New species of Zeuzerinae from the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

Nueva especie de Zeuzerinae de la República Democrática de Santo Tomé y Príncipe (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

Introduction

Cossidae are a family of primitive ditrise Lepidoptera, including over 1200 valid species (VAN NIEUKERKEN et al., 2011). The Cossidae of the Afrotropics are still insufficiently studied, though some African genera have recently been revised: Arctiocossus Felder, 1874 (type species - Arctiocossus antargyreus Felder, 1874); Camellocossus Yakovlev, 2011 (type species - Cossus abyssinica Hampson, 1910); Parolophonotus Schoorl, 1990 (type species - Zeuzera auroguttata Herrich-Schäffer, [1854]), Pseudozeuzera Schoorl, 1990 (type species - Duomitus biatra Hampson, 1910), Eburgemellus Schoorl, 1990 (type species - Xyleutes geminatus Gaede, 1930), Alophonotus Schoorl, 1990 (type species - Chalcidica (Duomitus) rauana Strand, 1909), and Meharia Chrétien, 1915 (type species) (YAKOVLEV et al., 2013; YAKOVLEV, 2014; MEY, 2015; YAKOVLEV & WITT, 2017a, b, 2018a, b, c).

The genus Pseudozeuzera Schoorl, 1990 includes two species: P. biatra (Hampson, 1910) (type locality - S. Nigeria, Old Calabar [Calabar city]) and P. stenlii Yakovlev, 2009 (type locality - Congo, Kibali-Ituri, Nia-Nia). P. biatra is widely distributed in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon, Togo, Central African Republic, Congo and Gabon, whereas P. stenlii - in Congo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Uganda (YAKOVLEV & WITT, 2018a).

During the examination of the materials deposited in the museum of African Natural History Research Trust (Leominster, G. B.) we found one male specimen belonging to the genus Pseudozeuzera collected recently in São Tomé island, which is proved to be a species new to science.

Material and methods

The collected material is deposited in the collection of African Natural History Research Trust, Leominster (ANHRT). The genitalia were dissected and stained with Eosin red and mounted in Euparal on microscope slides applying standard methods of preparation (LAFONTAINE & MIKKOLA, 1987). The adults were photographed using a Nikon D700 camera equipped with Nikkor AF-S Micro 105 mm lens. The genitalia preparations were photographed using a Tucsen H series digital microscope camera mounted on a Nikon SMZ1500 stereomicroscope.

Taxonomic part

DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES

Pseudozeuzera caminhai Yakovlev & László, sp. n. (Figs 1-2)

Material: Holotype, ♂, SÃO TOMÉ, Ponta Furada, 186 m, 0º14’01.8”N / 6º28’15.5”E, 24-X-2016, MV light trap, Turner, C. R., Tasane, T. leg., Trip Ref: ST-001 (ANHRT - 021). Accession number: ANHRT:2017.21. Specimen unique number: ANHRTUK00052292. Slide number: ANHRT-00042.

Description: Length of forewing 32 mm. Antenna goblet-like, proximal half bipectinate, rami long (3-4 times longer than antenna rod diameter), distal half filiform, without rami; frons, dorsal side of thorax and abdomen covered with admixture of very fine black and white scales. Forewing elongate, apically relatively pointed. Wings of holotype rather worn, pattern mostly erased. Forewing with grey costal margin, with a series of small semicircular dark spots along it; wide black streak with blurred edges in cubital cell; and black reticulated pattern in postdiscal area of forewing. Hindwing relatively narrow, with wide black filling between veins and greyish brown anal margin.

Male genitalia. Uncus very wide, domed, slightly tapered apically; tegumen medium wide, rather short; gnathos arms thin, long, medially fused; valva rather short and wide, leaf-like, costal margin strongly dilated in the basal third of valva, then almost straight towards apex, ventral margin slightly arcuate in its basal third, then almost straight, valva apex broadly rounded; juxta forked, with two relatively wide leaf-like lateral processi; saccus semicircular, medium sized. Phallus very thick, and short, robust armed with a rod-like massive cornutus laterally; everted vesica very thick and domed at base, gradually tapered posteriorly, rather short, without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Etymology: The species is named after the first governor of the islands São Tomé and Príncipe Álvaro de Caminha (?-28 April 1499).

Diagnosis: The new species is the closest relative of P. stenlii, from which it is easily distinguishable by the following features of the male genitalia:

1. 1. The valve in P. caminhai is significantly wider than in P. stenlii,
2. 2. The uncus in P. caminhai is larger than in P. stenlii,
3. 3. In P. caminhai the cornutus of phallus is large, single, while in the phallus of P. stenlii there are two large cornuti - one of them is rod-like, being analogous to that of P. caminhai, and the second one, erected parallely to it is ribbon-like.

Discussion

By the discovery of P. caminhai, the species number of the Carpenter moths currently known from the territory of the island state of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe has been increased to two: Eulophonotus nigrodiscalis Yakovlev, 2011 and P. caminhai sp. n.; both species are endemic to São Tomé island. The Cossidae fauna of the other large island of the Gulf of Guinea, island of Bioko (previously, Fernando Póo) counts a single endemic species Gumilevia timorum Yakovlev, 2011, according to our current knowledge.

Acknowledgments

The senior author is indebted to Mr Richard Smith (ANHRT, Leominster) for the opportunity to study the Cossidae material of the collection of African Natural History Research Trust; in addition to Mr Geoff Martin and Mr Alessandro Giusti (NHM, London) for their kind assistence provided during examining of Cossidae type material in the Natural History Museum. Our special thanks go to Mr Arlindo de Carvalho (General Directorate for the Environment) for granting ANHRT team the necessary permits for insect sampling in São Tomé and Príncipe.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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YAKOVLEV, R. V. & WITT, TH. J., 2018a.– Redescription and Catalogue of little known Genus Pseudozeuzera Schoorl, 1990 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae).– Russian Entomological Journal, 27(3): 289-292.

YAKOVLEV, R. V. & WITT, TH. J., 2018b.– Redescription of the genus Alophonotus Schoorl, 1990 based on the morphology of male and female genitalia (Lepidoptera: Cossidae).– SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología, 46(184): 647-652.

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Figures

Figures 1-2.– 1.
Pseudozeuzera caminhai Yakovlev & László, sp. n., holotype. 2. Pseudozeuzera caminhai Yakovlev & László, sp. n., male genitalia (slide number: ANHRT-00042).

Author notes

Altai State University, pr. Lenina, 61, RUS-656049 Barnaul, RUSIA / RUSSIA, E-mail: yakovlev_asu@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9512-8709