Meganaclia smithi Laszlo 2023, sp. n.
Creators: name: Ignatev, Nikolai
name: László, Gyula M.
name: Paśnik, Anna
name: Fric, Zděnek Faltýnek
name: Sulak, Harald
name: Müller, Günter C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Arctiidae
Meganaclia
Meganaclia smithi

description: Meganaclia smithi László, sp. n.
zoobank.org
(Figs 2, 3, 16, 22, 27, 34, 39)
Holotype: J, “ Entebbe Uganda ” / “ Ex. Coll. R. Smith, ANHRT: 2018.39”, unique id.: ANHRTUK 00214406, gen. slide No. LG 6005 (ANHRT).
Paratypes (10J, 2♀ in total).
Uganda. 1♁, 1♀ Entebbe, CUIC 000068672 (♁), CUIC 000068671 (♀) (CUIC). 3♁, 1♀, Kisubi, 8.5.1964, gen. slide (female) No. 3898 (SMNS). 1♁, Kabarole, Kibale Forest N.P. Kanyawara (MUBFS), 0°33′N 30°21′E, 1200–1400m, 18.– 19.viii.1997, leg. Chr. Häuser LF (SMNS). 1♁, Mpanga Forest, 1200 m, Ecotourism Camp side ca. 3 km SW Mpigi Regenwald, 0°12′26,8″N, 32°18′03,3″E, 26.x.2014 LF, leg. K.R. Beck, gen. slide No. 3899 (SMNS). 1♁, SE Uganda, 1.2km W of Lake Nabugabo, 1160 m edge of forest, 30.x.2014 (at light), 0°20′35″S, 31°52′13”E, leg. Ł. Przybyłowicz, gen. slide No. S 468 (ISEA PAS). 1♁, Mukono District, Mabira Forest, 02–15.iv.2010, leg. Szabolcs Sáfián, gen. slide No. S 472 (ISEA PAS).
Tanzania. 2♁, 5 km S of Bukoba, Kibira Forest, 1.vi.1912, Troitsky leg., gen. slide Nos P 314, P315 (ZIN).
Diagnosis. Meganaclia smithi sp. n. is reminiscent of M. grehani but distinguished by its darker, more brownish forewing colouration, paler brown antenna (it is blackish-brown in M. grehani) and considerably smaller, more rounded hindwing spots. In the male genitalia, M. smithi has a markedly narrower, dorsally slightly concave, less sclerotized and more setose dorsal and a much broader, membranous, lobe-like ventral process of the uncus in comparison to M. grehani. The dilated section of the valva costa is found in the proximal half of the valval plate in the new species, while it is situated postmedially in M. grehani. The distal sclerotisation of the sacculus is markedly wider in M. smithi than in M. grehani, forming a narrow triangular plate.
Description. Male (Fig. 2). Wingspan: 38–49 mm; FW length: 26 mm, width: 11.5 mm, ratio 2.3: 1; HW length: 16 mm, width: 10 mm, ratio 1.6: 1. Antenna bipectinate, yellowish-brown. Head yellow, patagia yellowish-brown. Tegula orange-brown. Thorax covered in pale orange-brown scales with two black spots near patagia. Abdomen dorsally orange-brown, with a black rounded spot on each segment. Forewing greyish-brown, slightly transparent, all forewing spots whitish-grey; m1 small, elongate, m2, m3, m4, m5 rounded, m3 and m5 are markedly smaller than m2 and m3. Forewing base with a small, black dot. Hindwing pale greyish-brown, basal third somewhat transparent; all hindwing spots whitish-grey; m1 absent or strongly diffuse; m2 round, m3 and m4 oval shaped, m2 markedly smaller than m3 and m4.
Male genitalia (Figs 16, 22, 27). Uncus moderately broad dorso-ventrally, laterally densely covered by short setae; dorsal process weakly sclerotized, slightly concave dorsally, curved subapically, pointed apically; ventral process membranous, distally dilated into short rounded lobe; dorsal appendage absent, two small membranous humps present covered in medium long, very dense setae (Fig. 16). Tegumen broad, dome shaped. Valva broad, ventro-medially dilated, ventral margin evenly arcuate; costal margin almost straight in proximal two-thirds, evenly convex in distal third, sclerotisation of valva costa dilated ventro-medially forming a broad-based triangle with rounded apex reaching the center of valva. Sacculus very narrow, extending to middle of ventral valva margin, distally with a strongly sclerotized triangular plate pointing caudad reaching central part of valva. Juxta well developed, distally tapered tubular. Saccus extremely long and thin, thread-like, dilated subapically, apex spatula-shaped. Aedeagus extremely long and thin, needle-like, proximally slightly dilated with short, rounded coecum penis, tapered distally, pointed apically; vesica without cornuti (Fig. 27).
Description. Female (Fig. 3). Wingspan: 59 mm; FW length: 29 mm, width: 12 mm, ratio 2.4: 1; HW length: 18 mm, width: 11 mm, ratio 1.6: 1. Antenna bipectinate, dark brown. Head and tegula pale yellow, patagia light gray. Thorax covered in pale brown scales bearing two rounded black spots near patagia. Forewing grey, spot m1 small, teardrop-shaped; m2 oval shaped; m3, m4, m5 rounded, m3 smaller than m2, m4 and m5, all spots light grey. Forewing has a small, rounded black basal spot. Hindwing grey, inner half semi-transparent; spot m1 is strongly blurred; m2, m3 and m4 oval shaped, m2 markedly smaller than m3 and m4; all spots are light grey.
Female genitalia (Fig. 34). Papilla analis rounded trapezoidal, covered in short, sparse setae; apophysis posterioris short, thin, slightly dilated subapically, rounded apically. Apophysis anterioris well developed, broad basally, gradually tapered, apically pointed, 1.5 times longer than apophysis posterioris. Lamella postvaginalis rather large and well sclerotized, with two humps distal margin. Ostium bursae narrow, infundibular. Ductus bursae narrow and extremely long, heavily sclerotized, distal two-thirds straight, proximal third curved; cervix bursae moderately sclerotized, short sack-like. Corpus bursae membranous, ovoid; signum bursae large elongate ribbon-like, finely scobinate, covering two-thirds of bursa copulatrix.
Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Mr Richard Smith, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, African Natural History Research Trust, appreciating his supreme efforts in facilitating entomological research in Sub–Saharan Africa.
description: Published as part of Ignatev, Nikolai, László, Gyula M., Paśnik, Anna, Fric, Zděnek Faltýnek, Sulak, Harald & Müller, Günter C., 2023, Five new species of the genus Meganaclia Aurivillius, 1892 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Syntomini), pp. 457-474 in Zootaxa 5296 (3) on pages 463-465, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5296.3.8, http://zenodo.org/record/7984227