Zelleria kesslerioides Gibeaux 1985

38. Zelleria kesslerioides Gibeaux, 1985

Zelleria kesslerioides Gibeaux, 1985: 277–280.

Type locality: Madagascar: Betroka.

Description of adult (Plate 6): (translated from the original description, with adaptation). Wingspan 14 mm.Antenna golden brown as well as the antennal scape, these are almost as long as the forewings. Labial palpus erect, brown externally, internally whitish. Frons bright golden beige. Vertex (bristle) and collar reddish white, with brown-tipped scales. Thorax and tegula grey-brown. Abdomen of the same colour, but clearer. Underside of thorax bright beige. Legs dark beige with dark brown tarsi. Forewing shining greyish brown with six tufts of prominent scales irrorate dark brown, as follows: at the border of the margin, in the cell, median along the internal border, postmedian and the last antemarginal; some brown scales in the marginal area. The forewing carries some scales of orange, and dark orange, this suffusion is superimposed on the greyish-brown ground colour; it is very roughly distributed in the centre of the wing in a longitudinal stripe, margin of the same dark orange. Greyish brown fringes. Sparkling grey-brown posterior wing lightening towards base. Grey fringes with reflections. Underside of forewings of a dark and shiny red, with the inner edge, the costa ashy grey. Fringes as upperside. Underside of hindwings identical to upperside.

Male genitalia (Plate 15). valva elongate oval with a small pouch on the sacculus; Saccus short. anal tube very long; socius containing a right angle.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Distinguished by the tufts of scales on the forewings as detailed above.

Biology. N ot known.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Madagascar.

Type material. Holotype ♂ Madagascar centre, Betroka v/ ix–1953. E. Diehl (MNHNP).