Rwandaracotis (Rwandaracotis) László & Hausmann & Karisch 2023, subgen. n.
Creators: name: László, Gyula M.
name: Hausmann, Axel
name: Karisch, Timm
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Lepidoptera
Geometridae
Rwandaracotis

description: Rwandaracotis subgen. n.   
 Type species: Afroracotis (Rwandaracotis) turlini sp. n.   
 Genetic analyses (Fig. 340). The single DNA barcoded specimen was recovered as a sister branch to all other Afroracotis lineages, with low support in ML (BS: 12%), but high support in BI (PP: 100%) analysis, although in polytomy with the Racotis and Herbuloracotis branches. The isolated genetic position of the monotypic subgenus is fairly congruent with certain unique morphological features as discussed below, however the ground plan of the genitalia, especially the configuration of the clasping apparatus, and the facies of the species support its inclusion in the genus Afroracotis.   
 Diagnosis. The monotypic subgenus is characterised by the brownish-green colouration with a hint of a golden sheen and the conspicuously scalloped terminal wing margin, especially on the hindwing. The ground plan of the clasping apparatus of the male genitalia is reminiscent of the subgenus Herbuloracotis, but distinguished by the very narrow uncus, the relatively broad valva and the rather long vinculum with a rounded tip. The aedeagus is medium long and thick, straight tubular, and the vesica configuration is rather unique within the entire genus: it is excessively long, multiple times exceeding the length of the vesica of any other congeners, rather narrow, largely protractile, densely rugose, bearing distally a large, robust, subbasally curved, medially straight, subapically tapered, apically pointed, sword-shaped cornutus.   
The female genitalia are also remarkably distinctive with the rather broad and elongate, anteriorly rounded, goblet-shaped antrum followed by a short membranous distal and an extraordinarily long, heavily sclerotised, Sshaped proximal section of the ductus bursae gradually dilated towards the posterior end of the corpus bursae. The cervix bursae is infundibular, heavily sclerotised, longitudinally striate, fully integrated into the small, globular, membranous anterior part of the corpus bursae which bears a sclerotised rounded plate presumably serving as a receptive surface of the robust cornutus during copulation.  
 The remarkably elongate ductus bursae, and the long, protractile vesica, to a lesser extent also appear in A. muscivirens, currently assigned to the subgenus Herbuloracotis which may suggest a closer relationship of the two, otherwise externally rather dissimilar species. As the DNA barcode of A. muscivirens is unknown, its genetic affinities to A. turlini could not be established.   
 Description   
 External features of body and wings (Figs 76–78, 173–174). Forewing length 20.5–22.0 mm. Male antenna bipectinate-fasciculate, rami relatively long, distal quarter filiform; female antenna filiform. Head moderately large, proboscis well-developed, labial palp short, length 1.5 times the diameter of eye, porrect, first and second segment dilated, third segment rather short and thin. Compound eye moderately large. Frons, vertex, collar (patagium), tegula, thorax and abdomen colouration as of wing upperside. Legs rather long, concolourous with wing underside, index of spurs 0-2-4. Forewing broad, triangular, costa gently arched, termen slightly arched, scalloped between veins, ventral margin evenly arched. Ground colour brownish-green with golden sheen, postmedially and subterminally with a relatively large, diffuse dark brown blotch. Transverse lines diffuse, interrupted. Basal and subbasal line absent, antemedial line fine, dentate, interrupted, gently arched. Medial line interrupted, represented by a short wavy ventral, a longitudinal dash-shaped medial and a short, straight diffuse costal section. Postmedial line interrupted, lower three-quarters consisting of a row of sparse black dots, costal section fine, zigzagged. Subterminal line very narrow, pale brownish-green, gently arched, slightly undulate. Terminal line relatively thick, interrupted, consisting of black arches between veins. Fringe (cilia) short, colour as of forewing. Discal spot small, ovoidal with lighter inner area. Hindwing apex rounded, termen strongly scalloped, anal margin straight. Ground colour as of forewing, densely speckled, transverse lines diffuse, shadow-like. Basal line absent, subbasal line thick, angled medially, medial line undulate, postmedial line interrupted, consisting of a row of relatively large patches, terminal line interrupted, consisting of black arches between veins. Discal spot smaller than on forewing, ovoid. Fringe (cilia) short, concolourous with hindwing. Wing underside paler than upperside, speckled densely with greyish-brown scales with a darker brownish-grey postmedial transverse band and a pale terminal area. Traces of transverse lines present, diffuse, shadow-like, discal spot and postmedial patches well-defined.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 253). Uncus short, simple, distally tapered and very narrow, apically rounded. Tegumen short and broad, gnathos well-developed, with rounded-quadrangular medial plate. Valva short, broad at base, distally tapered, costal margin sclerotised, gently concave, slightly setose, with short, rounded, sclerotised apical arm expanding over membranous ventral part of valva. Ventral margin of valva straight in basal three-quarters, gently convex in distal quarter, very sparsely setose; sacculus ca. half as long as valva, very narrow and weakly sclerotised, without process. Juxta short, weakly sclerotised, shield-like without arms. Vinculum moderately long, narrow, V-shaped. Aedeagus medium thick, short, straight tubular without carina. Vesica narrow, extremely long, expandable, strongly rugose, armed with a single large, sword-shaped cornutus erected distally at base of vesica ejaculatorius.   
 Female genitalia (Fig. 319). Ovipositor medium long, papilla analis narrow triangular, apically rounded, sparsely setose, apophysis posterioris relatively long. Eighth tergite medium long, trapezoidal, distal margin more or less straight, proximal margin gently convex, anterior apophysis half as long as posterior apophysis. Ostium bursae broad, membranous, antrum weakly sclerotised, goblet-shaped. Short distal section of ductus bursae membranous, very narrow, proximal nine-tenths of ductus bursae heavily sclerotised, gradually dilated proximally. Cervix bursae unmodified, integrated into heavily sclerotised proximal section of ductus bursae. Distal section of corpus bursae infundibular, heavily sclerotised, longitudinally striate; proximal section semi-spherical, membranous with an elongate, moderately sclerotised area presumably serving as receptive surface of cornutus vesicae during copulation; signum absent.
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 48-49, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5308.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8080929