Meganola ochromorpha Hacker, 2012

Meganola ochromorpha Hacker, 2012 View in CoL

( Figs 87–90 View Figures 81–92 , 138–140 View Figures 138–143 , 166 View Figures 160–167 )

Meganola ochromorpha Hacker, 2012 View in CoL , Esperiana 17: 408. TL: [ DRC] Congo, Elisabethville [Lubumbashi]. Holotype, male, in coll. RMCA.

Material examined (all in coll. ANHRT).

Gabon. 1 male, Mikongo (Rougier), Monts de Cristal ( Secondary Forest ), 430m, 0°29'47"N, 11°10'42"E, 28.vii–12.viii.2019, MV light trap, leg. Albert GoogleMaps , J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1278. Mozambique. 1 male, Zambezia Province, Mt. Namuli, SW slopes near Mucunha village , (forest remnant), 1245m, 15°22'33"S, 37°05'05.7"E, 15– 16.viii.2018, actinic light trap, leg. László, G., Miles, W., Vetina, A. GoogleMaps , gen. slide No.: LGNA 636. Zambia. 4 males, Source of the Zambezi , 1494m, 11°22'09"S, 24°18'30"E, 12–13.v.2015, light trap, leg. Smith, R., Takano, H., Aristophanous, M. GoogleMaps ; 4 males, Hillwood, Ikelenge ( Miombo / Riverine forest mosaic), 1400m, S11°16'02", E24°18'59', 23–30.xi.2019, actinic and MV light trap, leg. Bashford, M., Miles, W., Mulvaney, L., Smith, R. ; 1 male, same site, 28.v–4.vi.2020, leg. Chizuwa, D., Choongo, W.; 3 males, 1 female, Chitunta Plain (Miombo / Dambo mosaic), 1396m, 11°29'12"S, 24°24'18"E, 4– 12.vi.2020, actinic light trap, leg. Chizuwa, D., Choongo, W. GoogleMaps ; 5 males, 1 female, same site, 29.xi– 4.xii.2019, leg. Bashford, M., Miles, W., Mulvaney, L. leg.; 1 male, Kalene Hill ( Miombo woodland), 1440m, 11°11'11"S, 24°12'5"E, 12–15.vi.2020, MV light trap, leg. Chizuwa, D., Choongo, W. GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Nyangombe Falls , 1300m, 11°48'25"S, 24°32'12"E, 17–23.xi.2019, Actinic light trap, leg. Bashford, M., Miles, W., Mulvaney, L., Smith, R. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Zambezi Rapids (Miombo / Riverine forest mosaic), 1205m, S11°7'30", E24°11'6", 4–9.xi.2018, actinic light trap, leg. Aristophanous, M., Dérozier, V., László, G., Oram, D. ; 2 males, 1 female, Nkwaji, Mwinilunga , 1316m, 11°36'22"S, 24°33'17"E, 21– 22.viii.2013, light trap, leg. Smith, R & Takano, H. GoogleMaps , gen. slide Nos : LGNA 8 (male), LGNA 20 (female) ; 1 female, same site and collectors, 27.viii.2013, gen. slide No.: LGNA 117; 1 male, Kambishi, Jiwundu , 1340m, 11°54'39"S, 25°29'05"E, 18–19.x.2014 Light Trap leg. Smith, Takano & Oram GoogleMaps , gen. slide No.: LGNA 1045; 1 male, Chilambwe Falls, Kafubu River , 1420m, 09°50'13"S; 30°43'35"E, 8–12.ii.2019, MV light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., Mulvaney, L., Smith, R., Takano, H. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Ntumbachushi Falls, Ngona River , Luapula Prov., 1166m, 09°51'12"S, 28°56'40"E, 12–13.v.2013, light trap, leg. Smith, Takano & Oram GoogleMaps , gen. slide No.: LGNA 118; 2 males, Kankonde Camp, Mutinondo Stream , 1400m, S12°23'29", E31°19'24", 12–15.xi.2014, light trap, leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H. , gen. slide Nos : LGNA 282, LGNA 283 ; 5 males, 3 females, Mutinondo Wilderness Area , Northern Province, 1460m, 12°27'06"S, 31°17'30"E, 17–20.v.2019, actinic and MV light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., Imakando, M., László, G., Miles, W. GoogleMaps ; 1 female, same site, 16–20.iii.2017, leg. Oram, D., Miles, W., Smith, L.; 1 male, Muchinga Province, 30 km N of Mpika, Danger Hill , 1684m, 11°37'38"S, 31°33'56"E, 13–15.xii.2023, MV light trap, leg. László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Senka Hill, Mukulizi Forest Reserve , Muchinga Province, 1566m, 09°05'43"S, 32°05'06"E, 1–6.v.2019 MV light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., László, G., Miles, W. GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Kalambo Falls , 30 km N of Mbala, Northern Province, 1189m, 08°35'50"S, 31°14'26"E, 9–11.v.2019, actinic light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., László, G., Miles, W. GoogleMaps , gen. slide No.: LGNA 1033; 3 males, Muchinga Prov., Benyanga village , 1250m, 10°40'41"S, 33°27'45"E, 07–12.xii.2023, actinic and MV light trap, leg. László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Muchinga Province, Jombo village , 1400m, 10°27'01"S, 33°14'30"E, 30.xi–05.xii.2023, actinic light trap, Bashford, M., Collins, A., László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A GoogleMaps .

Genetic information. All but one sample (n=5) of this species belong to the BIN URI: BOLD AEJ7130. One specimen from northeastern Zambia is assigned the BIN URI: BOLD AEJ3272. Despite lacking any obvious morphological differences, this specimen diverges from the others by 2.82–3.00%. The samples under AEJ7130 exhibit significant intraspecific divergence in the range of 0.00–0.46%; however, the PWD between a Gabonese and a Mozambican sample is 1.40%, along with distinct morphological differences (as discussed below). Meganola ochromorpha does not appear to have any particularly close relatives, as shown in the ML tree, where this species forms a distinct cluster. The genetically closest taxon is M. trigonographa , with a divergence of 3.76–4.92%.

Taxonomic notes. A notably small specimen from Gabon exhibited a considerably smaller mediocostal patch and noticeably paler transverse lines compared to specimens from Zambia and Mozambique. However, when examining the genitalia, the Gabonese specimen did not display any distinct characteristics that differentiate it from the southeastern African specimens. It falls within the same BIN URI as M. ochromorpha (BOLD AEJ7130), but it is situated on a distinct branch of the ML tree. Given its unique external appearance, it cannot be ruled out that the Gabonese population of M. ochromorpha may represent a distinct subspecies; however, a taxonomic decision can only be made when more specimens from the region are available.

Interestingly, a female specimen collected from Kalambo Falls in northeastern Zambia also appeared on a distinct branch and has been assigned a different BIN URI: BOLD AEJ3273. Since this specimen does not exhibit any distinctive genital or external features, it is considered a genetically divergent individual of M. ochromorpha .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Lubumbashi ( DRC, type locality), as well as from Burundi and Malawi ( Hacker et al. 2012). However, the record from Malawi was based on a misidentification of a female specimen, which actually belongs to M. pyrrhomorpha Hacker, 2012 (see Hacker et al. 2012: 408, fig. G). The specimens examined in this study from Gabon, Mozambique, and Zambia represent new country records.