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Beiträge zur Entomologie

66 (2): 325 - 328
2 0 Ï6© Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 2016

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A newAgdistis from St. Helena Island (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae)
With 7 figures
E r n s t A r e n b e r g e r 1, A n n a l e a M. B e a r d 2 and T í m m Ka r ís c h 3

1 Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Österreich. - ernst.arenberger@chello.at
2 Heathfield, Dewlands Common, Verwood, Dorset, England BH31 6JL. - annaleamichellebeard@yahoo.co.uk
3 Museum für Naturkunde und Vorgeschichte Dessau, Askanische Straße 32, 06842 Dessau, Deutschland. - Timm.Karisch@naturkunde.dessau.de
Published on 2016-12-20

Summary

Agdistis cambriana spec. nov. is described as new species. Imago and genitalia are illustrated.
Key words

St. Helena, fauna, Pterophoridae, Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.
Zusammenfassung

Agdistis cambriana spec. nov. wird als neue Art beschrieben, Imago und Genitale werden abgebildet.

IntroductionSt. Helena is a small 122 square kilometres island in theSouth Atlantic. First studies of the Lepidoptera fauna
were conducted in the second half of the 19th Century.
At the end of the 20th Century three species of Ptero­phoridae had been recorded: Stenodacma wahlbergi(Z eller, 1852), Hellinsia subnotata (Walker , 1875)
and Agdistis sanctae-helenae Wollaston , 1879 (Bigot,1975; Karisch , 2003; A shmole & A shmole, 2000).
In 2011 a second Agdistis species was discovered by
the second author (AMB) in southwest St. Helena anddescribed under the name Agdistis marionae A ren ­berger , Beard , H asenfuss & Karisch , 2012.

ISSN 0005-805X

Material and Methods

Among the specimens of Agdistis marionae sent tothe third author (TK) in 2011, there was a specimen
from the north of the island (Cambrian House east ofJamestown). Later, David P ryce (St. Helena National
Trust) has collected further material of Agdistis fromthe northern part of the island using a malaise-trap at
Rupert’s Valley. The specimens were placed in a tubewith ethanol and sent to the third author (TK), whoremoved seven specimens, dried and spread them.
Three genitalia dissections were made following
Robinson (1976).

DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomoL66.2.325-328

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A renberger, E.; Beard , A. M. & Karísch , T.: A new Agdistis from St. Helena Island

Fig. 1: Agdistis marionae Arenberger, Beard, Hasenfuss & Karisch, 2012; male genitalia.
Fig. 2: Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.: male genitalia.
Fig. 3: Agdistis marionae Arenberger, Beard, H asenfuss & Karisch, 2012: female genitalia.
Fig. 4: Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.: female genitalia.
Fig. 5: Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.: imago, holotype, male.
Fig. 6: Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.: imago, paratype, male.
Photographs 1, 3, 4 by E. Arenberger, 2, 5, 6 by T. Karisch.

326

DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomoL66.2.325-328

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66 (2) 325-328

Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.

The first author (EA) detected some differences in geni­ Holotype, S: “St. Helena, Rupert’s Valley, WGS 84
talia between the specimen from Jamestown and the 15°55.460'S, 5°42.650'W, 36 MASL, 02-23/V/2014,
series from the South West of the island. That’s why the Malaise trap, coll. David Pryce”. Coll. MNVD.
specimen was taken out of the type series of A. marionae Paratypes: 6 S S (2 S S GU 3320, 3321 Karisch ) withand remained unidentified until the vast collection of the same data as holotype, coll. MNVD, NHMW, BMNH;
D. P ryce was received. This collection contains males 1 ? (GU 6450, A renberger) St. Helena, Upper James­
only, whereas the specimen from Jamestown is a female. town, Cambrian House, 05.II.2011, leg. A. M. Beard,
Because the study sites are very close (about 1,5 km coll. NHMW.
distance) in neighbouring valleys we suppose that all
specimens belong to only one species.
Etymology: Named from the locality at Cambrian House,Jamestown, St. Helena.
Comparison of the structure of the male and female geni­
talia shows clearly that the Agdistis from the north of Diagnosis (Figs 5, 6): Wingspan: 11.5-13 mm. Head,
St. Helena belong to a second, hitherto unknown species. thorax and abdomen grey-brown; palpi at base dark
It is described below.
brown, tips grey; antenna brown, whitish spotted. Fore­wing grey-brown, covered with numerous brown scales.
Costal margin with two dots, lower fold margin with
twolarge, brown patches which extend to the fringes.
Abbreviations
Hindwing monochrome grey-brown, anal margin withcoll.
Collection
scattered dark brown scales. Hind legs grey, tarsi white,Fig.
Figureterminally brown.
GUgenitalia preparation
BMNH The Natural History Museum London
Genitalia S (Fig. 2): uncus similar to that of A. marionae,
MNVD Museum für Naturkunde und Vorgeschichte but caudal margin concave incised, lateral tips diver­
Dessaugent. Valvae symmetrical, basal parts dumpy, in distal
NHMW Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
half slender, strip-shaped; outer parts of valva bent,bar-shaped, broadened at the end, but not crenate as inFig. 7: Cambrian House and its surroundings, habitat of Agdistis cambriana spec. nov.
Photograph by E. Thorpe.
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DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomoL66.2.325-328

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A renberger, E.; Beard , A. M. & KARiscH, T.: A new Agdistis from St. Helena Island

A. marionae (Fig. 1); costal arms slender, strongly curved
distally. Aedeagus rather slender, slightly arcuate. 8th sternite plate-shaped, caudal margin with two broad lobes.

References

A renberger, E.; Beard, A. M.; H asenfuss, I. &Karisch , T. 2012: Agdistis marionae sp. n., a new
Genitalia ? (Fig. 4): antrum similar to that of A. marionae
Pterophoridae from St. Helena (Lepidoptera). (Fig. 3), but considerably shorter and lateral setae ofBeiträge zur Entomologie 62: 447-457.
antrum are less bent.
A shmole, P. & A shmole, M. 2000: St. Helena andAscension Island: A Natural History. - Shropshire,Biological notes: The caterpillar of A. cambriana
Anthony Nelson: 475 S.
spec. nov. is unknown. The imago has been caught in Bigot, L. 1975: Deux Pterophoridae de l’ile Sainte Helene.
February and May. The habitat is an area with sparse- Lambillionea LXXV (7-8): 62-64.
scrub vegetation and some gardens near the north coast Karisch , T. 2003: Zur Schmetterlingsfauna vonof the island (Fig. 7).
St. Helena. 2. Teil: Kleinschmetterlinge (1) (Insecta:
Lepidoptera: Tortricidae, Glyphipterigidae, CosmoDifferential diagnosis: Imago of A. cambrianapterigidae, Plutellidae, Pterophoridae). - Linzer
spec. nov. with two costal dots, lacking in A. marionae.
biologische Beiträge 35 (2): 1081-1085.
In A. marionae only basal part of forewing darkened, Robinson , G. S. 1976: The preparation of slides ofin A. cambriana spec. nov. the whole forewing uniform
Lepidoptera genitalia with special reference to thegrey-brown, scattered with brown scales. In tf-genitaMicrolepidoptera. - Entomologist’s Gazette 27:
lia, distal end of uncus in A. cambriana spec. nov. broad
127-132.
with two divergent tips, in A. marionae tips stronglyapproximated. Tip of right valva rounded, in A. marionae
crenate. Caudal margin of 8th sternite bilobed in bothspecies, but in A. marionae tips are short, outwardly bent,
and in A. cambriana spec. nov. they form broad plates.
Antrum in A. marionae considerably longer and more
slender than in A. cambriana spec. nov.
Distribution: Likely endemic to St. Helena.
Remarks: In A renberger et al. (2012), the illustrationof the female genitalia, given as A. marionae (Fig. 3)
is incorrect: it is in fact A. cambriana spec. nov. (slideno. 6450, A renberger) (Fig. 4).
Acknowledgement

We thank Mr. B. G oater, Chandler’s Ford, who checked
the English text.

328DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomoL66.2.325-328

SENCKENBERGZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at
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Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature
Zeitschrift/Journal: Beiträge zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology
Jahr/Year: 2016
Band/Volume: 66
Autor(en)/Author(s): Arenberger Ernst, Beard Annalea, Karisch Timm
Artikel/Article: A new Agdistis from St. Helena Island (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae).
325-328