Meganola saotomeana, László, 2025

Meganola saotomeana View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:59E71020-70CD-4732-9943-113185E0F716

( Figs 30–33 View Figures 21–40 , 106–107 View Figures 102–110 , 150 View Figures 144–151 )

Holotype. Male , “ SAO TOME 1321m / Bom Successo, Antenna / (plantation-dry scrub forest) / 0°16'31"N, 6°36'14"E / 22-25.i.2018 MV Light Trap / Aristophanous, M., Lima, D., / Miles, W., Turner, Clive R. leg. / ANHRT:2018.1” // “ANHRTUK / 00043828” / “SAMPLED FOR: / DNA (2022)” // “Gen. slide No. / LGN A 1605 ♂ / prep. by Gy. M. Laszlo ” ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes (all in coll. ANHRT). São Tomé. 7 males, 7 females, with the same data as the holotype, gen. slide Nos : LGNA 1288, LGNA 1606 (females); 1 male, 1 female, Antenna, Bom Successo, 0°16’33.7”N, 6°36’19.7”E, 19.x.2016 GoogleMaps , MV light trap, leg. Turner, C.R., Tasane, T., gen. slide No.: LGNA 405 (male); 1 male, same site and collectors, 20.x.2016, gen. slide No.: LGNA 388; 2 males, same site and collectors, 29.x.2016.

Diagnosis. Forewing length 11–13 mm in males, 13–15 mm in females. Meganola saotomeana sp. n. is an island vicariant of M. diagrapha and easily distinguished by its larger size, notably darker and more extensive forewing markings, especially in terms of the more distinct postmedial line and the considerably broader and more contrasting subterminal and terminal lines.

In the male genitalia, the clasping apparatus of both species has a nearly identical configuration, possessing a similarly short and pointed harpe; however, the valva of the new species is slightly more dilated postmedially compared to M. diagrapha . Similar to the other species of the M. bispermutata complex, the shape of the aedeagus bears the most distinctive diagnostic characters. In M. saotomeana sp. n., the aedeagus is 25–30% longer with a more elongate and narrower distal section than in M. diagrapha . Compared to M. bispermutata , the clasping apparatuses are also nearly identical, being slightly broader in M. saotomeana sp. n., and the aedeagus of the new species is also longer (by ca. 20%) with a noticeably longer coecum.

In the female genitalia, the new species has a considerably smaller ostium bursae continuing in a notably narrower and longer distal sclerotised section of the ductus bursae compared to M. diagrapha . Furthermore, the narrow longitudinal scobinated field of the signum bursae is narrower and less sclerotised in the new species than in M. diagrapha . Compared to M. bispermutata , the new species is readily distinguished by the more rounded and markedly smaller ostium bursae, the longer distal sclerotisation of the ductus bursae, the considerably narrower and longer ductus bursae, the smaller corpus bursae and the much longer longitudinal scobinated field of the signum bursae.

Etymology. This new species is named after its type locality, the island of São Tomé.

Genetic information. Meganola saotomeana sp. n. has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD AEG4865. The intraspecific divergence calculated from four samples is 0.00–0.15%. The closest relative is M. diagrapha diverging by 2.02–2.19%.