Meganola baaka, László, 2025

Meganola baaka View in CoL sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BB9E669B-58B3-4F78-BE58-F49EF4363D06

( Figs 43–46 View Figures 41–60 , 113–114 View Figures 111–119 , 153 View Figures 152–159 )

Holotype. Male , “ GABON 430m / Mikongo (Rougier), Monts / de Cristal (Secondary Forest) / 0°29'47"N, 11°10'42"E / 28.vii–12.viii.2019 MV LightTrap / Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., / Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., / Moretto, P. Leg. / ANHRT:2019.17” // “ANHRTUK / 00192260” / “SAMPLED FOR: / DNA (2022)” // “Gen. slide No. / LGN A 1582 ♂ / prep. by Gy. M. Laszlo ” ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes (all in coll. ANHRT) .

Republic of Congo. 1 male, Sangha Prov. , Noubale-Ndoki National Park , Ndoki formation (Secondary forest), 352m, 02°12'47.7"N, 16°23'45.8"E, 29.ix–1.x.2022, actinic light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H., gen. slide No.: ANHRT 02216 GoogleMaps ; 2 males, 3 females, Likouala Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Makao forest (Secondary forest), 349m, 02°36'42.5"N, 17°09'523.8"E, 24–29.ix.2022, actinic and LepiLED light trap, leg. Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 1318, ANHRT 02224 (males) , LGNA 1384, LGNA 1389, ANHRT 2223 (females) ; 2 males, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli camp, 372m, 02°14'23.8"N, 16°23'52.1"E, 14–20.ii.2023, actinic light trap, leg. Bakala N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G., gen. slide Nos: ANHRT 02239 , GoogleMaps ANHRT 02267 GoogleMaps ; 7 males, 1 female, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Kokoua base, 540m, 00°28'39"N, 15°16'42"E, 05–13.ix.2024, MV light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Talani, M., Volynkin, A, Yaba Ngouma, S., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 1423, LGNA 1487, LGNA 1831 (males) GoogleMaps ; 3 males, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Mbomo HQ, 570m, 00°26'13''N, 14°42'01''E, 28.ix–01.x.2024, MV light trap, leg. Bashford, M., László, G., Volynkin, A., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 1433, LGNA 1465, LGNA 1485 GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Odzala-Kokoua National Park , Lobo Research Camp, 390m, 00°35'04"N, 14°53'12"E, 25–26.ix.2024, LepiLED light trap, leg. Bashford, M., László, G., Volynkin, A., Yaba Ngouma, S., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1490 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 7–9 mm in males, 9–10 mm in females. Meganola baaka sp. n. is a central African allopatric sibling of the West African M. dananae , distinguished in the following external features: the new species has a notably more extensive and contrasting elongate-triangular costal patch and considerably darker terminal area of the forewing, which has a whitish grey sheen in contrast to the pale ochreous-grey ground colour of M. dananae . In the male genitalia, both species feature a narrow, apically rounded valva and a remarkably long, pointed harpe; however, the new species has a noticeably longer tegumen without an angled medial dilation as observed in M. dananae . The aedeagi of both species are similarly long, with an elongate distal section distinguishing them from the other taxa of the M. bispermutata complex, having markedly shorter aedeagi.

In the female genitalia, M. baaka sp. n. has a somewhat shorter and broader anterior apophysis, a noticeably narrower, elongate-quadrangular ostium bursae (it is rounded, U-shaped in M. dananae ), a narrower distal sclerotised section of the ductus bursae, and a shorter (by ca. 30%) ductus bursae.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to the Baaka people, a major ethnic group in central Africa.

Genetic information. Meganola baaka sp. n. belongs to the BIN URI: BOLD AAF7471. As only one specimen was sequenced in this study, intraspecific divergence of the COI 5P sequences could not be calculated. The species’ closest relative is M. dananae , diverging by 3.15–3.31%.

Distribution. Meganola baaka sp. n. is a central African vicariant of the West African M. dananae with confirmed records only from Gabon and the Republic of Congo.