Chrysectropa Bethune-Baker, 1911

Taberer, Tabitha R., 2023, Revision of the family Chrysopolomidae Aurivillius, 1895 (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea) with the description of three new genera, Bonn zoological Bulletin 72 (1), pp. 1-23 : 13

Chrysectropa Bethune-Baker, 1911

Figs 8 , 29

Annals & Magazine of Natural History (8) 7 (42): 566– 567.

Type species. Chrysopoloma roseofascia Aurivillius, 1900 (by original designation)

Syntypes. 1 ♂, 1 ♀.

Type locality. N’Dalla Tando, Angola ( NHMUK).

Genus re-description. Small size. Antennae bipectinate, beige. Head, thorax and abdomen yellow-beige. Forewing broad, rounded, creamy beige, sometimes slightly golden, slightly darker patch approximately between veins R4 and M2; sprinkled sparsely with a few tiny black scales. Discal spot extremely small, comprised of a cluster of black scales. Medial line broadened, pinkish-brown, diffuse, very slightly arcuate. Fringe long, same as ground colour. Hindwing rounded, gently scalloped near anal margin, same colour as forewing accentuated with additional tiny black scales. Antemedial line pinkish-brown, diffused, gently arcuate; fringe as in forewing. Underside. Ground colour and legs yellow-beige, hindtibia with two pairs of spurs. Both wings with same ground colour as upperside, sprinkled with tiny black scales; both fore- and hindwing with small oblong black discal spot. Forewing medial line and hindwing antemedial line as on upperside. Male genitalia. Single posterior process of transtilla fairly short, rectangular, with very slight apical depression; paired anterior processes of transtilla extremely short, rounded, completely separated. Valve wide at base, tapered, narrow, curved distally. Juxta broad, flat, with narrow, rounded central process. Phallus short, large vesica with rounded plate of dense, short cornuti.

Diagnosis. The single known species of Chrysectropa has a distinctive appearance, with no other Chrysopolomidae displaying a broadened medial band that is pinkish-brown in colour.

Distribution. Widely distributed in West and Central Africa.

Species content

C. roseofascia ( Aurivillius, 1900)

= C. unilinea Bethune-Baker, 1911

Figures

Figs 4–10. Adults.4. Ectropa ancilis, South Africa (NHMUK). 5. Muscectropa alberici, Ivory Coast (ANHRT). 6. Ectropona dargei, Tanzania (ZSM). 7. Pseudectropona revelii, Liberia (ANHRT). 8. Chrysectropa roseofascia, Ivory Coast (ANHRT). 9. Chrysopolomides nivea, Sierra Leone (ANHRT). 10. Vietteopoloma madagascariensis, Madagascar (MNHN).

Figs 29–30. Male genitalia (a = clasping apparatus; b = phallus). 29. Chrysectropa roseofascia, Gabon, genitalia slide No. TT 179 (ANHRT). 30. Chrysopolomides nivea, Liberia, genitalia slide No. TT 107 (ANHRT).