Ezishnola truncata, László, 2025

Ezishnola truncata View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96B508F2-D947-4BE8-AC09-2B51BB488B66

( Figs 14–17 View Figures 1–15 View Figures 16–30 , 44–47 View Figures 44–49 )

Holotype. Male , “ GABON 430m / Mikongo (Rougier), Monts / de Cristal (Secondary Forest) / 0°29'47"N, 11°10'42"E / 28.vii.–12.viii.2019 MV Light Trap / Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., / Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., / Moretto, P. Leg. / ANHRT:2019.17” // “ANHRTUK / 00165881” // “SAMPLED FOR / DNA” // “Gen. slide No. / LGN A 1846 ♂ / prep. by Gy.M. Laszlo ” ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes.

Gabon. 1 male, same site and collectors as the holotype, collected at house light, gen. slide No.: LGNA 1849 ( ANHRT) . Liberia. 1 male, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts , base camp forest, 8°07'17"N, 9°57'42"W, 611m, 20.xi–01.xii.2017, MV Light Trap (125W), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg., gen. slide No.: LGNA 595 GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Lofa county, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp 8°06'14.9"N, 9°58'27.3"W, 585m, 18.xi–1.xii.2018 MV light trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1987 GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Nimba County, Nimba Mts, ENNR, Grassfield FDA Field Station , 7°29'32.45"N, 8°34'54.05"W, 494m, 22.xi.2018, light trap, blended bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1988 ( ANHRT) GoogleMaps . Republic of Congo. 1 male, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Kokoua base, 00°28'39"N, 15°16'42"E, 540m, 05–13.ix.2024, MV light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Talani, M., Volynkin, A. leg., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1809 ( ANHRT) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 9.0– 10.5 mm in males. Ezishnola truncata sp. n. is easily distinguished from the sympatric E. cretacea by the configuration of the forewing postmedial line, which consists of a row of tiny dots in the former, while it is sharply defined and continuous in the latter species; in addition, E. truncata sp. n. lacks a dark longitudinal fascia in the postmedial area of the forewing and features a few small dark patches only. Ezishnola inscripta sp. n. is highly similar to E. truncata sp. n.; nevertheless, it can be distinguished by the larger dots of the interrupted postmedial line and the presence of a diffuse postmedial patch being absent in E. truncata sp. n. Ezishnola magnisignata sp. n. also occurs sympatrically with E. truncata sp. n. in West Africa; compared to the latter species, it has a considerably darker, more greyish forewing ground colour and a darker subterminal area with a nearly straight line of small patches, which are present only in the medial section in E. truncata sp. n. Ezishnola carcassoni is easily distinguished from E. truncata sp. n. by its noticeably larger size, more elongate forewing and the denser dark markings on the forewing. Ezishnola congolana sp. n. is readily distinguished from E. truncata sp. n. by its noticeably shorter forewing, darker subterminal area and the presence of a conspicuous, dark postmedial patch, which feature is absent in E. truncata sp. n. The also sympatric E. xantholeuca is externally indistinguishable from E. truncata sp. n., and the two species can be reliably identified only through genitalia dissection.

The male genitalia of E. truncata sp. n. are easily distinguished from all other Ezishnola species by its considerably shorter and broader valva produced into a broad, quadrangular apical projection with rounded corners. In this aspect, E. truncata sp. n. is somewhat similar to E. nitidipicta sp. n.; however, the latter species has a markedly narrower valva with a much narrower and noticeably longer apical projection. It is worth noting that a specimen from the Republic of Congo (gen. slide No.: LGNA 1809) possesses a robust, straight harpe, reminiscent of that is observed in E. carcassoni . However, the conspicuously short, apically truncate valva shape and the short forewing suggest that this specimen belongs to E. truncata sp. n.

The female is unknown.

Genetic information. Ezishnola truncata sp. n. has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD AEK4426. As only one specimen sequenced successfully in this study, infraspecific divergence could not be calculated. The genetically closest taxa are E. xantholeuca , E. inscripta sp. n. and E. magnisignata sp. n., diverging by 2.50–2.66%, 2.81–2.99%, and 2.82–2.98%, respectively.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the short, apically truncate valva of this new species.

Distribution. Ezishnola truncata sp. n. has been identified from Liberia, Gabon, and the northern Republic of Congo.