Aenetus porlovi Grehan, C. Mielke & De Groof, 2025

Aenetus porlovi Grehan, C. Mielke & De Groof View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs 1a–b View FIGURES 1–7 , 10a View FIGURES 9–10 , 11a, 13a–b View FIGURES 11–13 , 14a View FIGURE 14 , 15a View FIGURE 15 , 16a, 17a View FIGURES 16–17 , 18d View FIGURE 18 , 19a View FIGURE 19 , 20a View FIGURE 20 )

Type material. Holotype. 1 ♀ “ Indonesia, Lomblen isl. [Lembata] , Lamalera vill. Area, +/- 400m, 8–14/XI/2006 ”; HOLOTYPUS, Grehan, C. Mielke & De Groof, 2025 ( RMNH)

Diagnosis. Forewing postdiscal line of subsquare shaped spots compared with ovoid to round spots in other species. Dorsal surface of the lateral lobe of the lamella antevaginalis narrowing basally (to junction with dorsal plate), and distal end forming a rounded knob ( Fig. 19a View FIGURE 19 )

Description. Female ( Figs 1a–b View FIGURES 1–7 , 10a View FIGURES 9–10 , 11a, 13a–b View FIGURES 11–13 , 14a View FIGURE 14 , 15a View FIGURE 15 , 16a, 17a View FIGURES 16–17 , 18d View FIGURE 18 , 19a View FIGURE 19 , 20a View FIGURE 20 ). Wingspan ~ 54 mm; Forewing length: 30 mm, width: 14 mm; Hindwing length: 24 mm, width: 12 mm.

Head. Antennae pale yellowish brown, scape and pedicel covered with short piliform scales, scape cylindrical, pedicel rounded and slightly barrel shaped, flagellum broken. Eyes prominent, about ⅔ head width in dorsal view. Labial palps ( Fig. 10a View FIGURES 9–10 ) three segmented, mid segment slightly longer than basal segment, distal segment less than half length of mid segment, more sclerotized than other segments, and slightly wider apically with von Rath’s organ at apex.

Thorax. Pro- and mesothorax dorsally covered with dark yellowish green scales, scutum III pale yellowish brown, anteriorly free of scales, dorsal posterior scales orange; lateral and ventral thorax orange to yellowish brown. Forewing triangular, costal margin centrally sub-linear, curving distally to shallow falcate apex; outer margin straight, distinct tornus, anal margin a shallow curve. Wing venation hepialine, central and posterior discal cells subequal length and width, branching of Rs1 and Rs2 near apex, hindwing Sc and R curved ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 ). Dorsal ground colour pale green with dark green transverse lines forming a tegulate pattern between veins, width of lines expanding near bordering veins to form a narrow hour-glass shape; each row of transverse lines slightly offset from adjacent rows ( Fig. 11a View FIGURES 11–13 ); three dark brown trapezoidal patches between costal margin and Sc; outer margin, tornus, and anal margin irregularly edged with dark brown; Broken transverse postdiscal line of five dark brown spots between common stalk of Rs1+Rs2 and M 3, anterior spot (anterior to Rs3) at slight angle to rest, two partially fused spots between CuA 2 and A. Ventral ground colour reddish-brown with pale yellowish brown along veins. Hindwing triangular with linear outer margin, distinct tornus, and linear posterior margin. Ground color pale reddish-brown with narrow dark brown edging along costal and outer margins. Ventral ground colour reddish-brown with pale yellowish brown along veins. Legs ( Fig. 13a–b View FIGURES 11–13 ): meta leg broken at distal end of first tarsus, overall leg length shorter than pro- and meso legs, metaleg tibia wider than femur; epiphysis narrow triangle, arolium distally sclerotized.

Pre-genital abdomen. Dorsal scales reddish-brown on segments I–IV, merging to yellowish green on posterior segments to brown on TVIII; pleural and ventral surfaces pale yellowish brown. Tergites and sternites weakly sclerotized; TII ( Fig. 16a View FIGURES 16–17 ) lateral ridge extending posteriorly from lateral tuberculate plate, tergum III lateral ridge indistinct. Tergosternal sclerite ( Fig. 15a View FIGURE 15 ) with short lateral and dorsal brace, narrowly triangular intermediate zone, and curved, partially fused tergosternal bar. sternum II anterior margin broadly V-shaped; lateral arms short; lateral ridge extending posteriorly and angled medially; tergum VII sub-square, slightly longer than wide, tergum VIII rectangular, wider than long, about half length of tergum VII; sternum VII and sternum VIII fused, rectangular, weakly sclerotized, about twice as long as wide ( Fig. 17a View FIGURES 16–17 ).

Genitalia ( Fig. 18d View FIGURE 18 , 19a View FIGURE 19 , 20a View FIGURE 20 ). Dorsal plate, a narrow, inverted U-shape, dorsally setose, anal papilla shallow ( Fig. 16h View FIGURES 16–17 ). Subanal sclerites narrow, lightly sclerotized. Lamella antevaginalis with dorsally setose, U-shaped central lobe, lateral lobe narrow, subrectangular, medially forming a shallow, medially oriented, setose knob ( Figs 18d View FIGURE 18 , 19a View FIGURE 19 ). Subanal sclerite narrow, sub-horizontal, weakly sclerotized. Bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 20a View FIGURE 20 ) with cylindrical corpus bursae and diverticulum, latter 1/3 length of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae of similar length to ductus bursae.

Male. Unknown.

Geographical distribution. Known from the type locality only, at Lamalera village , 400 m. Lomblen Island, Indonesia ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE 21 ).

Host plants. Unknown

Etymology. Named for Alexander Porlov, Indonesia, who helped BDG collect Hepialidae from this region. A noun in the genitive case.

Remarks. The shape and relative proportions of the corpus bursae and ductus bursae are similar to that found in Aenetus sp. from Buru ( Fig. 18b View FIGURE 18 ) and A. tegulatus ( Fig. 20c View FIGURE 20 ). Tergum I twice as wide as long, dorsal surface covered with elongate yellowish-brown piliform scales as illustrated for A. tegulatus ( Fig. 12a–b View FIGURES 11–13 ).