 4/5 uncus, tapered to a blunt point with some spines near apex; valva with costa evenly arched, apex forming an acute angle, about three conspicuous curved setae near apex and some smaller ones extending about halfway towards base; juxta with small lateral spines. Aedeagus simple, apex surrounded by a band of small spines.

Female genitalia (Fig. 167): Ostial chamber long, gradually tapering and becoming sclerotised; ductus moderately long and broad; corpus bursae an elongate sac with signum comprising a small dentate patch near junction with ductus.

Tympanal organs: Venulae widely separated, gently curved outwards; tympanum almost rectangular with rounded corners.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other species by the clearly separated terminal eyespots on the hindwing.

Biology: Unknown, adults near rivers or in swampy places, taken i, ii, iv, v, viii, x, xi, probably continuously brooded.

Distribution: Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Botswana.

Material examined: Lectotype ♂ hereby designated, Sudan: Bahr el Abiad, ii.1913, paralectotype ♂ same data (Museum Alexander König, Bonn) slide No. B 1; lectotype and 4 paralectotypes ( MRAC), a further three paralectotypes ( BMNH) of Argyractis lithocharis Meyrick , designated by Maes (1996: 1406).

SIERRA LEONE: 4♀ Njala including Pyralidae slide No 21331 ( BMNH) ; NIGERIA: 1♂ slide 21694 , 1♀ Ibadan , 1♀ Sapele ( BMNH) ; 2♀ labelled G. Hg ( ZMUC) ; CONGO: 1♀ Brazzaville ( TMMA) , 1♀ Ht. Katanga, Tshinkolobwe ( MHNG) , 5♀ nr Bukama ( BMNH) ; UGANDA: 1♂ 2♀ Malamigambo Forest ( DJLA) ; SUDAN: 6♂ 4♀ White Nile between 6º 45' N & 9º N ( OUM) ; CAMEROON: 1♀ Dept. de Nkam , Bonépoupa, 35km ONO Douala, ( TK) ; BOTSWANA, 2♀ Maun ( BMNH) , inc. slide 21339.