Taxonomic revision of the genus Delorhachis Karsch 1896 (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)
Author
Taberer, Tabitha R.
Author
Fiebig, Ralf
Author
Giusti, Alessandro
Author
László, Gyula M.
text
Journal of Natural History
2023
2023-02-10
57
1 - 4
54
129
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2022.2157346
journal article
10.1080/00222933.2022.2157346
a1490804-bf49-4635-8aeb-e929da7544b7
1464-5262
7636801
Delorhachis wetzelae
Fiebig, Taberer, Giusti and László
sp. nov.
(
Figures 30
,
80
,
111
,
145
)
Holotype
.
Male
, [
Tanzania
] ′
Ukami Berge
| (
1200 m
)
Ost Africa
|
3–6. 1898
.
Moritz
̍. || ′
Coll.
|
Staudinger
̍ || ′
Genitalpräparat
| coll.
Ralf Fiebig
| RF 297.2019̍ (
MfN
).
Description
Male external morphology.
Fore wing length
13.5 mm
. Head, collar, tegula, and thorax vermillion, antenna bipectinate in basal fourth, otherwise filiform, colour as of head. Tegula with one green rounded patch. Dorsal side of thorax with a central green patch; ventral side pale beige without markings. Legs vermillion laterally, beige medially. Abdomen uniformly pale beige, first two abdominal segments with vermillion hair scales. Fore wing short, broad, triangular, with rounded apex; ground colour vermillion, veins contrasting black in postmedial area. Medio-ventral fascia pale green, narrow, elongate, undulate, margined with black on distal edge. Fringe long, slightly darker than ground colour. Hind wing uniformly pale ochreous with slightly darker, long fringe. Underside of both wings pale vermillion without markings; fringe as ground colour.
Female.
Unknown.
Male genitalia.
Uncus short, tapered, apically pointed. Tegumen broad. Gnathos short, basally broad, constricted medially, rounded apically. Juxta rounded basally, with two short, ventral, ribbon-like distal processes; manica with two sclerotised, relatively long, slightly curved pseudocornuti. Vinculum short and broad, rounded. Valva moderately broad at base, constricted medially, very narrow, distally forming a long, narrow, curved, dorso-apical process with a rounded point and a very short, pointed ventral process. Phallus medium-length, moderately thick, very slightly curved bearing a sclerotised, apically pointed ventral surface in its basal half. Vesica membranous without cornuti.
Diagnosis
Delorhachis wetzelae
is most similar in size to
D. meyi
, although the former species has a lighter green, narrower, undulating fore wing fascia compared to the broader fascia of the latter species. The male genitalia of
D. wetzelae
has a somewhat shorter gnathos, less numerous and straighter pseudocornuti, and a medially somewhat narrower valva with a shorter, more curved, less pointed dorso-apical process compared to those of
D. meyi
.
Genetic information
The single known specimen of
D. wetzelae
was not suitable for DNA barcoding due to its age.
Etymology
Delorhachis wetzelae
is named in honour of Ellen Wetzel, Arten-Schönfeld,
Germany
, for her contribution to entomological research.
Distribution and habitat
(
Figure 184
)
This species is presumably endemic to the forested Uluguru Mountains of the Eastern Arc Mountains in
Tanzania
. An allopatric sister taxon of
D. wetzelae
was found from the nearby Usambara Mountains and is described below as
D. wetzelae shambaa
ssp. nov.