Mecothrix mineti Hacker, 2012

László, Gyula M. & Vetina, Alvaro A., 2019, Contribution to the knowledge of the Nolini of the Maputo Special Reserve in South Mozambique with description of two new species and several taxonomic updates (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae), Zootaxa 4571 (2), pp. 225-246 : 230

Mecothrix mineti Hacker, 2012

( Figs 13, 14 , 51 , 71 )

Nola (Mecothrix) mineti Hacker, 2012 , Esperiana 17: 186. Type locality: Madagascar, Tananarive. Holotype male, in coll. MNHN.

Material examined: Mozambique, Maputo Special Reserve. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 18m, Hygrophilous Grass-Sand Forest Ecotone, 26°28'32.6"S, 32°45'7.7"E, 10.XII.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Cristovao, J., Laszlo, G., Miles, W. leg., slide No.: LGNA 298 ♂, LGNA 317 ♀; 1 ♀, 22m, West Gate, Sand Forest , 26°30'14.2"S, 32°42'59.6"E, 3– 13.XII.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Cristovao, J., Laszlo, G., Miles, W. leg., slide No.: LGNA 299 ♀; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, 22m, West Gate, Sand Thicket , 26°30'14.2"S, 32°42'59.6"E, 21–30.XI.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Cristovao, J., Laszlo, G., Miles, W. leg., slide Nos: LGNA 315 ♂, LGNA 316 ♂, LGNA 300 ♀; 1 ♀, 9m, Mangrove Camp, Mangrove-Woodland Mosaic , 26°19'35.9"S, 32°42'35.7"E, 7–9.XII.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Cristovao, J., Laszlo, G., Miles, W. leg., slide No.: LGNA 304 ♀; 1 ♀, 17m, Futi Corridor ( Sand Forest Woodland Mosaic), 26°32'10.1"S, 32°43'09.7"E, 23–24.ii.2018, MV Light Trap, Laszlo, G., Mulvaney , J., Smith, L. leg., slide No.: LGNA 432 ♀; 1 ♀, 22m, West Gate, Sand Forest , 26°30'14.2"S, 32°42'59.6"E, 21–22.ii.2018, Actinic Light Trap, Laszlo, G., Mulvaney, J., Smith, L. leg., slide No.: LGNA 434 ♀ (coll. ANHRT, MHNM).

Remark. The species was described from Madagascar and considered to be endemic to the island. Its occurrence in South Mozambique is rather surprising, although it is worth noting that not all species which were found first in Madagascar are necessarily endemic to the island. Despite of a thorough study of the external and genital morphology of the specimens collected in the Maputo Special Reserve no significant difference was found in comparison with the Madagascan specimens. The most important diagnostic character in the species group is the configuration of the robust cornutus of vesica which was found to be completely identical in all Mozambican and Madagascan specimens. New country record for Mozambique.

Figures

FIGURES 1–16. Nola, Nolidia and Mecothrix spp.: adults (all in coll. ANHRT). 1, Nola socotrensis vansoni, ♂, Mozambique; 2, N. socotrensis vansoni, ♀, Mozambique; 3, N. melanoscelis, ♂, Mozambique; 4, N. melanoscelis, ♂, Mozambique; 5, N. biangulata submelanoscelis, ♂, Mozambique; 6, N. politzari, ♂, Mozambique; 7, N. politzari, ♀, Mozambique; 8, N. tineoides, ♂, Mozambique; 9, Nolidia transitoria, ♂, Mozambique; 10, N. transitoria, ♀, Mozambique; 11, Mecothrix aegyptiaca cana, ♂, Mozambique; 12, M. aegyptiaca cana, ♀, Mozambique; 13, M. mineti, ♂, Mozambique; 14, M. mineti, ♀, Mozambique; 15, M. maputuana László sp. n., holotype, ♂, Mozambique; 16, M. maputuana László sp. n., paratype, ♂, Mozambique.

FIGURES 44–52. Nola, Nolidia and Mecothrix spp.: male genitalia (all in coll. ANHRT). 44, Nola socotrensis vansoni, Mozambique, slide LGNA 327; 45, N. melanoscelis, Mozambique, slide LGNA 328; 46, N. biangulata submelanoscelis, Mozambique, slide LGNA 511; 47, N. politzari, Mozambique, slide LGNA 329; 48, N. tineoides, Mozambique, slide LGNA 375; 49, Nolidia transitoria, Mozambique, slide LGNA 444; 50, Mecothrix aegyptiaca cana, Mozambique, slide LGNA 322; 51, M. mineti, Mozambique, slide LGNA 298; 52, M. maputuana László sp. n., holotype, Mozambique, slide LGNA 302.

FIGURES 67–75. Nola, Nolidia, Mecothrix and Meganola spp.: female genitalia (coll. ANHRT). 67, Nola socotrensis vansoni, Mozambique, slide LGNA 323; 68, N. politzari, Mozambique, slide LGNA 510; 69, Nolidia transitoria, Mozambique, slide LGNA 443; 70, Mecothrix aegyptiaca cana, Mozambique, slide LGNA 308; 71, M. mineti, Mozambique, slide LGNA 299; 72, M. maputuana László sp. n., paratype, Mozambique, slide LGNA 307; 73, M. maputuana László sp. n., paratype, Mozambique, slide LGNA 310; 74, M. omphalota, Gambia, slide LGNA 212; 75, Meganola leucalea, Mozambique, slide LGNA 338.