Zaphanta anas St Laurent & Giusti 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: St Laurent, Ryan A.
name: Giusti, Alessandro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Mimallonidae
Zaphanta
Zaphanta anas

description: Zaphanta anas sp. nov.
(Figures 9, 29, 42) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C4C8DAAF-8C60-4C16-A626-3641EA3817FB
Diagnosis
Externally, this species is most similar to Z. rawlinsi due to the relatively pale-yellow colouration and rather angulate wing margins. However, maculation such as antemedial and postmedial markings are consistent with the previously described species. The male genitalia are remarkable among Zaphanta, especially in regards to the reduced tegumen which is about equal in length to the uncus, and an extremely widened and flattened subuncus projection, which is duckbill-shaped. The phallus is among the shortest in Zaphanta, and the most distally widened and ventrally extended. In fact, the distal portion of the phallus is the most significant component of the entire phallus structure. Dorsolaterally (to the left when viewed dorsally) the phallus has a raised hump covered in strongly sclerotised, curved spines.
Description
Male. Head: As for genus. Thorax: As for genus. Legs: As for genus. Fore wing dorsum: Fore wing length: 11.5 mm, wingspan: 22.5 mm, n = 1. As for genus, but margin particularly accentuated by mesal point. Fore wing ventrum: As for genus. Hind wing dorsum: As for genus, but margin more mesally pointed, giving wing squared appearance, colouration of single known specimen pale yellow with usually deep purple antemedial and submarginal areas lighter, beige. Hind wing ventrum: As for genus. Abdomen: As for genus. Genitalia: (Figure 29) n = 1. Vinculum broad, rectangular. Tegumen extremely reduced, broad, about equal in length to uncus. Uncus triangular, narrow, apex truncated by squared tip. Gnathos forming a closed ring with lateral margins of tegumen, mesally much more heavily sclerotised, forming broad, flattened duckbill-like projection, projection as long as uncus and wider than tegumen and base of uncus. Uncus, gnathos, tegumen complex broad, but narrower than vinculum. Transtilla droplet shaped, narrowing above, rounded laterally. Valvae narrowed distally and angled upward (when spread) with middle of saccular edge forming an elbow-like angle; bases of valvae nearly touch mesally when spread. Costal base of valvae (valva apodeme) slightly pronounced outward as seta-covered lobe, but otherwise lacking any distinct projections. Caecum of phallus rounded, constituting most of structure of short broad phallus, distally phallus widened and downwardly angled, forming a shovel-like terminus exceeding the size of remainder of phallus. Dorsolaterally (left, when viewed dorsally) phallus with heavily sclerotised hump covered in curved backwards-swooping spines.
Female. Unknown.
Type material
Holotype ♁. Brazil, Amazonas Reserva Ducke, km 26, Manaus-Itacoatiara Highway, 20 April 1972 /St Laurent dissection: 8-25-18:2 / HOLOTYPE ♂ Zaphanta anas St Laurent and Giusti, 2019 /(CNC). No paratypes.
Distribution
Zaphanta anas is only known from the holotype, collected in the vicinity of Manaus, Brazil.
Etymology
This new species is named for its subuncus projection, which has a distinct duckbill shape, and thus the Latin word for duck, anas, is used.
Remarks
Like several other new species of Zaphanta named herein, Z. anas is only known from a specific locality in the Amazonian rainforest. Most Mimallonidae known to inhabit this biome are widespread throughout the relatively homogeneous habitat (St Laurent pers. obs.). However, Zaphanta appear to be an exception in the family, with an apparent high degree of micro-endemism within an otherwise expansive habitat. Zaphanta anas and Z. elephanticula sp. nov., described below, are the only Zaphanta species known to be sympatric; thus, perhaps it is no surprise that these two species belong to distinct morphological groups within this genus.
description: Published as part of St Laurent, Ryan A. & Giusti, Alessandro, 2019, Revision of Zaphanta Dyarı 1910 (Lepidoptera: Mimallonidae: Zaphantinae) ı with descriptions of nine new species, pp. 1209-1246 in Journal of Natural History 53 (19) on pages 1227-1228, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1634772, http://zenodo.org/record/3673463