Palpita subflavalis Seizmair, 2022

Palpita subflavalis Seizmair, 2022. Seizmair (2022): 69 -70. Type locality: Oman, Dhofar, Jebel al Qamar, Road 47, 20 km E Sarfait.

Materials

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 25 KSMA 09; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 7D3E39DD-2C9A-57C8-A79D-D6FC37BE73F5; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 2285 m; verbatimLatitude: 18 ° 11.766; verbatimLongitude: 42 ° 24.315; Event: eventDate: 20-X-2014; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 26 KSMA 005; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 35DA3264-AC9C-5AA1-84A4-7A8D97BED4D0; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 1851 m; verbatimLatitude: 18 ° 11.679; verbatimLongitude: 42 ° 24.691; Event: eventDate: 05-III-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 24 KSMA 008; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: ABEA2DB5-7F29-5E14-ADE8-FFA138A04872; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 1614 m; verbatimLatitude: 18 ° 11.749; verbatimLongitude: 42 ° 23.345; Event: eventDate: 04-III-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 24 KSMA 013; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: D6F2C51A-2FB6-5F46-B007-291EE849D9DC; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 2387 m; verbatimLatitude: 18 ° 11.884; verbatimLongitude: 42 ° 24.435; Event: eventDate: 20-I-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 24 KSMA 014; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 412BDF2C-D200-5118-BADC-B7D474D3E67E; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 2820 m; verbatimLatitude: 18°12.265’; verbatimLongitude: 42°24.744’; Event: eventDate: 07-VI-2014; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 26 KSMA 004; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A.; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 1AFBA118-D75B-5DAD-9A35-A074E8AA81F1; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Asir; municipality: Abha; locality: Raydah Reserve; verbatimElevation: 2820 m; verbatimLatitude: 18°12.265’; verbatimLongitude: 42°24.744’; Event: eventDate: 07-VI-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 26 KSMA 002; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 5810F6E2-AACB-5246-8EBD-37101369C850; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Baha; municipality: Al Baha; locality: Shada Al Ala; verbatimElevation: 1563 m; verbatimLatitude: 19°50.329’; verbatimLongitude: 41°18.604’; Event: eventDate: 27-I-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 26 KSMA 006; recordedBy: Al Dhafer, H.; Fadl, H., Abd Eldayem, M., El Torkey, A., El Gharbawy, A; individualCount: 1; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 43AC8EAB-F016-5911-AEF3-B337007FE2A3; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Baha; municipality: Al Baha; locality: Shada Al Ala; verbatimElevation: 1611 m; verbatimLatitude: 19°50.411’; verbatimLongitude: 41°18.686’; Event: eventDate: 27-I-2015; Material Entity: disposition: KSMA

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 22 GP 026; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 3; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; otherCatalogNumbers: 22 GP 028, 22 GP 029; occurrenceID: E5024EA9-23F5-54A2-BD72-52E5F5A07512; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Mekka; municipality: Taif; locality: Al Shafa; verbatimElevation: 1700 m; verbatimLatitude: 21°3.722'; verbatimLongitude: 40°19.200'; Event: eventDate: 03-V-2022; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 22 GP 027; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 80086349-6A59-517F-B784-F39859208B72; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Baha; municipality: Al Baha; locality: Balhurashi; verbatimElevation: 2030 m; verbatimLatitude: 19°49.737’; verbatimLongitude: 41°33.421’; Event: eventDate: 02-V-2022; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 22 GP 069; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 47C6C05A-B760-5064-8544-D3E107231366; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Jizan; municipality: Fayfa; locality: Ayban Belgazi; verbatimElevation: 630 m; verbatimLatitude: 17°15.740'; verbatimLongitude: 43°4.512'; Event: eventDate: 24-IX-2022; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 25 GP 031; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 1; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 91AE5AEC-AB3A-58AE-83B1-2463786359FE; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Jizan; municipality: Fayfa; locality: Al Kashah; verbatimElevation: 830 m; verbatimLatitude: 17 ° 14,359 '; verbatimLongitude: 43 ° 41,217 8 '; Event: eventDate: 11-II-2024; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 22 GP 071; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 2; sex: female; lifeStage: adult; otherCatalogNumbers: 22 GP 072; occurrenceID: 0E2F7647-418A-52B8-9DE1-76FD785FD40A; Location: country: Saudi Arabia; countryCode: SA; stateProvince: Jizan; municipality: Al Reeth; locality: Wadi Lajab, Khatwat Al Ain; verbatimElevation: 1300 m; verbatimLatitude: 17°35.290'; verbatimLongitude: 42°55.950'; Event: eventDate: 27-IX-2022; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: catalogNumber: 26 GP 004; recordedBy: Seizmair, M.; individualCount: 3; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; otherCatalogNumbers: 26 GP 005, 26 GP 006; occurrenceID: 37BB2327-B6E0-51B7-9CA9-AA916CE49B24; Location: country: Oman; countryCode: OM; stateProvince: Dhofar; municipality: Dhalkut; locality: Dhalkut; verbatimElevation: 150 m; verbatimLatitude: 16°42.272'; verbatimLongitude: 53°14.144'; Event: eventDate: 23-I-2026; Material Entity: disposition: CMS

Description

External characters (Figs 1 a, b, 2 a): Wingspan: 20.1–25.0 mm. Fore-wing length: 10.5–13.0 mm. Head: Antenna white in the flagellum, ciliae greyish-brown. Vertex and frons grey-scaled. Labial palpus porrect, dorsal and lateral scaling darkish-brown to ochreous sporadically interspersed with darkish-grey scales, ventrally with elongated greyish-white scales in segments 1 and 2, total length relative to the diameter of the eye 1.3 ± SD 0.09 (n = 9), ratio maximum length / maximum width 2.65 ± SD 0.18 (n = 9). Maxillary palpus porrect, brownish, very short, length relative to the length of the labial palpus 0.13 ± SD 0.02 (n = 4). Thorax: Dorsum, venter and tegula grey-scaled. Legs dorsally uniformly grey-scaled, tibia ventrally interspersed with brownish scales, tibial spurs significantly differing in length, with the longer spur three times as long as the shorter one. Fore- and hind-wing ground greyish-white irrorated with brownish scales, fore-wing with a yellowish-brown subcostal stripe ranging from the basis to the apex. Hind-wing terminal line marked as a series of yellowish-brown interneural spots. Fore- and hind-wing fringe greyish-white. Wings bare from any further maculation. Fore-wing triangular-shaped, elongate, 2.8 times as long as wide, apex pointed, slightly down-turned, tornus flattened anal border straight. Hind-wing 1.8 times as long as wide, apex rounded, tornus edged. Abdomen: Venter and dorsum greyish-white, presence of a greyish-white anal tuft.

Male genitalia (Fig. 3 a, b, c): Uncus with the neck constant in width, 4.7 ± SD 0.99 (n = 5) times longer than wide, apex membranous, subtriangular to cordate in shape, laterally chaetose. Tuba analis membranous, length relative to the length of the uncus 1.3 ± SD 0.09 (n = 5), subscaphium absent. Valva 1.7 ± SD 0.07 times longer than wide, costal border strongly convex, slightly sclerotised, constant in width, narrow, ventral border concave, apical portion protuberant, elongated, constricted, chaetose. Sacculus with a dorso-medial invagination, posterior half tapered, presence of one distal saccular process, which is bifid, with the arms forming a right angle and significantly differing in length. The longer of the two arms is slender, constant in width, slightly curved towards the apex and 1.47 ± SD 0.07 (n = 5) times longer than the shorter one. The shorter of the two arms is of sub-triangular shape. The juxta is of trapezoid shape and projected antero- and postero-laterally. The saccus is rounded, u-shaped, with a posteriad-directed ventro-apical process. Phallus with the posterior portion strongly widened, vesical sclerotisation marked as three deciduous cornuti, one of them very short, half as long as the longer ones, where the two longer cornuti are equal in length. Of the two longer cornuti, the posteriormost cornutus is basally curved, acuminate and spiculose, the anteriormost cornutus is straight and medially dilated.

Female genitalia (Fig. 5) Papilla analis ovate, 3.5 times longer than wide, chaetae very short. Posterior apophyses slender, unprojected, constant in width, slightly bent. Anterior apophyses projected in the posterior fifth, 1.5 times longer than the anterior apophyses. Antrum membranous strongly sclerotised, of sub-quadrangular shape. Ductus bursae with the posterior half strongly dilated, cordate and asymmetrical with extensive strongly sclerotised areas, 1.43 times wider than long (± SD 0.05, n = 6) and the anterior half weakly sclerotised, elongate, 3.37 times longer than wide (± SD 0.40, n = 6). Corpus bursae ovate, twice as long as wide (± SD 0.20, n = 5), equal in length with the ductus bursae (± SD 0.10, n = 5), signa very small to tiny, slender, acuminate, thorn-shaped.

Diagnosis

The diagnostic character states in the male genitalia known from the original description are the number and shape of the saccular processes – one distal bifid saccular process, the sclerotisation of the vesica marked as three cornuti, one short, slender the other two ones deciduous and acuminate. By these character states, the species is clearly differentiated from the externally close congeners of the Oriental Palpita vitrealis (Rossi, 1794) species group as listed in the original diagnosis (Seizmair 2022) from the Afrotropical Palpita irroratalis (Hampson, 1912) and Palpita tsisabienis Maes, 2004. Further diagnostic character states, which have become known by the analysis of the present material are the presence of dorso-medial invagination in the sacculus and the trapezoid shape of the laterally projected juxta. Furthermore, the species is differentiated in the female genitalia from the P. vitrealis species group by the presence of tiny, thorn-shaped signa, in the strongly dilated and strongly sclerotised posterior ductus bursae and by the strongly sclerotised, trapezoid-shaped antrum.

Distribution

Oman - province Dhofar. New to Saudi Arabia - southern Saravat mountains (Fayfa Mts., Asir Mts., southern Hejaz Mts.).

Notes

The re-description revises the attribution of character states in the original description, namely in external characters of the head profile and in characters in the male and female genitalia (sacculus, costa, signa). The head profile is re-figured (Fig. 2) at an enhanced resolution level compared with the figure in the original description. The male genitalia show variation in the size of the valva, in the length of the arms of the distal sacculus. The female genitalia exhibit variation in the size of the dilated posterior ductus bursae and in the length of the anterior ductus bursae. There are no intersexual differences, neither in wing maculation nor in wing shape. The data do not allow attribution of the variability to geographic separation between the samples from Dhofar and Saudi Arabia. The authors thus refrain from drawing taxonomic consequences at subspecific level.