A new genus Meyameta for South African “ Napta ” straminea and description of its sister species from Namibia (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae) Author Prozorov, Alexey M. Author Volkova, Julia S. Author Saldaitis, Aidas Author Prozorova, Tatiana A. Author Sulak, Harald Author Yakovlev, Roman V. Author Traore, Mohamed M. Author Revay, Edita E. Author Müller, Günter C. text Ecologica Montenegrina 2024 2024-02-18 71 172 183 http://dx.doi.org/10.37828/em.2024.71.16 journal article 10.37828/em.2024.71.16 2336-9744 13249328 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:71806CE4-7CDF-48D6-B7AB-BA7F48184103 Meyameta gen. n. https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4C19433D-2141-4FD3-BDE5-B630E1DC08F3 ( Figs 5–10 , 16–20 , 23–24 ) Type species: Glocia straminea Aurivillius, 1921 , Annals of the South African Museum , 18 (2), 237, by present designation . Description . Male ( Figs 5–7, 9–10 ). Head, thorax and abdomen light-colored. Forewing . Somewhat triangular with smooth outer margin and blunt apex. Background color light. Pattern vague or absent. Fringe light-colored. Hindwing . Somewhat oval with smooth outer margin. Background color varies. Fringe light-colored. Genitalia ( Figs 16–20 ). Vinculum a wide band with a pair of finger-like socii. Cucullus elongated, claw-shaped. Sacculus compact, sparsely covered with setae. Juxta small, ventrobasally fused with aedeagus. Aedeagus c-shaped. Vesica small, semispherical. Vinculum ventrally expands into somewhat trapezoid saccus. Female ( Fig. 8 ). Similar to male but larger. Genitalia ( Fig. 23–24 ). Papillae anales oval, densely covered with setae. Posterior apophyses about ¼ longer than anterior ones. Antevaginal plate a semioval fold covering ostium. Postvaginal plate medially membranous, divided into two somewhat trapezoid parts. Ostium wide, somewhat round. Ductus bursae short. Corpus bursae medium-sized, ovoid. Figures 2–14 . Adults and caterpillar. 2–4. Napta serratilinea , Madagascar. 2. LT ♂ of Borocera madinika (MNHN) . 3. ♀, Nosy Be (CRF). 4. ♂, Ankarana NP (CRF). 5–8. Meyameta gen. n. straminea , RSA. 5. ST ♂ of Glocia straminea , GS 10965 (SNHM). 6. HT ♂ of Pachymeta eborea , Bloemfontein (DMNH) . 7. ♂, Steynburg, GS Las-2 (DMNH). 8. ♀, Vanderkloof, GS Las-3 (DMNH). 9–10. Meyameta gen. n. roberti sp. n. , Namibia, Nasepberg (MfNB). 9. HT ♂, GS 2011-027. 10. PT ♂, GS 2010-011. 11–12. Henometa clarki , RSA. 11. ♂, Blouberg NP (MWM/ZSM). 12. ♀, Ben Lavin Nature Reserve, GS 17.462 (MWM/ZSM). 13–14. Caterpillar of Meyameta gen. n. straminea , RSA, Bloemfontein (SNHM). Scale bar – 1 cm. Diagnosis . The type species of Meyameta gen. n. – South African G. straminea – was considered within the Madagascan genus Napta with the type species N. serratilinea . Here we establish a new genus Meyameta gen. n. for G. straminea because its adults have sexual dimorphism only in size, they are light-colored with vague wing pattern ( Figs 5–10 ), have saccus with claw-like extensions but lack cubile in male genitalia ( Figs 16–20 ), and weakly sclerotized sterigma in female genitalia ( Figs 23– 24 ); while adults of N. serratilinea have sexual dimorphism in size, color and forewing shape, and they are overall darker ( Figs 2–4 ), have cubile instead of saccus in male genitalia ( Fig. 1 ), and wellsclerotized sterigma in female genitalia ( Fig. 1 ). Meyameta gen. n. is morphologically similar to the monotypic South African genus Henometa with the type species H. clarki (De Prins & De Prins, 2011–2024). Adults of Meyameta gen. n. are light-colored with reduced wing pattern ( Figs 5–10 ), have less bent aedeagus in male genitalia ( Figs 18–20 ), and membranous fold-like antevaginal plate in female genitalia ( Figs 23–24 ); while adults of Henometa are dark-colored with well pronounced pattern ( Figs 11–12 ), have more bent aedeagus in male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ), and semi-round sclerotized antevaginal plate in female genitalia ( Figs 21–22 ). Etymology . The name is devoted to Wolfram Mey ( Berlin , Germany ), an outstanding entomologist who extensively collected insects in South Africa and Namibia ( e.g. Mey, 2011 ); Meyameta roberti sp. n. described below is one of many species he exclusively obtained. The name also includes connecting - a - with ending - meta like in other lasiocampid genera: Dinometa Aurivillius, 1927 ; Gonometa Walker, 1855 ; Henometa ; Leptometa Aurivillius, 1927 ; Oplometa Aurivillius, 1894 ; Pachymeta Aurivilius, 1906 ; and Pseudometa Aurivillius, 1901 .