Neoliparina schultzei, Powell, 2024

Neoliparina schultzei View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FF06F34D-DD5C-449D-92DC-F5075750581F

( Figs 6 View Figures 1–6 , 12 View Figures 7–12 , 16 View Figures 13–16 , 20 View FIGURES 17–20 )

Holotype. Male, “ ZAMBIA 1250m / Muchinga Prov., Benyanga / village / 10°40’41”S, 33°27’45”E / 07–12.xii.2023, MV light trap / László, G., Morgan, L., / Volynkin, A. leg. / ANHRT:2024.3 // unique id: ANHRTUK 00374162, gen. slide No. BP 062 ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. Zambia. 1 female, 10m, Kalene Hill (Miombo woodland), 11°11’11”S, 24°12’5”E, 27.xi– 3.xii.2020, MV light trap, Chizuwa, D., Choongo, W. Leg. ANHRT GoogleMaps :2022.4, unique id.: ANHRTUK 00265558, gen. slide No.: 059 ( ANHRT).

Description.

Adult. Male ( Fig. 6 View Figures 1–6 ). Forewing length 12 mm. Head large; antenna-bipectinate fasciculate, rami of antenna very long seven to ten times longer than diameter of antennal shaft, ventral rami 1.5 times longer than dorsal rami, ochreous brown, dorsal side of antennal shaft ochreous yellow; labial palp short and narrow covered in yellowish scales. Frons, vertex and collar yellow. Tegula covered in long, yellowish, piliform scales, interspersed with some red scales; mesothorax red. Foreleg femur covered in some long, reddish, piliform scales, tibia yellow; midleg absent; hindleg covered in pale yellow scales. Abdomen ochreous yellow, with reddish scales on medial line. Forewing short and broad, costal margin very gently arched, apex rounded, termen smoothly convex, anal margin almost straight. Forewing ground colour yellowish with some orange suffusion, discal spot very small, blackish brown, somewhat rounded, lightly contrasting; medial line zig-zagged, angled outward medially, postmedial sinuous line, both lines faint greyish, subterminal area yellow with diffuse orange spots, terminal line ochreous. Cilia longish, ochreous. Underside pale ochre, discal spot diffuse. Hindwing pale ochre, no markings. Cilia longish, ochreous. Underside as on upperside.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 16 View Figures 13–16 ). Uncus moderately long and broad, triangular, with two teeth-like ventral processes. Arms of tegumen, heavily sclerotised, ribbon-like, broadened in proximal half with arched outer margin. Valva, medium-long, broad at base, costa gently convex, ventral margin gently sinuous; apical section of valva small, truncate, squarish. Juxta very broad with V-shaped posteromedial notch, thick proximally. Vinculum short and broad, triangular. Phallus short, thin, straight, coecum truncate, carina unmodified; vesica very short, basal section inflated spherical; vesica ejaculatorius not inverted.

Female ( Fig. 12 View Figures 7–12 ). Forewing length 15 mm. Head large; antenna bipectinate-fasciculate, rami of antenna short, length ca. two-thirds of that of male, rami ca. half the length of those of male, three to five times longer than diameter of antennal shaft, ventral rami 1.5 times longer than dorsal rami, ochreous grey, dorsal side of antennal shaft ochreous grey; labial palp short and narrow covered in hay-coloured scales. Frons and vertex yellow; collar pale orange. Tegula covered in long, reddish orange, piliform scales, turning ochreous apically; mesothorax red. Fore-, mid- and hindleg all covered in yellow scales; index of spurs 0-2-4. Abdomen as in male. Forewing broad and elongate, costal margin very gently arched, apex very rounded, termen smoothly convex, anal margin almost straight. Forewing ground colour dark grey; discal spot small, black, surrounded by red circle; where median line is in male, four rounded areas of red scales follow median line; subterminal area red turning yellow apically, with row of greyish spots; terminal line dark yellow. Cilia longish, ochreous. Underside as on upperside, paler. Hindwing ochreous, no markings. Cilia longish, yellow. Underside as on upperside.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 17–20 ). Papilla analis short and very broad with small, triangular pseudopapillae; apophysis posterioris thin, medium-long, as long as apophysis anterioris. Eighth tergite very short, ribbon-like; antevaginal plate somewhat elongate but short. Ostium bursae wide, with sclerotised margin; antrum long, tube-shaped; ductus bursae two times longer than antrum, moderately thick. Corpus bursae large, ovoid, fully membranous bearing two equally sized, very small, spherical appendices; signum weakly sclerotised, gently convex.

Diagnosis. More detailed comparisons between Neoliparina schultzei sp. n. and its congeners can be found under the other respective diagnoses.

Neoliparina schultzei sp. n. can be readily distinguished by the more yellowish ground colour and more diffuse forewing markings in the male and pronounced greyish markings of the forewing in the female.

The male genitalia can be easily distinguished by the teeth-like ventral processes of the uncus (longer than those in N. nyonie sp. n.) and the abruptly truncate and narrow apices of the valva.

In the female genitalia the differing characters include the papillae analis which is very broad, the much shorter antevaginal plate, the tubular antrum (this shape being exclusive to N. schultzei sp. n.) and the weakly sclerotised, slightly convex signum.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Arnold Schultze, whose work in equatorial Africa resulted in the discovery of numerous new species including the type species of this genus.

Bionomics and distribution ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 ). N. schultzei sp. n. is known thus far from Zambia, where it inhabits high elevation Miombo woodlands.

Discussion

The genus Neoliparina has for a long time been considered monotypic but examination of recently collected material has revealed a further three species described as new to science in this paper. One of these includes the specimen Collenette considered to be conspecific with the type species from Ivory Coast, however, the genitalia of the West African population has proved to be notably different. Although based on limited material, it appears all four species are allopatrically distributed ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 ) with two found in tropical rainforest environments, and the other two in more open woodland transition zones. Based on the habitus and biogeography, Neoliparina smithi sp. n. may be the West African vicariant of N. nyonie sp. n., whilst the genitalia of the former is perhaps closer in appearance to N. paradoxa ; further analyses incorporating molecular markers may yet shed light on their evolutionary relationship.

In many Lymantriinae genera, it can be difficult to determine any notable differences in genitalia between species (cf. László & Volynkin 2023, László & Powell 2024), however in the case of Neoliparina both male and female genitalia characteristcs are diagnostic for each species.

The colouration of Neoliparina species is another unusual trait for Lymantriinae, as most tussock moth species express darker, more cryptic brown and grey colouration. The more vibrant appearance of Neoliparina species (most similar to Lymantriinae genus Barlowia Talbot, 1929 ) suggests a form of aposematism which may indicate diurnal behaviour, however, there are no records of these particular moths being encountered during the day. All specimens where the collection methods were recorded, were caught at MV light which could allude to nocturnal (or crepuscular) behaviour, but since such few specimens are known, it may be possible to conclude that they are generally not attracted to light sources. There are cases where aposematic moth species are active at night (e.g., the footman genus Miltochrista Hübner, [1819] ( Arctiinae, Lithosiini )) and whilst unusual this trait would still result in lower predation when at rest during the day ( Nokelainen et al. 2024).

Whilst only 13 specimens were found in the collections of ANHRT and NHMUK during the preparation of this present study, the discovery of three new species from this material with good differing characteristics, both in habitus and in genitalia, demonstrates the importance of thorough morphological investigations in revealing the hidden biodiversity of the Afrotropics (cf. Volynkin 2023, Takano 2024, Takano & László 2024).

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the following organisations and institutions for their assistance and collaboration during ANHRT fieldwork: Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves (OIPR) and Société de Développement des Forêts (SODEFOR) in Ivory Coast; Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, the Society for the Conservation of Nature and the Forestry Department Authority in Liberia; the Regional Protectorate, Mbe in Cameroon; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CENAREST), Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM) and Rougier Gabon in Gabon; Department of National Parks and Wildlife – ZAWA and Livingstone Museum in Zambia.

I extend my gratitude to Alberto Zilli (NHMUK) for allowing access to the Neoliparina material under his care. Additionally, I express my thanks to Viola Richter and Eran Wolff (MfN) for providing images of the holotype of Neoliparina paradoxa , which are reproduced with permission and made available under Creative Commons License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

The Author declares that to the best of her knowledge she conforms to the national regulations and meets with the conditions and requirements of international conventions concerning collecting/export and handling of the specimens presented in this Article.

References

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