Hypotrabala neavei ( Aurivillius, 1915 )

Friend, Herman L., Sulak, Harald, Beavogui, Abdoul Habib, Müller, Günter C., Revay, Edita E., Yakovlev, Roman V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Volkova, Julia S., Prozorova, Tatiana A. & Prozorov, Alexey M., 2025, Descriptions of three new Hypotrabala from the H. neavei species group (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 89, pp. 16-37 : 18-20

Hypotrabala neavei ( Aurivillius, 1915)

( Figs 1 , 2–9 , 27–30 )

Pachymeta (?) Neavei Aurivillius, 1915 , Arkiv för Zoologi , 9 (11), 6. Type locality: [ Malawi, Mulanje, 16.025833 S, 35.508056 E or Mulanje Massif situated nearby] “Nyassaland: Mlanje”. Syntypes: unstated number of ♂♂ and ♀ ♀ (NHMUK).

Note on distribution ( Fig. 1 ). The species was recorded for Malawi only ( De Prins & De Prins 2025) from the type locality, Mulanje or Mulanje Massif ( Figs 2–4 ) ( Dixey, 1927), and Mzuzu Wildlife Sanctuary ( Takano & Laszlo 2024). We examined additional material that expanded the known distribution area from Malawi to the DRC.

Examined material. MALAWI: ♂, [16.06925 S, 35.14062 E] “3104. ♂ / Cholo / Nyasaland. / 2700’. RCW. / In coitus. [?] / 21. Xii. 26 ( CMNH; Fig. 5 ); ♀, same data ( CMNH); ♂, [15.37658 S, 35.33565 E] “ Zomba / Nyasaland / HBarlow” ( CMNH; Fig. 6 ) ; 2♀♀, same data ( CMNH) ; ♂, [15.66166 S, 34.61666 E] “MPATAMANGA ROAD / MWANZA DIST. SMALAWI / 400 m 15 39.7S 34 37 E / 1 & 14 FEB 2005 R.J.MURPHY”, GS 29026 ( CGM; Fig. 8 ) ; ♂, [11.195 S, 33.47333 E] “ZARO CAMP / VWAZA MARSH GAME RES. / MZIMBA DIST. N.MALAWI / 1130 m 11 11.7S 33 28.4E / 25-27 FEB 2006

R.J.MURPHY” (coll. of the late R. J. Murphy; Fig. 9 ). DRC: ♀, [11.05497 S, 26.54727 E] “Ht Katanga / Tshinkolobwe / 14.2.31 / J. Romieux ” ( MHNG; Fig. 7 ) .

Figures

Figure 1. Map with collection localities of Hypotrabala spp. Map © 2025 Google. Map data © 2025 AfriGIS (Pty) Ltd.

Figures 2–9. Adults of Hypotrabala neavei with labels.2. GS 1305. 4. GS 9958. 8. GS 29026. Depositories: 2–3. NHMUK. 4. SNHM. 5–6. CMNH. 7. MHNG. 8. CGM. 9. Coll. of the late R. J. Murphy (Mzuzu, Malawi). Scale bar – 1 cm. Photos © R. J. Murphy (9), A. M. Prozorov (8) & V. V. Zolotuhin (2–7).

Figures 27–32. Clasping apparatus (CA), eighth sternite (ST), and phallus (PH) of Hypotrabala spp. 27–30. H. neavei, Malawi. 27. Mulanje Massif, GS 1305 (NHMUK). 28. Mulanje Massif, GS 9958 (SNHM). 29. Mzuzu, GS “4 Yak” (coll. of the late V. V. Zolotuhin). 30. Mwanza, GS 29026 (CGM). 31–32. H. lunda, DRC (RMCA). 31. “Kibomboma”, GS 2005-11. 32. Katanga, Kolwezi, GS 2005-18. Scale bar – 1 mm. Photos © A. M. Prozorov (30) & V. V. Zolotuhin (27–29, 31–32).