Contribution to the knowledge of the Nolini of the Maputo Special Reserve in South Mozambique with description of two new species and several taxonomic updates (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae)
Author
László, Gyula M.
Author
Vetina, Alvaro A.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-03-26
4571
2
225
246
journal article
28000
10.11646/zootaxa.4571.2.3
d38f7cc0-2c64-4295-aef1-a29ca1050afd
1175-5326
2608276
7397F97C-8D29-47CB-BB41-0C2E84DBA344
Meganola bispermutata
Hacker, 2012
(
Figs 32, 33
,
60
,
80
)
Meganola bispermutata
Hacker, 2012
,
Esperiana
17: 368. Type locality:
RSA
, EC,
Port St-Jones.
Holotype
male, in coll.
Legrain
, later MRAC.
=
Meganola meridianissima
Hacker, 2012
syn. n.
=
Meganola kakamega
Hacker, 2012
syn. n.
Material
examined:
Mozambique
,
Maputo
Special Reserve.
2 ♀
,
22m
,
West Gate
,
Sand Forest
,
26°30'14.2"S
,
32°42'59.6"E
,
3–13.XII.2016
,
Light Trap
,
Aristophanous, M.
,
Cristovao, J.
,
Laszlo, G.
,
Miles, W.
leg., slide
Nos
:
LGNA
355
♀,
LGNA
521
♀;
1 ♀
, same locality and collectors, but
Sand Thicket
, collected at
21–30.XI.2016
, slide
No.
:
LGNA
520
♀;
1 ♀
, same locality, but collected at
24–25.II.2018
,
Actinic Light Trap
,
Laszlo, G.
,
Mulvaney, J.
,
Smith
, L., slide
No.
:
LGNA
522
♀;
4 ♂
,
9m
,
Mangrove Camp
,
Mangrove-Woodland Mosaic
,
26°19'35.9"S
,
32°42'35.7"E
,
7–9.XII.2016
,
Light Trap
,
Aristophanous, M.
,
Cristovao, J.
,
Laszlo
, G.,
Miles, W.
leg., slide
Nos
:
LGNA
356
♂,
LGNA
357
♂,
LGNA
358
♂,
LGNA
359
♂ (coll. ANHRT).
Taxonomic notes.
M. bispermutata
was described from Port St. Jones in
Eastern Cape province
of the
RSA
. The species is very similar externally to
M. swierstrai
(van
Son, 1933
)
described from Transvaal, Pietersburg District. Although the
holotype
of
M. swierstrai
,
deposited in the TMSA, Pretoria, has not been dissected, the male genitalia of the
paratype
found in the NHMUK looking convincingly conspecific with the
holotype
was dissected by Hacker and figured in his revision. Comparison of the male genitalia of the
paratype
specimen of
M. swiestrai
and
M. bispermutata
lead to the conclusion that the two species are different and easily distinguishable based on their male genitalia (
Hacker
et al
2012
). Several further species described by
Hacker (2012)
display, however, no difference in genitalia and external characters compared to
M. bispermutata
, therefore
Meganola meridianissima
Hacker, 2012
(described also from
South Africa
) and
Meganola kakamega
Hacker, 2012
(described from
Kenya
) are synonymized here with
M. bispermutata
due to the lack of any distinctive features. Further two species, i.e.
M. stigmatolalis
Hacker, 2012
(described from
Ethiopia
) and
M. cryptochra
Hacker, 2012
(from
Cameroon
), are also very similar to
M. bispermutata
, however the slight differences in their genitalia and the fact that their distribution area is rather remote from that of
M. bispermutata
may justify their taxonomic distinctness at least on subspecific rank. The specimens collected in the
Maputo
Special Reserve are undoubtedly conspecific with
M. bispermutata
. New country record for
Mozambique
.