Flavifronthosia, Volynkin, 2025

Genus Flavifronthosia View in CoL gen. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F1AFAEC7-F61C-45BA-8E80-0C126FBD3D7C

Type species: Phryganopsis flavifrontella Strand, 1912 , by present designation.

Remark. The male genitalia of the unidentified species of the genus were illustrated by Volynkin (2024: fig. 21) as ‘ Pusiola Wallengren, 1863 ’.

Diagnosis. The new genus belongs to the Zobida / Poecilosia group of genera currently comprising Zobida Birket-Smith, 1965 , Poecilosia Krüger, 2015 , Bechuanosia Krüger, 2015 , Arctiananna De Prins, 2021 and Chromathosia Krüger, 2015, which all share a phallus with a longitudinal distal fold and a short main chamber of the vesica. In its valva shape, Flavifronthosia gen. n. ( Fig. 146 View Figures 146–149 ) is morphologically most reminiscent of certain species of the genus Arctiananna ( Figs 147, 148 View Figures 146–149 ). The latter, along with Poecilosia , Bechuanosia and Chromathosia, form a generic complex (suggested herein to be called the Poecilosia generic complex), members of which share with Flavifronthosia gen. n. a flattened and solid juxta (whereas in Zobida it is subdivided into two large and swollen lobes (also see: Volynkin 2024)), but have an editum and a costa fused into an editum-costa complex whereas in Flavifronthosia gen. n., as well as in Zobida , the editum and costa are separated from each other. However, in the latter, the diaphragmal section of the transtilla is membranous and the editum bears a robust, hook-like proximal ampulla whereas the editum of the new genus lacks the ampulla and is extended mesad into a heavily sclerotised, plank-like tendon. In the female genitalia, the new genus ( Fig. 171 View Figures 169–173 ) differs from the most similar Arctiananna ( Fig. 172 View Figures 169–173 ) in the reduction of the sterigma, which is represented by a narrow, strip-like postvaginal plate whereas the sterigma of Arctiananna is broad and long, with a broad antevaginal plate encircling the ostium bursae anteriorly, and a broad, long and sclerotised postvaginal region laterally fused with the antevaginal plate. In addition, Flavifronthosia gen. n. has a well-developed conical or semiglobular appendix bursae, which is vestigial in Arctiananna .

Description. Adults ( Figs 86, 87 View Figures 76–88 ). Forewing length 9.0–10.0 mm in males and 10.0–11.0 mm in females. Sexual dimorphism limited: female with somewhat longer and narrower forewing than male. Head brown with ochreous yellow frons. Antenna ochreous brown, weakly and sparsely ciliate in both sexes. Thorax brown. Forewing elongate and moderately broad, with costal and anal margins somewhat convex postmedially and antemedially, respectively. Forewing and its cilia ground colour greyish-brown. Pattern represented by diffuse, dark brown medial transverse fascia, which somewhat dentate outwards on Cu vein. Hindwing and its cilia ochreous brown with darker brown irroration. Abdomen dark brown with admixture of ochreous scales in its proximal half. Male genitalia ( Fig. 146 View Figures 146–149 ). Uncus slender and elongate, distally gradually tapering and downcurved, and apically pointed. Tuba analis moderately broad (ca. 1/3 of tegumen length), membranous, with narrow and weakly sclerotised scaphium. Tegumen moderately sclerotised, its arms dorsally dilated and fused with each other in their dorsal halves. Vinculum somewhat shorter than tegumen, with narrower and more heavily sclerotised arms, U-shaped ventrally. Valva elongate and narrow with almost parallel margins. Dorsal part of valva nearly equal in its width to sacculus medially. Distal section of dorsal part elongate and apically rounded, consisting of weakly sclerotised valvula with membranous narrow ventro-proximal part. Costa narrow and moderately sclerotised, stretching along dorsal margin of valva and somewhat exceeding its middle. Editum separated from costa, moderately sclerotised, elongate, narrow fold-like and setose, stretching along the border between the dorsal part of valva and sacculus and nearly reaching membranous region of valvula. Tendon heavily sclerotised, plank-like, broader than editum, separated from its counterpart by membranous middle section of transtilla. Sacculus long and well-sclerotised, its distal section somewhat obliquely curved inwards. Distal saccular process distally directed, elongate and heavily sclerotised, flattened, blade-like, with somewhat downcurved, dorsally setose and apically pointed distal section. Ental extension of sacculus short and flattened, lobular, separated from its counterpart by intravincular membrane. Juxta solid and well-sclerotised, trapezoidal with more heavily sclerotised lateral transverse ribs and membranous medial ventral region. Anellus membranous with sparse and fine graniculi. Phallus approximately equal in length to tegumen, nearly straight and cylindrical, well-sclerotised, with very short coecum, and distal longitudinal fold with serrulate margins occupying distal half of dorsal phallus wall. Vesica short and granulose, with several short conical or semiglobular diverticula; vesica ejaculatorius originates subbasally. Female genitalia ( Fig. 171 View Figures 169–173 ). Papilla analis broad, trapezoidal, setose. Pseudopapilla narrow, rectangular and weakly setose. Apophyses elongate and thin, rod-like; apophysis anterior somewhat shorter than posterior one. 8 th tergite short, band-like, somewhat dilated laterally at junction with apophyses anteriores. 8 th sternite medially membranous with loop-like curved sclerotised plates laterally. Ostium bursae moderately broad, opening in the middle of enlarged intersegmental membrane between 7 th and 8 th sternites. Sterigma represented by weakly sclerotised margins of ostium bursae and short strip-like and weakly sclerotised postvaginal plate; region posteriorly of it rugose. Ductus bursae short and narrow, tubular, posteriorly bowl-like dilated. Corpus bursae membranous and finely scobinate, subdivided into globular anterior section and narrower, more or less tubular and posteriorly gradually narrowed posterior one bearing short conical or semiglobular, membranous appendix bursae ventro-laterally on left side. Dorsal wall of anterior section of corpus bursae bearing elliptical and dentate signum medially.

Distribution. The genus is widely distributed in humid forest habitats from Guinea in the west to Uganda and north-western Zambia in the east and south, respectively.

Etymology. The generic name is an aggregate of the specific epithet of its type species and the genus-group name Lithosia Fabricius, 1798 . The gender is feminine.

Species content. The genus is currently monotypic, and the status of various populations belonging to it will be clarified later in a separate paper (Volynkin, in prep.).