Meganola spherographata, László, 2025

Meganola spherographata View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C4A0A80A-C17D-4EA0-812B-CF9D06093F69

( Figs 56–60 View Figures 41–60 , 120–122 View Figures 120–128 , 156 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 / 00165572” // “SAMPLED FOR: / DNA (2022)” // “Gen. slide No. / LGN A 1576 ♂ / prep. by Gy. M. Laszlo ” ( ANHRT). GoogleMaps

Paratypes (all in coll. ANHRT) .

Côte d’Ivoire. 2 males, Tai NP., Tai Research Station , 174m, 05°49'59.8"N, 07°20'32.0W, 14– 23.xi.2015, light trap, leg. Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 144, LGNA 228 GoogleMaps . Gabon. 1 male, same site and collectors as in the holotype, but collected at LepiLED light trap, gen. slide No.: LGNA 1579 ; 1 female, Nyonie ( Lowland forest ), 10m, 0°2'22"S, 9°20'25"E, 23– 28.viii.2019, MV light trap, leg. Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1155 GoogleMaps . Liberia. 1 male, 1 female, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area , 530m, 7°56'36"N, 10°16'36"W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV light trap (125W), leg. Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 861 (male), LGNA 539 (female) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, 2 females, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts , base camp forest, 611m, 8°07'17"N, 9°57'42"W, 20.xi– 01.xii.2017, MV light trap (125W), leg. Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., Smith, L., gen. slide No: LGNA 1176 (male), LGNA 587, LGNA 864 (females) GoogleMaps ; 4 females, Lofa County, 8°07'10"N, 9°57'11"W, 865m, 24–29.xi.2017, light trap (blended bulb 250W) and Cold Cathode light bucket, leg. Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L., gen. slide Nos: LGNA 541, LGNA 542, LGNA 1167, LGNA 1166 GoogleMaps ; 1 female, Nimba Mts, ENNR, Nimba county ( Cellcom road), 1000–1100m, 7°32'45.88"N, 8°31'21.04"W, 16–28.xii.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), leg. Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., gen. slide No.: LGNA 1284 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 7–8 mm in males, 9–11 in females. Meganola spherographata sp. n. is reminiscent externally of M. furvitincta furvitincta , but it can be distinguished by the lighter greyish forewing ground colour, where the medial area has only a large costal patch including a rounded discal spot, whilst in M. furvitincta , a larger proportion of the medial area displays a darker colouration. The postmedial line in the new species is finer, but often more contrasting, and the terminal forewing area is less darkened in M. spherographata sp. n. than in its allied species. As the two species occur sympatrically in western and central Africa, accurate identification often necessitates genitalia dissection.

In the male genitalia, the clasping apparatus of M. spherographata sp. n. has a somewhat shorter valva, a noticeably narrower and more elongate harpe, and a shorter vinculum. The most distinct differences between this new species and M. furvitincta are expressed in the configuration of the aedeagus, where M. spherographata sp. n. has a considerably narrower and apically tapering flap-like carinal process, which does not reach over the tip of the aedeagus, whilst in both subspecies of M. furvitincta , the apically dilated carinal process extends well over the tip of the aedeagus. The length of the carinal process is nearly identical in both species; however, the post-carinal distal section of the aedeagus in M. spherographata sp. n. is ca. twice as long as in M. furvitincta .

In the female genitalia, the antrum is noticeably shorter and narrower with nearly straight lateral margins and a deeper, semicircular distal concavity marking the ostium bursae in M. spherographata sp. n. compared to the considerably larger, goblet-shaped antrum with a V-shaped notch of the ostium bursae in M. furvitincta . Further differences between the two species are the shorter, medially more constricted eighth tergite, the slightly shorter and broader anterior apophysis, the ca. 10% longer tubular section of the corpus bursae and the less extensive scobinated plate of the signum bursae of M. spherographata sp. n. compared to its congener.

Meganola spherographata sp. n. also closely resembles M. aarviki , but the latter species can be distinguished by its creamy sheen of the forewing, in contrast to the matte grey ground colour of the new species. In the male genitalia, compared to M. spherographata sp. n., M. aarviki has a ca. 10% shorter aedeagus with a markedly shorter flap-like carinal process that ends well before the tip of the aedeagus and has a sharply truncate tip, unlike the tapered-rounded tip of the carinal process found in M. spherographata sp. n.

The configuration of the female genitalia is nearly identical in M. spherographata sp. n. and M. aarviki ; however, the latter has considerably larger anterior lobes of the eighth sternite and a noticeably shorter antrum.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a modified form of “ spherographa ”, an adjective of Greek origin, referring to the species M. spherographa , which has sunk into synonymy with M. furvitincta due to the designation of a misidentified female holotype ( Hacker et al. 2012).

Genetic information. Meganola spherographata sp. n. has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD AAP3225. The species is BIN-sharing with M. furvitincta furvitincta , M. furvitincta poliographa and M. aarviki , diverging by 0.46–2.19%, 0.00–2.51% and 0.00–2.33%, respectively. The intraspecific divergence of the COI 5P sequences calculated from seven samples is 0.00–2.33%. This species is also closely related to M. fontainei and M. trigonographa , diverging by 2.57–3.31% and 2.67–3.15%, respectively.

Taxonomic note. This species was illustrated by Hacker et al. (2012) as M. spherographa Hacker, 2012 . However, since Hacker designated a female holotype for this taxon which has been proven to be conspecific with M. furvitincta (as mentioned above), M. spherographa syn. n. was placed in synonymy with the former taxon. Consequently, the otherwise distinct species required a new description based on a male holotype, along with a correct matching of male and female sexes through DNA barcode analyses.

Distribution. A male specimen of this new species was previously identified as M. spherographa syn. n. from Nigeria ( Hacker et al. 2012). In the current study, the species has been confirmed in Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia. Additionally, the female specimens illustrated in Hacker et al. (2012) as M. spherographa syn. n. from Nigeria and Sierra Leone actually belong to M. furvitincta .