Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) dargei László & Hausmann & Karisch 2023, sp. n.
Creators: name: László, Gyula M.
name: Hausmann, Axel
name: Karisch, Timm
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometridae
Afroracotis
Afroracotis dargei

description: Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) dargei sp. n.   
(Figs 45–47, 153–154, 235–236, 308)  
 Holotype. Male, „ CAMEROUN, Foret de Bafout-Nguemba, 8 km S.S.E. de Bamenda, 2000m, 18.X.71— Ph. Darge ” / [with handwritten] „138” / „Photographed for the project „ Geometridae Mundi ””, gen. slide No.: LG 4615 (ZSM).   
 Paratypes. Cameroon. 3 males, 1 female, with the same data as in the holotype, gen. slide No.: LG 5042 (ZSM G 20992) (female); 1 female, same site and collector, but 26.iii.1970, gen. slide No.: LG 4771; 2 males, Foret de Bafut-Nguemba, 9 km S.E. de Bamenda, 2080m, 3–5.iv.1972, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 4616; 1 male, Mt Cameroon (SW slope), Crater Lake, 1500 m, 4.1443907°N, 9.0717807°E, 20.xi.2016, leg. V. Maicher, J. Mertens, S. Janecek, gen. slide No.: LG 5041 (ZSM G 20991), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 104592/GWOTW989-18; 1 male, same site and collectors, but 25.xi.2016; 1 male, same site and collectors, but 28.xi.2016; 2 males, same site, 23–24.iv.2017, leg. V. Maicher, P. Potocky, S. Delabye; 1 male, same site, 22.ii.2017, leg. P. Potocky, R. Tropek, J. Mertens, S. Janecek, Sz. Sáfián (ZSM); 1 male, SW Province, Mount Kupé, 3 km SE Nyasoso, 1590m, Light Trap, 4°49’9.5”N, 9°42’26.9”E, 30.xi.2008, leg. Michael Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5079, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38709/GWOSH373-10; 1 male, SW Province, Mount Kupé, 3.5 km SE Nyasoso, 1975m, 4°48’13.4”N, 9°42’3.2”E, 20.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse; 2 males, SW Province, Mount Kupé, 4 km SE Nyasoso, 1972m, 4°47’49.2”N, 9°42’9.9”E, 19.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse (RCMO). 1 male, Mt. Cameroon, Jonga, 5,000ft, 5.ii.1932, M. Steele, B.M.1934-240 (NHMUK).   
 Diagnosis. Forewing length 20.5–22.5 mm. Afroracotis dargei sp. n. is an allopatric West African sister species of the southeast African A. apodosima displaying confusingly similar external habitus, distinguished only by its somewhat darker and slightly broader fasciae and more extensive patches of the wings. In the male genitalia, there are no noticeable differences displayed in the morphology of the clasping apparatuses, the distinctive characters are expressed in the configuration of the vesica: the new species has a markedly thicker, more inflated vesica lacking the cornutus, while that of A. apodosima is narrower, bearing a weakly sclerotised, small cornutus situated near the base of the vesica ejaculatorius. The configuration of the female genitalia reflects clearly the different vesica morphology of the two species: compared to those of A. apodosima, the new species has a somewhat longer ductus bursae and substantially more dilated and much less sclerotized cervix bursae fully integrated in the corpus bursae without a protrusion; while in A. apodosima, the cervix is well separated from the corpus bursae forming a short, rounded lateral protrusion. Furthermore, the corpus bursae of A. dargei is tapered anteriorly, unlike in A. apodosima where it is slightly dilated.   
 Genetic information. The new species belongs to the BIN URI: BOLD:AAQ1739. The two DNA barcoded specimens show 0.46% intraspecific divergence. The nearest neighbour of A. dargei is A. apodosima from wich it differs at a pairwise distance of 2.48–2.95%.   
 Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Philippe Darge, outstanding French lepidopterologist, Saturniidae specialist, collector of the holotype and part of the paratype series.   
 Distribution (Map 3). Afroracotis dargei is only known from the Western High Plateau of Cameroon.   
  The Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) deportata species-group    
 Diagnosis. The single species of this lineage is characterized by its conspicuous mossy-green colouration, reminiscent of but brighter than the facies of the A. apodosima species-group. The delimitation of the species-group is based on some unique characters of the male genitalia, such as the short, broadly rounded uncus, and the vesica with a single, robust, knife-shaped cornutus. The distinctive morphology is congruent with the results of the genetic analyses.   
 Species content   
 Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) deportata (Herbulot, 1970)
description: Published as part of László, Gyula M., Hausmann, Axel & Karisch, Timm, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the African taxa of the Racotis Moore, 1887 generic complex (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini), pp. 1-109 in Zootaxa 5308 (1) on pages 35-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5308.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8080929