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New genera and problematic species in African Lithosiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae, Lymantriidae)
(2012)
This paper deals with some problematic species in the subfamily Lithosiinae. Two new monospecific genera are proposed: Parafrasura gen. nov. and Palaeugoa gen. nov. The former presents the following autapomorphies: tegumen strong and large; uncus long and slightly claviform; typical scaphium-gnathos complex. The latter presents as autapomorphies the disposition of the bands of the wings pattern, and the male genitalia shape. Asura naumanni Kühne, 2005 is considered incertae sedis within Lithosiinae and Asura phaeosticta Kiriakoff, 1958 is transferred to Euproctis Hübner, [1819] (Lymantriidae) (comb. nov.).
The Afrotropical subgenus Phornus Paulian, 1948 of the genus Orphnus MacLeay, 1819 is revised and currently comprises six species. Four new species are described: Orphnus renaudi sp. nov., Orphnus valeriae sp. nov., Orphnus ferrierei sp. nov. and Orphnus parastrangulatus sp. nov. The subgenus is characterized by the coarse stridulatory field, sclerotized plate on the second abdominal sternite near plectrum, absence of the pronotal lateral processes in males, rounded apices of the parameres and endophallus without armature, although some of these characters differ in O. giganteus Paulian, 1948. Symphysocery is reported for the first time for members of the Orphninae. In O. giganteus, the majority of specimens have malformed antennomeres. Four of the six species of Phornus are brachypterous and all species except for O. giganteus are known only from males. A key to Phornus species and a map of their localities are provided.
Two new species from South Africa, Dactylonotus nigricorpus sp. nov. and Dactylonotus tsitsikamma sp. nov., are described and illustrated. D. nigricorpus sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus in the black body, the smaller size and the shorter antenna. D. tsitsikamma sp. nov. is peculiar in the genus in bearing a flag of long setae on the fifth segment of the fore tarsus. An identification key to 6 Afrotropical species of the genus is provided.
Six new species of Platypalpus Macquart, 1827 are described from tropical forest at Yangambi (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Platypalpus bolikoi sp. nov., P. ikoso sp. nov., P. lokonda sp. nov., P. manjano sp. nov., P. saffradi sp. nov. and P. yangambensis sp. nov. All species are photographed and, except for P. saffradi sp. nov. known only from females, male terminalia are illustrated for all. A key is provided for the six species of DR Congo. COI barcodes are available for all species at GenBank.
The genus Elaeidobius Kuschel, 1952 (Curculionidae, Curculioniae, Derelomini) is an Afrotropical genus associated with the male inflorescences of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. The activity of species in this genus is critical for pollen transportation and for the fruit set of this economically important palm. In this study, the genus Elaeidobius was revised using an integrative taxonomic approach, combining traditional taxonomic treatment of species and an analysis of sequences of mitochondrial genes (COI and COII). A total of eight species is now recognized: five now formally included within it [E. bilineatus Hustache, 1924) comb. nov., E. kamerunicus (Faust, 1898) comb. nov., E. plagiatus (Fåhraeus, 1844) comb. nov., E. singularis (Faust, 1898) comb. nov., E. subvittatus Faust, 1898)], one transferred here from the genus Prosoestus to the genus Elaeidobius, E. spatulifer (Marshall, 1950) comb. nov., and two newly described species (E. pilimargo Haran & Kuschel sp. nov., E. piliventris Haran & Kuschel sp. nov.). The following new synonymies are proposed: Prosoestus armatus Voss, 1956 = E. bilineatus (Hustache, 1924) comb. nov. and Derelomus uelensis Hustache = E. singularis (Faust, 1898). An illustrated key to the species is provided with photographs of the adult habitus and male genitalia.
After our taxonomic revision of Ootheca Chevrolat, 1837, and the description of Oothecoides Kortenhaus & Wagner, 2011 and Ootibia Kortenhaus & Wagner, 2012, it became clear that a further four galerucine species, closely related to the above named taxa, form a distinct monophyletic group, that constitutes a new genus, Oosagitta gen. nov. with O. anningae sp. nov., O. geescheae sp. nov., O. melanopicta sp. nov. and O. thomasi sp. nov.. Exosoma angolensis Laboissière, 1939, the type species of the new genus, and Ergana minuta Laboissière, 1937 are newly transferred to Oosagitta gen. nov. All species of Oosagitta gen. nov. are characterized by a broad body and pronotum, a more or less convex dorsum and short legs, and as such are most similar to the other above named genera. The antennae of Oosagitta gen. nov. are distinctly longer than those of Ootheca, Oothecoides and Ootibia. Genital structures of the males allow a reliable identifi cation of the genus. (Re-) descriptions are given for all species, including semi-schematic illustrations depicting the habitus outline, shape of the basal antennomeres and the median lobe. Photographs of the name-bearing types and distribution maps are provided.
Pardosa benadira Caporiacco, 1940 is redescribed, including the hitherto unknown female. The species is here transferred to the genus Wadicosa Zyuzin, 1985. Previously known only from its type locality in Somalia, additional localities for P. benadira in Somalia and Kenya are given. Male and female W. cognata sp. nov. (Kenya: Lake Magadi), male and female W. jocquei sp. nov. (Comoro Islands, Aldabra, Madagascar and Mauritius) and female W. russellsmithi sp. nov. (Mauritius) are described. Pardosa oncka Lawrence, 1927, widely distributed in Africa and redescribed by Kronestedt in 1987, is formally transferred to the genus Wadicosa and new records given.
Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini) from Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed, including five new species: Acrapex kafula le Ru sp. nov., A. kavumba le Ru sp. nov., A. kiakouama le Ru sp. nov., A. miscantha le Ru sp. nov. and A. simillima le Ru sp. nov. Evidence is provided to transfer the monotypic genus Poecopa Bowden, 1956 to the genus Acrapex. Host plants of five species are recorded, some of them for the first time. Acrapex kavumba sp. nov., A. miscantha sp. nov. and A. simillima sp. nov. were found on one host plant each. Acrapex mediopuncta, previously reported in West Africa from Pennisetum purpureum Schumach., Rottboellia compressa L., Setaria megaphylla (Steud) Dur. & Schinz. and Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf, was only found from S. megaphylla in Central Africa. Larvae of Acrapex unicolora were collected on Andropogon gayanus Kunth, Chrysopogon zizanoides (L.) Roberty, Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Maire & Weller, Cymbopogon pospischiilii (K.Schum.) C.E.Hubb., Hyparrhenia diplandra (Hack.) Stapf and Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Moss. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive sample of 61 specimens belonging to eight of the studied species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses provided additional evidence of the synonymy of Acrapex and Poecopa, whereas molecular species delimitation analyses support the validity of the five newly described species and unravel another potential new species, only collected in the larval stage.
The flower fly genus Afrosyrphus Curran, 1927 (Diptera, Syrphidae) is revised and a new species, Afrosyrphus schmuttereri sp. nov., from Kenya and Uganda is described. Diagnoses, illustrations, DNA barcodes and known distributional data are provided for the two species of this genus, as well as an identification key. A critical review of the published literature is also provided.