Poloma angulata Walker, 1855

Poloma angulata Walker, 1855

( Figs 1–4 View FIGURES 1–8 , 17 View FIGURES 17–20 , 21 View FIGURES 21–24 )

Poloma angulata Walker, 1855: 858 . Type locality: [ South Africa] “ Port Natal, Zoolou Country , Cape ”.

Sarvena incompta Walker, 1865: 543 . Type locality: [ Colombia] “ Bogota ” [patria falsa].

Homochroa janula Felder & Felder, 1874: 5, p. 94 , fig. 4. Type locality: [ South Africa] “ Port natal [sic]”.

Poloma angulata — Aurivillius 1901: 12; Gaede 1927: 296, pl. 44, fig. b; Forbes 1955: 108, fig. 2; Pinhey 1975: 129, pl. 30, fig. 558; Vári et al. 2002: 150; Kitching & Rougerie et al. 2018: suppl. material 1; Krüger 2020: 138.

Sarvena incompta — Kirby 1892: 792; Fletcher & Nye 1982: 146; Vári et al. 2002: 150 (syn.)

Homochroa janula — Aurivillius 1901: 12 (syn.)

Type material examined: Poloma angulata . Syntype ♂ ( NHMUK): “Type [circular label with green border] // Port / Natal [circular label; handwritten]; 49 / 29 [on reverse] // 1. POLOMA ANGULATA . // NHMUK 014200392 [QR Code]” .

Sarvena incompta . Holotype ♀ ( NHMUK): “Type [circular label with green border] // Bogota [circular label; handwritten]; 56 / 142 [on reverse] // Sarvena [handwritten] // incompta [handwritten] // NHMUK 014200393 [QR Code]”.

Homochroa janula . Syntype ♂ ( NHMUK): “Port / Natal [blue border] // FELDER / COLLN. [circular label] // Homochroa / Janula / Nob. in tab. [red ink] // NHMUK 014200380 [QR Code]” .

Notes. The syntype of P. angulata ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–8 ) is one of four specimens of this species collected by Wilhelm Gueinzius included in the original type series by Francis Walker. The B.M. 1849-29 accession consisted of 303 specimens purchased from Samuel Stevens by NHMUK. There are three specimens from the Felder collection (ex. Rothschild Bequest [B.M. 1939-1]) in NHMUK and all are considered syntypic. The specimen illustrated herein ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–8 ) carries a specific determination label in red ink that is believed to be in the hand of Catejan von Felder (see Horn et al. 1990, pl. 36, fig. 32) and is most probably the specimen figured in pl. 94, fig. 4. of Felder, Felder & Rogenhofer (1874).

Other material examined (32♂♂ 3♀♀): SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: East London , 10.iv.1917, leg. N.J. Crosby (1♂ NHMUK) ; Grahamstown [=Makhanda], x.1901 (1♂ NHMUK) ; same data but, leg. W.L. Distant (1♂ NHMUK) ; Katberg , 01–10.ii.1933, leg. R.E. Turner (1♂ NHMUK) ; King William’s Town [=Qonce], leg. Dr Henderson (1♂ NHMUK) ; Port St. Johns , ix.1923, leg. R.E. Turner (1♂ NHMUK) ; Transkei , leg. Miss Barrett (1♂ NHMUK) ; Kwazulu-Natal: [no data], 1874, leg. E.C. Buxton (1♂ OUMNH) ; Cumberland Nature Reserve , 660 m, 28°30'50"S, 30°30'17"E, 15–16.ii.2018, leg. R. Yakovlev & V. Kovtunovich (2♂♂ ANHRT) GoogleMaps ; Dragon Peaks Park , 09–12.xi.1993, leg. W. Mey & K. Ebert (1♂ MfN) ; Durban (1♀ NHMUK) ; same data but 1903 (2♂♂ 2♀♀ NHMUK) ; same data but leg. G.F. Leigh (1♂ NHMUK) ; same data but x.1913, leg. L. Hargreaves (1♂ NHMUK) ; Kloof , 1500 ft, ix.1926, leg. R.E. Turner (1♂ NHMUK) ; Malvern , 24.ix.1897, leg. G.A.K. Marshall (1♂ NHMUK) ; same data but leg. C.N. Barker (4♂♂ OUMNH) ; Maritzburg [=Pietermaritzburg] (1♂ NHMUK) ; Natal (3♂♂ OUMNH) ; Pinetown , 02.iv.1884, leg. J.H. Bowker (1♂ NHMUK) ; Springvale , 31.x.1948, leg. E.M. Gibson (1♂ NHMUK) ; Verulam , leg. A.J. Spiller (1♂ MfN; 1♂ NHMUK) ; Limpopo: Shilouvane , leg. H. Junod (1♂ NHMUK) ; Soutpansberg, Lajuma , 23°02'S, 29°26'E, 22–31.x.2004, leg. F. Koch (1♂ MfN) GoogleMaps ; Mpumalanga: Endiatongana [=Endhlazana], i.1903, leg. W.M. Mercer (1♂ NHMUK) .

Diagnosis. Forewing length: male: 20–24 mm, female: 25–27 mm. Poloma angulata is closely allied to P. variegata but can be easily differentiated based on the habitus. In the former, the antennal flagellum is covered along its entire length with creamy scales and the rami are pale brown in colour, while in the latter, the flagellum and rami are dark brown. Similar to the antennae, the legs are a pale brown colour in P. angulata but a darker brown in P. variegata . The ground colour of the forewing is brown in P. angulata but heavily irrorated with white and greyish scaling in P. variegata . The antemedial band is gently curved in the former but angled and sinuate in the latter, while the outer and inner edges of the band, as well as the submarginal fascia are beige in the former and white in the latter. The most diagnostic feature of the forewing in P. angulata is the dark brown marking between the antemedial band and postmedial fasciae which is right-angled proximally, the marking being wholly absent in P. variegata . In addition, the hindwing ground colour of P. angulata is a much duller reddish-pink in comparison to the rosy-pink of P. variegata . In the male genitalia of P. variegata , the uncus is medially extended and apically bifurcate ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 17–20 ); in P. angulata , the uncus is only partially extended and these processes are placed further apart from each other at their base ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 17–20 ). The inner of the two bilobed lateral processes is narrower and longer in P. variegata while the saccular process is positioned nearer the apex in P. angulata and the saccus is broader.

Foodplants. Canthium ciliatum ( Rubiaceae ) ( Taylor 1957: 321); Canthium inerme ( Rubiaceae ) ( Kroon 1999: 5).

Distribution. Poloma angulata is broadly distributed in temperate and subtropical zones, along the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains from the western-most extent of the Maputaland-Pondoland bushlands and thickets ecoregion in the Eastern Cape to the woodlands of eastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga province, where it is found sympatrically with P. variegata ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 21–24 ).