The Cossidae (Lepidoptera) of Malawi with descriptions of two new species
Author
Yakovlev, Roman V.
Author
Murphy, Raymond J.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3709
4
371
393
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3709.4.5
1a85af30-e9c8-4c20-95a7-3d4117152f29
1175-5326
248967
6AF181F0-F659-44CC-A381-F996B4338DEC
Strigocossus elephas
Yakovlev
sp. nov.
(
Figs. 24–25
,
53
)
Material.
Holotype
, male,
Ouganda
[
Uganda
], Gulu distr., Ajulu,
1035 m
,
10.04.2010
, leg. P. Schmit (MWM).
Paratypes
:
1 male
, Ruo Riv., Mt. Mulanje, S.
Malawi
,
1000 m
,
28.10.2004
, leg. R.J. Murphy (RMM);
2 males
,
Malawi
, Zomba distr., Mt. Zomba,
1720 m
,
26.10.2003
, leg. P. Schmit (RYB);
1 male
,
Malawi
, Kosungo distr.,
80 km
N Kosungo,
1315 m
,
14.01.2009
, leg. A. Sochivko (RYB);
4 males
, S. Africa Rep., KwaZulu
Natal
Prov., Pongolapoort N.R., S27°21’54’’; E 31°59’09’’,
610 m
,
17.10.2009
, leg. Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin (RYB);
1 male
, S. Africa Rep., KwaZulu
Natal
Prov., Ithala G.R., S27°31’13’’; E 31°12’18’’,
610 m
, 18–
19.10.2009
, leg. Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin (RYB);
1 male
,
Swaziland
, Mlawula N.R., S
26°12’37’’ E
32°00’04’’, h
150 m
, 14–
15.10
.2009 leg. Kovtunovich V. & P. Ustjuzhanin (RYB).
Description.
Male large. Forewing length
60 – 72 mm
, elongated, brownish-ochreous with complicated brown pattern; brown field is situated on costal edge of wing; wide dabs in medial part of forewing and thin reticulate pattern in lateral part; hindwing brown with thin reticulate pattern and light-ochreous dab on costal edge.
Genitalia configuration is typical of the genus; uncus elongated, with bill-pointed apex, branches of gnathos completely reduced; tegumen small-sized; valva leaf-like with smooth edges and small hollow near basal part of costal edge; juxta broad, saddle-like with two very long relatively well-sclerotized oar-like processes; saccus very stout, semispherical, aedeagus very large, much longer than valva length, slightly arched, with developed lengthwise folding along length; aperture of large vesica complicated, with long strongly sclerotized lorade cornutus in lateral wall.
Female unknown.
Diagnosis.
The new species differs clearly from three “large” member of the genus:
S. crassa
(
Fig. 26–29
),
S. moderata
,
S. capensis
as its juxta has very long oar-like lateral processes and by its distinct brown fuzzy pattern.
Etymology. “
Elephas
” (Latin) means elephant.