Leucinodes kenyensis, Mally, Richard, Korycinska, Anastasia, Agassiz, David J. L., Hall, Jayne, Hodgetts, Jennifer & Nuss, Matthias, 2015

Mally, Richard, Korycinska, Anastasia, Agassiz, David J. L., Hall, Jayne, Hodgetts, Jennifer & Nuss, Matthias, 2015, Discovery of an unknown diversity of Leucinodes species damaging Solanaceae fruits in sub-Saharan Africa and moving in trade (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea), ZooKeys 472, pp. 117-162 : 131-133

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Crambidae

Leucinodes kenyensis sp. n. Figs 5, 18, 26, 34

Type-locality.

Kenya, Eastern Province, Marsabit District, Marsabit National Park Forest, 1158 m, 2°13.996'N, 37°55.676'E, 29 December 2003, R. S. Copeland leg.

Material examined.

Type-specimens. Holotype 1♂ "Kenya: Marsabit National | Park Forest. 1158 m. | 2°13.996'N 37°55.676'E. | 29 Dec 2003, A&M Coll. #2636 | R.S. Copeland; ICIPE/USDA", "Reared from fruit: | Withania somnifera", DNA Barcode "USNM ENT 007/19337", "1133 | Nuss prep. no.", coll. NMK. Paratypes 1♂, 1♀, same data, DNA Barcodes USNM ENT 719338, 719339, Nuss prep. no. 1135 (1♀ NMK, 1♂ SMTD); 1♀ Kenya, Laikipia Plateau, Mpala Research Centre, 0.293°N 36.899°E, 1650 m, 21.-24.vi.2005, leg. S.E. Miller, DNA Barcode USNM ENT 719976, Nuss prep. no. 1134 (USNM). - Additional material. ZIMBABWE. 1♂ Mashonaland, leg. H. B. Dobbie, prep. RM694 (BMNH).

Diagnosis.

Frons less strongly bulged than in Leucinodes orbonalis . Wing pattern indistinguishable from those of Leucinodes orbonalis , Leucinodes africensis , Leucinodes rimavallis , Leucinodes pseudorbonalis and Leucinodes spp., but distinguished from Leucinodes malawiensis by the absence of the forewing basal transversal streak and the presence of the apical half moon-shaped patch, and from Leucinodes laisalis , Leucinodes ethiopica and Leucinodes ugandensis by the predominantly white forewing ground colour. Distinguished in male genitalia from all other Leucinodes species except " Leucinodes spp." (see below) by the prominent distal sacculus process arching anteriodorsally above the shorter, conical fibula. Distinguished from Leucinodes spp. by the more or less bulged subapical portion of costa (straight in Leucinodes spp.) and the weakly sclerotized basal section of the sacculus process (between sacculus and distal hook-shaped process) which is as wide as base of hook-shaped process (strongly sclerotized and narrower than base of hook-shaped process in Leucinodes spp.). Female genitalia resemble those of Leucinodes rimavallis in having an anteriad triangular process on each side of sternite 8 extending into the lateral antrum pockets, but the exocuticle of the anterior antrum forms a sclerotized tube (short sclerotized section in Leucinodes rimavallis ).

Description of adults.

Head. As for the genus, with frons slightly bulged.

Thorax. As for the genus, with dorsal side brown.

Wings. Forewing length ♂ 9.0 mm, ♀ 9.0 mm; wing pattern as in Leucinodes orbonalis .

Abdomen. First segment whitish, remainder light to dark brown.

Male genitalia. As for the genus, apart from: saccus bent posteriodorsad (not an artifact of embedding); juxta oval to rectangular; valvae roughly triangular; costa subapically more or less bulged; ventral valva apex flipped over, covered with small tubercles; ventral valva edge smoothly rounded at sacculus; base of sacculus process broad, weakly sclerotized, leading over to a large, strongly sclerotized hook which encompasses the fibula dorsally; fibula conical, slightly curved, its base somewhat constricted, projecting dorsad; phallus similar to Leucinodes orbonalis , posteriodorsal apodeme with short dentate sclerite (sometimes indistinct), vesica with area of minute teeth.

Female genitalia. As for the genus, apart from: anterior antrum with tubular sclerotized exocuticle; sclerotized wall at antero-ventral edge of the ostium bursae which at rest closes the ostium bursae against abdominal segment 8. This wall is not melanized and can be stained with chlorazol black. It is delimited dorso-laterally by sclerotized and melanized lobes arising from the anterior edge of segment 8 just ventral of the apophyses anteriores. Anterior to the sclerotized wall there is a small, melanized colliculum.

Etymology.

The species is named after Kenya, the only country from where it is confidently recorded so far.

Distribution.

So far only known from Kenya. The record from Zimbabwe needs confirmation by investigation of female specimens and molecular analysis.

Foodplants.

Solanaceae : Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.

Remarks.

There are further male specimens with indistinctive wing pattern and very similar genitalia, but DNA Barcode data suggest that among them are at least two further species. For more information, see under Leucinodes spp.