Crocosia phaeocraspis Hampson 1914, stat. rev.
Creators: name: Volynkin, Anton V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Erebidae
Crocosia
Crocosia phaeocraspis

description: Crocosia phaeocraspis Hampson, 1914, stat. rev.
(Figs 1–3, 17, 30)
Crocosia phaeocraspis Hampson, 1914, Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British museum (Supplement), 1: 470, fig. 91 (Type locality: [Ghana, Bibiani] “Gold Coast, Bibianaha”).
Type material examined. Holotype (by monotypy) (Fig. 1): ♂, “Gold Coast. [Ghana] | Bibianaha. [Bibiani] | 70 miles N. W. | of Dimkwa. [Dunkwa] | 700 ft. | H.G.F.Spurrell. | 1911–244.” / red ring “ Type ” label / QR- code label with unique ID “ NHMUK 010916137 ” (NHMUK).
Additional material examined. GUINEA: 8 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀, 690m, Guinée Forestiére, Bossou Forest and Institut de Recherche Environmentale de Bossou (lowland forest / farmland), 07˚38'32''N, 08˚30'30''W, 24–31.vi.2019, MV & 8W UV cold cathode light traps, Dérozier, V., Suah Dore, J., Koivagui, S., Miles, W., Sáfián, Sz., Warner, R. leg.; 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 625m, Guinée Forestiére, Forêt Classée de Ziama, Sérédou (lowland forest / farmland), 08°21'26''N, 09°17'48''W, 9–16.vii.2019, MV light trap, Dérozier, V., Koivagui, S., Miles, W., Sáfián, Sz., Warner, R. leg.; 1 ♀, 1400–1725m, Guinée Forestiére, Monts Nimba UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mont Richard Molard camp and ridge (highaltitude grassland and forest), 07°36'19''N, 08°25'30''W, 1–7.vii.2019, 250W blended light trap, Dérozier, V., Miles, W., Sáfián, Sz. leg.; 66 ♂♂, 45 ♀♀, 540–600m, 619km ESE of Conakry, Nzerekore Region, Prefecture Lola, Ziela env., x.2017, 7˚42 'N, 8˚21'W, Local collectors leg.; LIBERIA: 10 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 611m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, base camp forest, 8˚07'17''N, 9˚57'42''W, 20.xi.–01.xii.2017, MV light trap (125w), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6923 ♂; 2 ♂♂, 585m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp, 8˚06'14.9''N, 9˚58'27.3''W, 18.xi.–1.xii.2018, MV light trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg.; 1 ♀, 551m, Wetezu camp, Wonegizi Nature Reserve, Lofa County, 8°4'57.11''N 9°34'47.86''W, 19–27.iii.2019, cold cathode UV light trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Koivogui, S. leg.; 11 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀, 865m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Ridge camp, 807'10''N, 9˚57'11''W, 24–29.xi.2017, light trap (blended bulb 250w), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg.; 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 140m, Sinoe County, Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Juboe River, 7.5km SW Pellokon Town, 5˚39'4''N, 8˚39'4''W, 14–20.i.2018, MV & blended bulb 250w light traps, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg.; 1 ♀, 103m, Sinoe County, 6.5 km NW of Jacksonville, forest near Solve Problem Village, 5°26'25''N 9°7'39.9''W, 23–27.i.2018, MV light trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg.; 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀, 1165m, Nimba Mts, camp, ENNR, Nimba County, 7˚31'45''N, 8˚31'37''W, 3–13.xii.2017, MV 125 W and blended bulb 250W light traps, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg.; 1 ♂, 750m, Nimba County, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Cellcom Road, 7˚33'3.78''N, 8˚31'46.49''W, 16–28.xii.2018, cold cathode UV light trap (8w), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, H. leg.; 1 ♀, 1000–1100m, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Nimba County (Cellcom road), 7˚32'45.88''N, 8˚31'21.04''W, 02–14.xii.2017, cold cathode light bucket, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg.; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 230m, Lofa County, Zuwulor Village School, 7˚54'52''N, 9˚31'08''W, 8.xi.2017, light trap (blended bulb 250W), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg.; 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 883m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts., Ridge Camp 2, 8˚7'20.79''N, 9˚56'50.75''W, 22– 31.xi.2018, light trap, blended bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg.; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 494m, Nimba County, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Grassfield FDA Field Station, 7˚29'32.45''N, 34˚34'54.05''W, 22.xi.2018, light trap, blended bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg.; 1 ♂, 750m, Nimba County, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Cellcom Road, 7˚33'3.78''N, 8˚31'46.49''W, 16–28.xii.2018, cold cathode UV light trap (8w), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, H. leg.; 23 ♂♂, 22 ♀♀, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 7˚56'36''N, 10˚16'36''W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV (125w), blended bulb (250w) and cold cathode traps, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV8576 ♀, AV8577 ♀, AV8578 ♀; IVORY COAST: 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station (SRET), 05˚50'00''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV light trap, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg.; 4 ♀♀, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station (SRET), 05˚49'59.8''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 5– 10.vii.2015, light trap, Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg.; 1 ♀, same locality and collectors but 14–23.xi.[20]15; 1 ♂, MAN, Mt. Tonkoui, 07°27'15.0''N 7°38'12.6''W, 1200m, 24–27.xi.2014, UV trap, P. Moretto leg. (all in ANHRT).
Diagnosis. The forewing length is 10.5–13.0 mm in males and 11.0– 13.5 mm in females. Crocosia phaeocraspis is superficially very similar to C. divisa and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsules and phalli of the two species are very similar and reliable differences are found only in the vesica configurations. Compared to C. divisa, the vesica of C. phaeocraspis is longer, broader, and has a longer and broader subbasal diverticulum, a broader distal diverticulum, and a well-developed apical diverticulum (it is vestigial in the congener). Additionally, both the cornuti of C. phaeocraspis are directed distally whereas in C. divisa, the subapical cornutus is directed distally while the apical one is directed latero-anteriorly. The differences between C. phaeocraspis and C. divisa are more substantial in the female genitalia: in the former the apophysis posterioris is shorter, the lobes of the antevaginal plate are shorter, the corpus bursae is markedly broader with a broader sclerotised area, the anterior diverticulum bursae is considerably longer and distally broader, and the sclerotised pocket is larger and situated more anteriorly than in C. divisa.
Distribution. The species is currently known from Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
description: Published as part of Volynkin, Anton V., 2024, On the taxonomy of the Afrotropical genus Crocosia Hampson with descriptions of a new genus and a new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), pp. 47-64 in Ecologica Montenegrina 78 on pages 55-56, DOI: 10.37828/em.2024.78.6, http://zenodo.org/record/14654161