Haplopacha riftensis, Dupont, Steen, Simonsen, Thomas J. & Zilli, Alberto, 2016

Dupont, Steen, Simonsen, Thomas J. & Zilli, Alberto, 2016, Haplopacha (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) reviewed: four new species, first descriptions of the genitalia of both sexes, and unique alar scale organs, Zootaxa 4109 (4), pp. 445-457 : 450-452

Haplopacha riftensis sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 E,F)

Type (s): holotype ♂, in NHM.

Type locality: Nyasaland, Mt Mlanje [= Mulanje].

Material examined. 2 specimens: Holotype male ( Fig. 1 E) ( BMNH (E)_1377241, NHM London, dissected but genitalia absent), Nyasaland, Mt. Mlanje [= Mulanje], 6.III.1913, S.A. Neave [leg.].

Paratype: Female ( Fig. 1 F) ( BMNH (E)_1377244, NHM London, dissected and genitalia mounted on slide: Lasiocampidae #1531 ( Fig. 7 B)), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Although similar to H. tangani sp. nov. in wing shape and brownish wing tint, H. riftensis has less sharp ante- and postmedial lines due to more diffuse pale lining of lines, proximally and distally, respectively. The basal wing spots however are surrounded by a larger white scale patch.

Distribution and localities ( Fig. 8 ). Both known specimens were collected in Mt Mulanje, Malawi.

Flight period. Because the only examined specimens were collected in copula the only data available is that they were on the wing in early March.

Description. Forewing warm reddish brown, darkest in anterior portion, and widely irrorated with cinereous grey in basal and distal fields of male, less conspicuously so in female. Costal margin sinusoidal, slightly concave before middle, then convex until broadly rounded wing apex. Antemedial and postmedial lines irregular and fairly diffuse. Submarginal spots black with prominent white inner margins, in number of nine. Basal wing spot round. Hind wing dark brown.

Male genitalia: Unknown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 7 B): Abdominal segment VIII with sclerotized sternum. Ostium bursae wide, at least half the width of the segment VIII, with a straight posterior lip with lateral ridges. Antrum sclerotized and broadly rounded before junction with straight ductus bursae. Corpus bursae with pair of transverse, slightly crescent-shaped signa. Papillae anales short, stout and cylindrical, adpressed with segment VIII facing outward. Anterior and posterior apophyses similar, undifferentiated long and narrow, approximately as long as segment VIII. Note. Specimens collected in copula (based on label “in cop” annotation).

Etymology. The species name refers to the Great Rift Valley that has Mt Mulanje in its southern range.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Haplopacha spp. including H. cinerea (A – D): A) holotype male, B) male, C) male, D) female; H. riftensis (E – F): E) holotype male, F) paratype female; H. tangani (G – H): G) holotype male, H) paratype female; H. lunata (I): I) holotype male; H. nduomoi (J – K): J) holotype male, K) paratype female; and Haplopacha sp. indet. (L).

FIGURE 7. Female genitalia of H. cinerea (A), H. riftensis (Paratype) (B), H. tangani (Paratype) (C), H. nduomoi (Paratype) (D) and Haplopacha sp. indet. (E). Abbreviations are as as follows: anterior vaginal plate (avp), lateral ridge (lr), ostium bursae (ob), ostium collar [sterigma] (oc), signum (sgn) and transverse ridge (tr).

FIGURE 8. Distribution map of Haplopacha, with localities presented by numbers 1 – 9: 1. Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania (Tanganyika), 2. Mlingano Tanga, Tanzania (Tanganyika), 3. Jameson Fort, Zambia, 4. Mt Mulanje [= Mlanje], Malawi, 5. Sebakwe, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), 6. Skukuza (Sabie bridge), South Africa, 7. Lydenburg, South Africa, 8. Barberton, South Africa, 9. Ndumo Nature Reserve, South Africa. The species are designated by shapes: H. cinerea (open circle), H. riftensis (closed circle), H. tangani (open triangle), H. lunata (closed square), H. nduomoi (open square) and Haplopacha sp. indet. (closed triangle)