Archithosia (Acanthosia) flavifrontella ( Strand, 1912 )

Durante, Antonio, Potenza, Luigi & Pellegrino, Gabriele, 2025, Revision of the subgenus Acanthosia Krüger, 2015 in the genus Archithosia Birket-Smith, 1965, with a description of four new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5659 (3), pp. 407-425 : 411

1) Archithosia (Acanthosia) flavifrontella ( Strand, 1912) species group

♂. Ala valvae pear-shaped (see Remarks below) with thick process (cp in Fig. 6A ) in middle of dorsal margin (according to Birket-Smith (1965: 21), in his description of A. flavifrontella : “ala valvae bifurcate with unequal brances [sic] from about the middle”). In addition: rounded processus basalis plicae (pb in Fig. 6A ); supravalva merging from basis valvae very close to ala valvae; valvellae slender.

♀. Lamella postvaginalis concave, without median swellings (unlike tryphosa species group); ductus bursae long and slender ( Figs. 7A, 7C ; in brevis sp. nov. shorter, Fig. 8 ).

Remarks: an additional shorter process “arising from near base of sacculus”, as diagnosed by Krüger (2015: 28) for the whole subgenus Acanthosia , is absent in this species group.

Included species (with geographical range)

Archithosia (Acanthosia) flavifrontella ( Strand, 1912) ( Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Uganda)

Archithosia (Acanthosia) oblonga sp. nov. ( Gabon)

Archithosia (Acanthosia) brevis sp. nov. ( Gabon)

Figures

FIGURE 6. Archithosia (Acanthosia) species, genitalia. A. A. flavifrontella, male, ventral view, g. sl. n. 1245 MAD, Ipassa, Gabon. B. Same, aedeagus, lateral view, enlarged. C. A. tryphosa, holotype, male, ventral view, Arctiidae genitalia slide n. 44 BMNH, Ruwenzori Range, Bwamba Pass, Uganda. D. Same, aedeagus, lateral view. E. A. tryphosa, allotype, female, ventral view, Arctiidae genitalia slide n. 45 BMNH, same data as holotype.

FIGURE 7. Archithosia (Acanthosia) species, genitalia. A. A. flavifrontella, female, ventral view, g. sl. n. 1207 MAD, Ipassa, Gabon; B. A. flavifrontella, female, ventral view, teratological form, g. sl. n. 1283 MAD, Ipassa, Gabon; C. A. oblonga sp. nov., holotype, female, ventral view, g. sl. n. 1207 MAD, Ipassa, Gabon; D. Same, dorsal pheromone glands, dorsal view; E. Same, ductus bursae, dorsal view, enlarged; F. Same, signum, ventral view, enlarged. aa anterior apophyses; ca caudal margin of VII sternite; db ductus bursae; ds ductus seminalis; cb corpus bursae; la lamella antevaginalis; lp lamella postvaginalis; pa papillae anales; pg dorsal pheromone glands; pp posterior apophyses; sc sclerifications of ductus bursae; si signum; us Ushaped sclerotization of VIII sternite; VIII t eighth tergite.

FIGURE 8. A. brevis sp. nov., holotype, female, g. sl. n. 1280 MAD, Ipassa, Gabon, genitalia. A. Abdomen, ventral view. B. Dorsal pheromone glands, dorsal view. C. Ductus bursae, ventral view, enlarged. D. Caudal end of ductus bursae, dorsal view. E. signum, ventral view, enlarged. F. Ductus bursae, ventral view, granicula, enlarged. ca caudal margin of VII sternite; db ductus bursae; ds ductus seminalis; cb corpus bursae; la lamella antevaginalis; lp lamella postvaginalis; pa papillae anales; pg dorsal pheromone glands; si signum; VII st seventh sternite; us U-shaped sclerotization of VIII sternite.