Hypotrabala leopoldi, Weber & Revay & Verdecia & Müller & Prozorova & Yakovlev & Saldaitis & Volkova & Prozorov, 2024

Hypotrabala leopoldi View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:261BA386-76EF-4DAC-B61F-4C969D603340

( Figs 1–4 View Figures 1–7 , 14 View Figures 8–14 , 15, 21 View Figures 15–21 )

Holotype: ♂, “Tshuapa: Flandria, 27-I 1948, Rév. P. Hulstaert,” [ DRC, Équateur Province, Flandria, - 0.37706, 19.07842, 315 m], GS 2010-07 ( RMCA). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: ♂, “Equateur: Flandria, 26-8-1947, R. P. Hulstaert,” [ DRC, Équateur Province, Flandria, -0.37706, 19.07842, 315 m], GS 2005-05 ( RMCA) GoogleMaps ; ♂, “Equateur: Flandria, 27-I-1948, R. P. Hulstaert,” [ DRC, Équateur Province, Flandria, -0.37706, 19.07842, 315 m], GS 2011-162 ( RMCA) GoogleMaps ; ♂, “Lusambo, 8-IX-1950, Dr. Fontaine,” [ DRC, Sankuru Province, -4.96528, 23.44784, 460 m] ( RMCA) GoogleMaps .

Description. Male ( Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–7 ). Flagellum, head, thorax, and abdomen covered with dark brown scales. Forewing. Forewing length: 19–20 mm. Somewhat triangular, elongated; outer margin wavy; apex prominent, pointed. Wings brown with darker crenulated medial lines, somewhat reniform white or yellowish discal spot, and faint zigzag dark brown outer line. Fringe dark brown. Hindwing. Somewhat trapezoid with wavy outer margin. Almost evenly dark brown without pattern, slightly lighter colored basally. Fringe dark brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 15 View Figures 15–21 ). Tegumen a narrow band with long, finger-shaped, laterocaudal socii. Vinculum medially split, with juxta forming a pair of short wide ventrolateral outgrowths. Valvae about the same length as socii, curved, apically pointed. Juxta surrounds phallus, bears small dorsal dent. Phallus claw-like, gradually narrows towards apex. Vesica bag-like with two medial lines of cornuti. Eighth sternite somewhat trapezoid with short triangular mediocaudal extensions; laterally bears a pair of long, slightly bent, apodemes. Female ( Fig. 4 View Figures 1–7 ) similar to male but larger and slightly lighter colored with better pronounced pattern. Forewing length: 33 mm. Genitalia ( Fig. 21 View Figures 15–21 ). Papillae anales oval, densely covered with chaetae. Posterior apophyses about one third longer than anterior ones. Sterigma caudally rectangular, basally oval with wide elongated sclerotized laterobasal outgrowths, medially bears hollow-like ostium with downward opening. Ductus bursae very short. Corpus bursae ovoid with dorsal signum; signum a sclerotized c-shaped stripe with dentated apices.

Diagnosis. Hypotrabala leopoldi sp. n. differs from:

1) H. obscura with darker colored antennae and hindwing in male (compare Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–7 and 12 View Figures 8–14 ), larger size and slightly lighter coloration in female (compare Figs 4 View Figures 1–7 and 13 View Figures 8–14 ); longer socii, shorter valvae, smaller dorsal dent on juxta, and thinner 8 th sternite with larger extensions (compare Figs 15 and 19 View Figures 15–21 ); smaller ratio of posterior apophyses length to anterior apophyses length, and rectangular shape of sterigma (compare Figs 21 and 20 View Figures 15–21 );

2) H. benjamini sp. n. with darker colored antennae and lacking yellow elements in coloration of thorax and forewings (compare Figs 1–3 and 5–7 View Figures 1–7 ); slightly longer socii, shorter and wider valvae, slightly bigger dorsal dent on juxta, short wide ventrolateral outgrowths, and smaller distal cornuti (compare Figs 15 and 16 View Figures 15–21 );

3) H. carlottae sp. n. with darker coloration without yellow elements in pattern (compare Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–7 and 8–10 View Figures 8–14 ); longer socii, shorter and wider valvae, smaller dorsal dent on juxta, and smaller distal cornuti (compare Figs 15 and 17 View Figures 15–21 ); distribution eastwards the Dahomey Gap ( Fig. 14 View Figures 8–14 );

4) H. bettinae sp. n. with darker coloration and without yellow elements in pattern (compare Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–7 and 11 View Figures 8–14 ); longer socii with rounded apices, shorter and wider valvae, smaller dorsal dent on juxta, short wide ventrolateral outgrowths, smaller distal cornuti (compare Figs 15 and 18 View Figures 15–21 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 14 View Figures 8–14 ). Eastern Congolian swamp forests and Southern Congolian forestsavanna in DRC.

Biology. Adults were collected in January, August and September from altitudes up to 460 m.

Preimaginal stages unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of the fantastic oldest son of the senior author,

Leopold, who is so hard-working.