Agrionympha
Creators: name: Gibbs, George W.
name: Kristensen, Niels P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Micropterigidae
Agrionympha

description: Checklist of Agrionympha species
1. capensis Whalley, 1978 2. fuscoapicella Gibbs, sp. nov. 3. jansella Gibbs, sp. nov. 4. karoo Gibbs, sp. nov.
5. kroonella Gibbs, sp. nov. 6. pseliacma Meyrick, 1921 7. pseudovari Gibbs, sp. nov. 8. sagittella Gibbs, sp. nov. 9. vari Whalley, 1978
Key to species of Agrionympha based on adult maculation (Figs. 2 A–I)
Although a highly conservative genus, the species can be confidently diagnosed from FW maculation and certain other colour differences. In the key, the nomenclature for the 4 band marks follows that outlined in the generic diagnosis.
NOTE: males are not yet known for vari, jansella, and pseudovari; while sexual dimorphism in wing pattern is minimal or non-existent in the great majority of micropterigids, it does occur in a few taxa, and its possible occurrence here must always be kept in mind.
1 Claval mark confluent with median band (e.g. Fig. 2 A or F)................................................... 2 Claval mark discrete or absent (e.g. Fig. 2 B or G)............................................................ 3 2(1) Median band complete, forming with the claval mark an arrowhead-like figure (Fig. 2 F)............... sagittella sp. nov. Median band interrupted in middle: anterior part forming a broad L-shape with the claval mark; posterior part appearing dis-
tally displaced, forming a discrete spot on dorsum (Fig. 2 A).............................................. capensis 3(1) Median band complete from costa to dorsum (e.g. Fig. 2 C), postmedian band either complete (e.g. Fig. 2 B) or incomplete (e.g. Fig. 2 C............................................................................................. 4 Median band represented by only a spot on dorsum, postmedian band complete from costa to termen (Fig. 2 E).................................................................................................. kroonella sp. nov. 4(3) Claval mark absent (Fig. 2 G)............................................................... jansella sp. nov. Claval mark distinct (e.g. Fig. 2 D)........................................................................ 5 5(4) Apical band a distinctive, usually dark-edged spot or short transverse band (e.g. Fig. 2 H)........................... 6 Apical band exceedingly reduced, represented by a few light scales, or completely absent (Fig. 2 D)... fuscoapicella sp. nov. 6(5) Postmedian band interrupted i.e. not a continuous band from costa to termen (e.g. Fig. 2 C)........................... 7 Postmedian band complete from costa to termen (Fig. 2 B).......................................... karoo sp. nov. 7(6) Postmedian band interrupted in middle, but present as distinctive spots on both costa and termen (e.g. Fig. 2 C).......... 8 Postmedian band present only as a narrow band from costa to the middle of the wing (Fig. 2 H)............... pseliacma 7(6) All silvery bands distinctly edged with black scales; costal part of postmedian band almost circular (Fig. 2 C).................................................................................................. pseudovari sp. nov. Silvery bands not edged with black scales; costal part of postmedian band nearly 3 times longer than wide (Fig. 2 I)..... vari Key to species of Agrionympha based on male postabdomen & genitalia (Figs. 7–10) Note: males unknown for A. vari, A. jansella and A. pseudovari.
1 Specialized hair-sensilla present on membranous dorsum between tergum VIII and tergum X lobes; valvae length:width ratio 4.0 or less.......................................................................................... 3 Hair-sensilla absent in said area; valvae length:width ratio 4.0–5.7............................................... 2
2(1) Hair-sensilla present on anterior border of tergum VIII; valvae elongate, length:width ratio greater than 5 (Fig. 10 C).................................................................................................... sagittella Tergum VIII devoid of hair-sensilla; length:width ratio of valvae 4.0 (Fig. 7 B)............................... capensis
3(1) With less than 45 hair-sensilla; median plate narrow, tapered anteriorly, at least 3x longer than wide; phallus without conspicuous internal sclerotised body........................................................................... 4 With about 80 hair-sensilla; median plate broad and rectangular, approx. 2x longer than wide; ductus ejaculatorius thickening just inside gonopore conspicuous, roughly textured and somewhat sclerotised (Fig. 9 E)....................... kroonella
4.(3) Gonopore small, less than half the width of the Phallus between lappets; ‘neck’ of phallus constricted in dorsal view..... 5 Gonopore large, well over half width of aedeagus between lappets; ‘neck’ of phallus not constricted.. undescribed ‘species 1’ NOTE: while pseliacma will run to this couplet, the unique slide preparation made by Janse does not allow observation of the phallus character used here; the species has more than 30 hair-sensilla like both ‘species 1’ and fuscoapicella.
5(4) More than 30 hair-sensilla on dorsum IX; gonopore plain, without a dorsal prominence (Fig. 8 C)............ fuscoapicella Fewer than 20 hair-sensilla on dorsum IX; gonopore with its proximal margin raised on a prominence (Fig. 9 C)....... karoo
description: Published as part of Gibbs, George W. & Kristensen, Niels P., 2011, Agrionympha, the long-known South African jaw moths: a revision with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae), pp. 1-21 in Zootaxa 2764 on pages 6-7, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.203553