Cryptopacha smithi, Takano & Lászlo Introduction, 2022

Takano, Hitoshi & Lászlo Introduction, Gyula M., 2022, A new species of Cryptopacha Prozorov & Zolotuhin, 2012 (Lasiocampidae: Lasiocampinae) from West Africa, Bonn zoological Bulletin 71 (1), pp. 19-22 : 19-22

Cryptopacha smithi sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F06AA4E5-515A-412B-B33A-CC8B40B58618

Figs 1–5

Diagnosis

Cryptopacha smithi is very similar in appearance to C. porphyria but in the latter, the forewing markings are more heavily contrasting, the silvery-white bands (particularly the one beyond the submarginal band) are wid- er and better defined and placed at slightly more of an obtuse angle to the costal margin ( Fig. 6 ). In the male genitalia of C. porphyria , the tegumen is wider, the socii are longer and the valves are more robust and shorter (the valve-socii ratio is almost 1:1). The phallus is larger and the pointed apical section longer in C. porphyria and the digitiform projections of sternite VIII are more robust, shorter and with greater serrations apically ( Figs 7–9 ). As these two species are distributed allopatrically, there is unlikely to be any confusion in specimens with good provenance.

Etymology

It is with great pleasure that this new species is dedicat- ed to Richard Smith, the director of the African Natural History Research Trust, for his continued support of and dedication to African entomology and in particular Lepidoptera systematics.

Material examined

Holotype

WEST AFRICA – Sierra Leone • ♂; “SIERRA LE- ONE 120m / Tiwai Island , Moa River / N07˚33′00″, W11˚21′09″ / 17–22.vi.2016 Light Trap / leg. Takano, Miles & Goff / ANHRT:2017.18 // ANHRTUK / 00029947 // Gen. slide No. / LG 5618 m # / prep. by Gy. M. Laszlo ”; ANHRT.

Paratypes (38 ♂♂ 1 ♀)

WEST AFRICA – Guinea • 5 ♂♂; Massadou campsite, Forêt Classée de Ziama ; 08˚20′36.25″ N, 09˚26′14.70″ W; alt. 541 m; 15–17.iii.2019; Sz. Sáfián and S. Koivogui leg. ; Light Trap; ANHRT – Ivory Coast • 18 ♂♂; Tai National Park ; 05˚50′00″ N, 07˚20′32.0″ W; alt. 174 m; 25.iii–17.iv.2017; A. Aristophanous, M. Aristopha- nous, M. Geiser and P. Moretto leg. ; MV Light Trap ; ANHRT • 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Tai National Park ; 05˚49′59.8″ N, 07˚20′32″ W; alt. 174 m; 5–10.vii.2015; M. Aristopha- nous, P. Moretto and E. Ruzzier leg. ; Light Trap; ANHRT – Liberia • 1 ♂; East Nimba Nature Reserve, Cellcom Road ; 07˚31′2.18″ N, 08˚31′1.90″ W; alt. 1300 m; 31.iii–04.iv.2017; Sz. Sáfián and G. Simonics leg. ; Light Trap; ANHRT • 3 ♂♂; Foya Proposed Protected Area ; 07˚56′36″ N, 10˚16′36″ W; alt. 530 m; 10–19. xi.2017; M. Aristophanous, Sz. Sáfián, G. Simonics and L. Smith leg. ; MV Light Trap ; ANHRT • 2 ♂♂; Wele- zu camp, Wonegizi Nature Reserve ; 08˚04′57.11″ N, 09˚34′47.86″ W; alt. 561 m; 19–27.iii.2019; Sz. Sáfián and S. Koivogui leg. ; Light Trap (Blended Bulb); ANHRT • 1 ♂; Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Juboe River ; 05˚39′04″ N, 08˚39′04″ W; alt. 140 m; 14–20.i.2018; M. Geiser, Sz. Sáfián and G. Simonics leg. ; Light Trap (Blended Bulb); ANHRT – Sierra Leone • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype ; ANHRT • 1 ♂; Kambama village on the banks of the Moa River ; 07˚33′29″ N, 11˚21′51″ W; alt. 110 m; 22.vi.2016; H. Takano, W. Miles and R. Goff leg.; Light Trap; ANHRT.

Description

External morphology of adults ( Figs 1–2 )

Forewing length

Holotype: 26 mm; range: 24–26 mm; female: 36 mm.

Upperside

Ground colour of head, thorax and forewings purplish-brown mixed with densely scattered grey and white scales. Head with a low longitudinal crest. Antennae brown, bipectinate; rami lighter in colour. Patagia with slightly greyer scales posteriorly. Tegulae with transverse patch of white scales medially. Abdomen hirsute, covered in long red-brown hairs. Forewing rounded, outer margin gently sinuate. Basal two-thirds (up to the submarginal line) with silvery-mauve diffuse patches atop the ground colour separated by dark brown bands and silvery-white bands on their outer edge; basal band, straight; double antemedial bands which kink inwards towards dorsal margin at vein CuA2, posterior section slightly sinuate; transverse band filling the space be- tween veins A1+A2 and CuA2, bisecting the antemedial bands just below CuA2 and extending to the outer margin. Discal spot white, well-developed. Postmedial and submarginal bands slightly arcuate anteriorly kinking sharply towards dorsal margin at vein M3, posterior sections beyond sinuate. Subterminal band zigzagged with dark brown and white markings at corners, originating at apical marking. Apical marking triangular, graphite-grey with silvery markings on inner and outer edges. Hindwing outer margin slightly sinuate; same ground colour as forewing, becoming paler towards the costa; anal fold pale. Fringe greyish-brown, darkened at the veins.

Underside

Ground colour of head, thorax, legs purplish-brown; labi- al palps brown. Forewing underside similar in colour to upperside but slightly paler; basal and antemedian bands absent; postmedial band well developed, submarginal band less so, both bands converging towards dorsal margin. Broad diffuse greyish-white band beyond submarginal band, well-defined towards costal margin. Yellowish scales along veins most clearly defined in the subtermi- nal area. Hindwing ground colour similar to forewing but overlaid with creamy scales except for tornal region and postmedial, submarginal and subterminal bands. Terminal band indicated by yellowish-white lunules. Yellowish scales along veins most clearly defined in the subterminal area reaching as far as postmedial line.

Female

Ground colour of body and wing pattern on both upperside and underside similar to male but slightly paler.

Male genitalia ( Figs 3–5 )

Uncus and gnathos absent; tegumen bell-shaped, apically with a pair of robust conical socii, each basally as wide as the width of tegumen. Tuba analis membranous. Valve fully sclerotised, tubular, sickle-shaped, curved caudad, two and a half times longer than the socii. Vinculum sclerotised, curved dorsad. Saccus band-shaped. Anellus membranous. Phallus short, strongly curved medially, basally dilated, apically pointed. Sternite VIII with a pair of heavily-sclerotised digitiform posterior projections with serrations apically. Apodemes long, narrow and rounded at extremities.

DNA divergences

The new species has been assigned the COI-5P cluster number BOLD:AAZ9255. Interspecific pairwise dis- tances between the new species and C. porphyria ranged from 6.2–6.4%.

Distribution

Cryptopacha smithi is a species of the Upper Guinean Forests distributed from Sierra Leone to Ivory Coast.

Figures

Figs 1–9. Cryptopacha smithi sp. n. and Cryptopacha porphyria (Holland, 1893), ♂; Gabon, P.N. Ivindo [ANHRTUK00039000]; gen. slide No. LG 5616. 1. Cryptopacha smithi sp. n. holotype, ♂, upperside. 2. Cryptopacha smithi sp. n., paratype, ♀, upperside. 3. Cryptopacha smithi sp. n., holotype, ♂, genital capsule; 4. idem., phallus. 5. idem., sternite VIII. 6. Cryptopacha porphyria (Holland, 1893), upperside. 7. idem, genital capsule. 8. idem, phallus. 9. idem, sternite VIII. Scale bars: 1–2, 6 = 10 mm; 3–5, 7–9 = 1 mm.