Taxonomic review of the Afrotropical genus Birketsmithiola Krüger with descriptions of five new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae)
Author
Volynkin, Anton V.
0000-0001-9447-4925
The African Natural History Research Trust (ANHRT), Street Court Leominster, Kingsland, HR 6 9 QA, United Kingdom. anton @ anhrt. org. uk; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 9447 - 4925 & Altai State University, Lenina Avenue 61, RF- 656049, Barnaul, Russia
anton@anhrt.org.uk
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-11-04
5205
1
73
86
journal article
181516
10.11646/zootaxa.5205.1.5
d9d81b59-4151-4eda-b593-e610503c28e6
1175-5326
7285924
0BD59D88-7B2D-4C6D-A288-C1E836F436A5
Birketsmithiola bvumba
sp. n.
(
Figs 12
,
28
)
Type material
.
Holotype
(
Figs 12
,
28
): male, [
Zimbabwe
] “
Vumba Mts.
|
Umtali
| S. Rhodesia |
II–1961
| Nat. Museum, S.
R
.” / “Slide |
ZSM
Arct. | 2021-
265♂
|
A. Volynkin
” (
ZSM
).
Diagnosis
. The forewing length is 15.0 mm in the male
holotype
. The new species is superficially reminiscent of
B. nyassana
but distinguished by its smaller size, and the narrower forewing. The male genital capsule of the new species differs from
B. nyassana
in the markedly shorter valvae with medially broader sacculi, of which the right one is more upcurved than in the congener. Additionally,
B. bvumba
sp. n.
has an evenly narrow uncus whereas it is distally dilated in
B. nyassana
. The phalli of the two species are similar but that of
B. bvumba
sp. n.
is somewhat more upcurved medially than in
B. nyassana
. The vesica of the new species is somewhat broader than in the congener, and the subapical diverticulum is more elongate and narrower distally.
The female is unknown.
Distribution
. The new species is known only from its
type
locality in eastern
Zimbabwe
(
Fig. 35
).
Etymology
. The specific epithet is homonymic of the
type
locality, Bvumba Mountains. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.