Ezishnola congolana, László, 2025

Ezishnola congolana View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CD83A407-D413-4EFD-AF5C-4D46A1E67BFA

( Figs 22–26 View Figures 16–30 , 50–51 View Figures 50–55 , 68–69 View Figures 67–74 )

Holotype. Female , “ REPUBLIC OF CONGO 377m / Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, / Makao camp / 02°35'42.2"N, 17°10'08.3"E / 15–21.v.2023, MV light trap / Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., / László, G., Mvouende, S. leg. / ANHRT:2023.6” // ”ANHRTUK / 00329526” // ”Gen. slide No. / LGN A 1504 ♀ / prep. by Gy.M. Laszlo ” ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes.

Republic of Congo. 2 males, 1 female, with the same data as the holotype, gen. slide No.: LGNA 1457 (female) GoogleMaps ; 3 males, Sangha Prov. , Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa (Secondary forest), 02°12'25.7"N, 16°11'39.1"E, 380m, 18–22.vi.2022, actinic light trap, Dérozier, V. leg. GoogleMaps , gen. slide Nos : LGNA 1847, LGNA 1848 ; 2 males, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa camp (Secondary forest), 02°12'36.9"N, 16°11'30.2"E, 353m, 18.vi–3.vii.2022, MV light trap, Dérozier, V. leg. GoogleMaps ; 7 males, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli camp, 02°14'23.8"N, 16°23'52.1"E, 372m, 14– 20.ii.2023, actinic and MV light trap, Bakala N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. GoogleMaps , gen. slide Nos : ANHRT 02553 , ANHRT 02549 ; 1 male, 1 female, same site, 1–10.x.2022, LepiLED and MV light trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., gen. slide No. : LGNA 1458 (female) ; 2 males, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa forest, (Secondary forest), 02°11'58.1"N, 16°11'16.9"E, 358m, 17–23.ix.2022, actinic and LepiLED light trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63"N, 16°16'25.82"E, 365m, 27.iv–06.v.2023, MV light trap, Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G., Mvouende, S. leg. GoogleMaps ; 8 males, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa camp, 02°12'36.9"N, 16°11'30.2"E, 341m, 06–14.v.2023 LepiLED light trap, Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G., Mvouende, S. leg. GoogleMaps , gen. slide Nos : LGNA 1501, ANHRT 02477 , ANHRT 02479 ; 8 males, same site, 16–23.ix.2022, MV light trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg.; 1 male, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Imbalanga bai, 00°46'01.50"N, 15°15'11.88"E, 470m, 14–15& 18– 19.ix.2024, LepiLED light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Talani, M., Volynkin, A., Yaba Ngouma, S. leg. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Imbalanga Camp, 00°45'47"N, 480m, 15°15'39"E, 05– 09.iv.2024, MV light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Talani, M., Yaba Ngouma, S. leg. GoogleMaps , gen. slide No. : LGNA 1502, LGNA 1505 ; 1 male, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Lobo Research Camp, 00°35'04"N, 14°53'12"E, 390m, 20–27.ix.2024, MV light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Volynkin, A. leg. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, same site, 23–25.xi.2024, LepiLED light trap, Bashford, M., Elliott, I., Kirk-Spriggs, A. leg. ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. Forewing length 8.0–10.0 mm in males, 10.0– 10.5 mm in females. Ezishnola congolana sp. n. is readily distinguished from all other Ezishnola species by its smallest size and shortest forewing. Additionally, the forewing of this new species has a dark subterminal area with a short and broad, diffuse dark grey blotch between the outer angle of the postmedial line and the termen. Similar postmedial marking is found in E. cretacea , E. inopinata , E. nitidipicta sp. n. and E. pindura sp. n.; however, it is considerably darker, larger and more elongated, streak-like in these taxa compared to E. congolana sp. n.

In the male genitalia, E. congolana sp. n. has the narrowest, most elongated valva within the genus, with a barely noticeably distal projection and a relatively broad, rounded apex. The valva shape of E. congolana sp. n. is very similar to those of E. inscripta sp. n. and E. magnisignata sp. n.; however, the latter two species have distally more tapered valva with a more narrowly rounded apex.

In terms of the female genitalia, E. congolana sp. n. is easily distinguished from all other Ezishnola species by the conspicuously small ovoid signa bursae, being the smallest such character in the entire genus.

Genetic information. This new species has been assigned two BIN URIs: BOLD AFG9379 (holotype) and BOLD AEK4427, without any diagnostic morphological feature. The infraspecific divergence calculated from four samples is 0.31–1.72%. The genetically closest relatives of E. congolana sp. n. are E. inscripta sp. n. and E. magnisignata sp. n., diverging by 1.25–2.04% and 1.57–2.36%, respectively.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Republic of Congo where this new species was discovered.

Distribution. Ezishnola congolana sp. n. is known exclusively from the northern Republic of Congo, where it was collected in the Nouabalé-Ndoki and Odzala-Kokoua National Parks.