Coccothera bvumbana, Larsen, 2023

Coccothera bvumbana spec. nov. ( Figs 11–15 View Figure 11 View Figure 12 View Figure 13 View Figure 14 View Figure 15 ).

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DFA8E374-C87A-4B48-BD9F-3D49C1EA184A

Material examined

Holotype: ♂, Zimbabwe: Manicaland, Honde Valley, Nyanga , Aberfoyle Lodge. 18˚17'40"S 32˚58'08"E 12–15.xi. 2017, 850m leg. A. Cipolla, T. Kingston & K. Larsen, coll. KL later ZMUC. Gen. prep. ♂ 4873 KL.

Paratypes: Zimbabwe. Manicaland: 18 km SE Mutare, Bvumba Mt. 19˚03′33″S 32˚43′41″E, 2–6.xi.2016, 1360 m, leg. K. Larsen & D. Agassiz, coll. KL. 1 ♂: gen. prep. ♂ 4874 KL; as above but leg. A. Cipolla, T. Kingston & K. Larsen, coll. KL. gen. prep. ♀ 4904 KL ; Zimbabwe: Manicaland: Honde Valley, Nyanga, Aberfoyle Lodge , 18˚17'40"S 32˚58'08"E, 12–15.xi. 2017, 850m, leg. A. Cipolla, T. Kingston & K. Larsen, coll. KL. 2 ♀: gen. prep. ♀ 4875 KL & ♀ 4878 KL ; Zimbabwe: Manicaland: Chipinge, Chirinda Forest , S:20˚24'36"E; 32˚41'58", 19–20.xi.2017, 1170 m, leg. A. Cipolla, T. Kingston & K. Larsen, coll. KL. 3 ♀: gen. prep. ♀ 4867 KL & ♀ 4868 KL ; Democratic Republic of Congo: Province Orientale, Tshopo, Yangambi Biosphere Reserve , 460 m, 0˚45′N 24˚30″E, 20.v.2012, leg. J. & W. De Prins coll. KL, gen. prep. ♂ 4905 KL .

Description

Imago: Figs. 11–12 View Figure 11 View Figure 12 . Wingspan 9–11mm. Head and thorax black with yellowish tipped scales; abdomen dark grey. Underside of the head bordered with a large white patch of broad shining white scales: antenna about half the length of forewing, dark grey and dorsally white ringed; ventrally monochrome light grey. Labial palps black with white tipped scales, ventral side just white; legs dark grey and white dorsally, ventrally monochrome white; spurs white. Forewings: Triangular with slightly indented termen, ground color black. Basal blotch with numerous white dots organized as vertical stripe like structure at the dorsal half; Antemedian fascia and postmedian interfascia are shining violet and consisting of series of minute waved lines. Both fascia are more shiny and more defined in the female especially the dorsal part of the antemedian fascia is very large, triangular and strongly shiny. The median fascia is broad narrowing towards the costa where there is a large square black spot. The rest of the median fascia is divided by several more or less distinct white stripes consisting of small white dots. The dorsal part with five stripes pointing towards the speculum, the centre part with three stripes – one long, two shorter indistinct - pointing against the termen. Five costal strigula towards the apex, a dark subterminal blotch and the dividing’s and termen are orange-brown. Termen with a fine black dividing line, cilia orange-brown, at the short hook at the middle of termen, there is a small patch of dark scales especially visible from the underside.

Females are generally darker and sharper in the pattern otherwise the same as the males.

Hindwings: Dark orange-brown, lighter towards the basal part. A scale pencil along the anal margin and small patches of darker grey scales in the cilia at the anal margin of the hindwing. Cilia with a dark dividing line. Underside of wings dark grey in males, black in females with a series of lighter costal strigula on the forewing.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 13 View Figure 13 ).

Valva strongly elongate with a pronounced cucullus, slightly hairy and with the characteristic very small sclerotised thorn at the ventral side. One valva is double the width of other, asymmetrical. At the base of the sacculus is a large area with scale sockets, pedunculus and uncus very weak, phallus bottle shaped and nearly the length of the valva with indented sides in the middle and at the apex widened.

Female genitalia: ( Figs 14–15 View Figure 14 View Figure 15 ).

Labium rather large. Apophyses slender and at the same lengths. Sterigma very weak, flat, broad cup shaped, lamella postvaginalis very weak with some scale sockets. Subgenital plate cone shaped, weakly indented dorsally and rather broad. Strong and long sclerotised folds along the lateral edges of tergum seven. Ostium weak, slightly more irregular sclerotisation at the sides. Ductus bursa long, thin and fragile especially before and after the ostium, widening before the bursa. Bursa large with two strongly curved, narrow thorn like signa.

Results of DNA analysis: Two specimens were sequenced. Coccothera sp. TLMF Lep 26293 and TLMF Lep 26294. Process ID number DEEUR 1823-18 & 1824-18 shows average and maximum distance at 0.3% and distance to nearest neighbor at 6.9%. Distance model: Pairwise distance; marker: COI- 5P. Pairwise deletion. ( BOLD: Guelph, Canada accessed 30.x.2023) .

Diagnosis

Coccothera bvumbana spec. nov. is defined by the structure of the white dots organised in diffuse stripes. The wing pattern is more diffuse and the orange-brown pattern at the apex of the wing is rather pronounced. The male differs from other species by the asymmetrical shape of the valva, the cucullus and especially the large bottle shaped phallus with the indention in the middle. The females differ in the shape of the subgenital plate as it is less indented and the sterigma is more flat and less sclerotized. The ostium is slightly wider; the two thorns in the bursa are straight, narrower and less widened at the root. The apophyses are slender and of even lengths.

Remarks

Imagines of C. bvumbana spec. nov. have a resemblance to other undescribed Coccothera sp. with orange-brown patterns at the apex of the forewing, but they all have slightly different patterns and wing shape (Larsen in litt.). The species Coccothera carolae (Razowski & Trematerra, 2010) has likewise an orange-brown pattern at the apex of the forewing, but this pattern is bigger and also the postmedian fascia are different with a smaller shiny area. This species is described on the basis of one female, but the figures of the female genitalia are not sufficiently detailed and thus difficult to evaluate. Anyway, the general size and structure of the female genitalia of C. carolae shows that it does not belong to the present described species.

Biology

The species is only known from the nine type specimens collected in May and November at light in four different localities. The localities are humid deciduous forest with a high level of species diversity. Host plant is unknown.

The holotype locality at Honde Valley, Aberfoyle Lodge is illustrated in Fig. 16 View Figure 16 .

Distribution

Zimbabwe: Manicaland district.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Province Orientale.

Etymology

The species is named after one of the paratype localities, which is a long-known area where many endemic species have been found.

Material examined

Holotype: ♂, Zambia: Central province, Kabwe, Mafundzalo , 14 º 20′45″S 28 º 27′5″E, 31.x.2018, 1148 m leg. A.J. Kingston & P. Schmit coll. KL later ZMUC. Gen. prep. ♂ 4879 KL. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: Cameroon: Garoua, Faro National park , 8°23′36,4″ N 12°49′29,3″ E, 300 m, 28.iv–9.v.2005 leg K. Larsen & T. Zandersen, coll. KL, 5 ♂ gen. prep. 4912 KL GoogleMaps ; Tanzania: Morogoro, 1 km. E. Mikumi, 5.iii. 2000, 550 m. leg. M.Fibiger, H. Hacker, K.Larsen & H.-P. Schreier coll. KL, 2 ♂ gen. prep. 4911 ♂ KL ; Tanzania: Kigoma district, Tubira forest , 13.x.1989, 1100 m, leg. A. Bjørnstad coll. NHMO, ♂ gen. prep. ♂ 4910 KL ;

Zambia: Copperbelt province, Nsobe Game Camp, 8 km. E. of Mishikisbi , 13 o 22′26″S 28 o 45′05″E, 1256 m GoogleMaps .

1.xi.2018 leg. A. J. Kingston & P. Schmit coll. KL ♂ gen. prep. ♂ KL.

Zimbabwe: Manicaland: Honde Valley, Nyanga, Aberfoyle Lodge , 18˚17'40"S 32˚58'08"E, 12–15.xi. 2017, 850m, leg. A. Cipolla, T. Kingston & K. Larsen, coll. KL. 1♂, 1♀ gen. prep. ♂ 4876 KL & ♀ 4877 KL .

Description

Imago: Figs 18–19 View Figure 18 View Figure 19 . Wingspan ♂ 7–10mm, ♀ 10-11mm. Head and thorax brown to dark grey with yellowish to whitish tipped scales; abdomen light grey. Underside of the head bordered with a large white patch of broad shiny white scales: antenna about half the length of the forewing, dark grey and white ringed. Labial palps white with scattered darker scales; legs white with scattered darker scales, spurs white. Forewing triangular with a slightly indented termen, ground color dark brown to black. Basal blotch with numerous white dots organized as a vertical stripe-like structure. Antemedian fascia is weakly shiny at the costa and the postmedian interfascia is shiny violet mainly at the dorsal part and they consist of a series of minute waved lines. Antemedian fascia is more shiny and more defined in the female especially the dorsal part of the antemedian fascia which is larger, with parallel sides and shinier. The median fascia is broad narrowing towards the costa where there is a large square black spot. The rest of the median fascia is divided by several more or less distinct white stripes created by small white dots. The dorsal part is with more stripes pointing towards the speculum, the centre part with four stripes pointing against the termen. Four costal strigula towards apex. Termen with a fine black dividing line, cilia brown to grey. Area between antemedian fascia and the termen are dark brownish to black with diffusely arranged white tipped scales. Females are generally darker and more sharply contrasting patterning otherwise the same as the males.

Hindwings dark brown, lighter towards basal part. A scale pencil along the anal margin and small patches of darker grey scales in the cilia at the anal margin of the hindwing. Cilia with a dark dividing line. Underside of wings dark grey to black with a series of lighter costal strigula on the forewing.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 ).

Valva short elongate cucullus with a hair patch and with the characteristic sclerotized thorn at the ventral side. Valva is nearly evenly broad and symmetrical. At the base of the sacculus there is a minor area with scale sockets, pedunculus and uncus very weak, phallus bottle shaped and a little longer than the lengths of the valva. Phallus is slightly indented in the middle gradually widening towards apex.

Female genitalia: ( Figs 21–22 View Figure 21 View Figure 22 ).

Labium rather large with very long hair. Apophyses posterior longer than apophyses anterior, both very slender. Sterigma very weak, nearly not visible, flat and broad, lamella postvaginalis very weak with two longer patches of scale sockets. Subgenital plate cone shaped, weakly indented dorsally and rather broad. Sclerotized folds along the lateral edges of tergum seven is long and slender. Ostium very weak and hardly visible. Ductus bursa long, thin and fragile especially before and after ostium, widening before bursa. Bursa large with two long and narrow thorn like signa.

Results of DNA analysis: One specimen was sequenced. Coccothera sp. TLMF Lep 26130. Process ID number DEEUR 2230-19. This record has been removed from the ID engine database because of suspected contamination or misidentification. (BOLD: Guelph, Canada accessed 30.x.2023). This means that the relation and distance cannot be figured out; otherwise the results are very different from the other species in this genus.

Diagnosis

C, kingstoni spec. nov. is defined by the structure of the white dots organized in vertical stripes. The wing pattern is grey to black contrasting and the longer shiny area dorsally of the antemedian fascia is characteristic. The male differs from other species by the shape of the valva, short, evenly wide and with a larger thorn at cucullus. The bottle shaped phallus is longer than the valva and the indention is weaker. The females differ in the hairy labium, the very weak sterigma and the shape of the thorn like signa in the bursa.

Biology

The species is only known from the twelve type specimens collected from late March to the beginning of April and again in October to November at light in six different localities. The localities are drier savannah forest to more humid deciduous forest. Host plant is not known.

The paratype locality at Zambia, Nsobe Game Camp is illustrated in Fig. 23 View Figure 23 .

Distribution

Cameroon: Garoua region.

Tanzania: Morogoro & Kigoma districts.

Zambia: Central province & Copperbelt province. Zimbabwe: Manicaland district

Etymology

The species is named in honor of one of the collectors of the type series.