Aenetus degroofi Grehan & C. Mielke 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Grehan, John R.
name: Mielke, Carlos G. C.
name: Ignatev, Nikolai
name: Groof, Benny De
name: Yakovlev, Roman
name: Klingler, Mark A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Hepialidae
Aenetus
Aenetus degroofi

description: Aenetus degroofi Grehan & C. Mielke, sp. nov.
(Figs 2a–c, 10b, 11b, 13c–d, 14b, 15b, 16b, 17b, 18c, 19b)
Type material. Holotype: ♂ / Indonesia, Tanimbar islands, Yamdena Island, Lorulun village Area, 21km NE of Saumlaki, 25/XI–28/XII/2006 /; HOLOTYPUS Aenetus degroofi Grehan & C. Mielke, 2025; (RMNH).
Paratype: 1 ♀ (data as for holotype); BDG collection.
Diagnosis. Distinguished by the dorsal face of lateral lobe of lamella antevaginalis that is thin for first third of length from lateral edge, and broadens rapidly with a straight medial edge before narrowing to medial knob (Fig. 16b).
Description. Female (Figs 2a–c, 10b, 11b, 13c–d, 14b, 15b, 16b, 17b, 18c, 19b). Wingspan (n = 2) ~ 77–97 mm; forewing length: 40–51 mm, width: 18–22 mm; hindwing length: 31–39 mm, width: 18–20.
Head. Antenna pale yellowish brown, incomplete. Eyes prominent, at least ⅔ head width in dorsal view. Labial palp (Fig. 10b) three segmented, mid segment slightly longer than basal segment, narrower distally and slightly concave centrally; distal segment more sclerotized, less than half length of mid segment, slightly wider apically with von Rath’s organ at apex.
Thorax. Pro and mesothorax covered with yellowish-brown scales, scutum III pale reddish brown, anteriorly free of scales, dorsal metathoracic scales yellowish-brown; Forewing triangular, costal margin sublinear to shallow curve towards weakly falcate apex; outer margin straight, broad tornus, anal margin a shallow curve. Venation as for A. porlovi sp. nov. (Fig. 14b). Forewing dorsal ground colour yellowish-brown (clay) with brown transverse lines between veins, width expanding near veins to form a narrow hour-glass shape; each row of transverse lines slightly offset from adjacent rows (Fig. 11b); between Rs3 and Cu1A a diffuse brown post discal band; posterior cubital cell with wider, subrectangular transverse brown patch; ventral ground colour similar to dorsal. Hindwing dorsal and ventral ground color pale reddish-brown. Legs (Fig. 13c–d) yellowish-brown, metaleg broken at distal end of first tarsus, overall length shorter than pro- and mesolegs, metaleg tibia wider than femur; epiphysis narrowly triangular, arolium present, distally sclerotized.
Pre-genital abdomen. Dorsal anterior abdomen pale yellowish-brown, distally darker yellowish brown, ventral surface rubbed. Tergites and sternites weakly sclerotized; Tergum II (Fig. 16b) with lateral ridge extending posteriorly from lateral tuberculate plate and expanding laterally at posterior margin; lateral ridge present on tergum III weakly developed; tergosternal sclerite dissection missing some of tergosternal bar (Fig. 15b). Sternum II partially recovered, lateral ridge of anterior arm present, narrowing posteriorly to medial sclerotization with shallow medial posterior notch. Tergum VIII rectangular, wider than long, about half length of tergum VII; sternum VII and sternum VIII fused, rectangular, weakly sclerotized, about twice as long as wide (Fig. 16b).
Genitalia (Fig. 18c, 19b). Dorsal plate broad, inverted V-shape, dorsally setose, anal papilla shallow, dorsomedially rounded; subanal sclerites narrow, lightly sclerotized (Fig. 16i). Lamella antevaginalis dorsally setose U-shaped central lobe. Lateral lobe medially broad with rounded medially oriented distal knob (Fig. 19b). Bursa copulatrix not recovered.
Geographical distribution. Known from the type locality only at Lorulun village, Yamdena Island, Indonesia (Fig. 22).
Male. Unknown
Host plants. Unknown
Etymology. Named for Benny de Groof. A noun in the genitive case.
description: Published as part of Grehan, John R., Mielke, Carlos G. C., Ignatev, Nikolai, Groof, Benny De, Yakovlev, Roman & Klingler, Mark A., 2025, Four new species of Aenetus Herrich-Schäffer (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) from eastern Indonesia, with comment on distributional correlation with Gondwana tectonics, pp. 537-554 in Zootaxa 5613 (3) on pages 541-542, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5613.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/15216976