Prasinocyma immaculata subsp. thiaucourti Herbulot 1993

Prasinocyma immaculata thiaucourti Herbulot, 1993, stat. n.

(Figs 1, 43, 80)

Prasinocyma thiaucourti Herbulot (1993): 50. Locus typicus: Ethiopia, Debri Zeit, 1800 m. Herewith downgraded from species to subspecies rank. Holotype ZSM/Herbulot: examined with abdomen brushed and DNA barcoded (BC ZSM Lep 76117, 67700, both legs sequenced to a 164bp fragment). Two (♂♀) paratypes dissected (ZSM G 19501, 19502). Sequence of holotype diverging from those of P. immaculata of other Ethiopian localities (Arba Minch, Yabelo, Ambo a.s.o. see below) in 4 nucleotide positions (264, 282, 297, 339; 4/164 = 2.5%), which are not editing errors. Synonymy, however, suggested by the absolute lack of differential features in both ♂ and ♀ genitalia.

Further taxa subordinated under Prasinocyma immaculata:

Thalassodes scissaria Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875: pl. 127, fig. 9. Locus typicus: South Africa, Grahamstown; one Syntype ♂ in NHM, examined. Synonym of nominate subspecies (Scoble 1999).

Prasinocyma unipuncta Warren, 1897: 44. Locus typicus: South Africa, Natal, Weenen (Holotype ♂ NHM, examined). Validated at species rank by Scoble (1999), herewith downgraded to synonymy (syn. n.).

Prasinocyma degenerata Prout, 1913: 420. Locus typicus: south-west Uganda / north-east Zaire: Ruwenzori, 3500 ft (Holotype ♂ NHM, examined. Validated at subspecies rank under P. immaculata by Scoble (1999).

Material. Oromia: 1♂, Sidama (locality no. 30; BC ZSM Lep 14896; gen.prp. ZSM G 19396); 4♂, West Shoa (no. 28; BC ZSM Lep 10073, 10083, 16448, 16477; gen.prp. ZSM G 19397); 1♂, Bale (no. 6); 1♂, Sidama (no. 45), 1♂, Sidama (no. 12); 1♀, Sidama (no. 89; BC ZSM Lep 78492; gen.prp 19661); 1♂, Bale (no. 88). Gambela: 1♂, Illubabor (no. 42) (Gen. DAEF prep. GF). Southern Nations: 1♀, Leku-Wendo (no. 15; BC ZSM Lep 47378); 1♂, Kaffa (no. 68); 6♂ 3♀, Arba Minch (no. 27; BC ZSM Lep 13168, 13172, 13178; gen.prp. ZSM G 19424, 19439, 19440); 2♂ 1♀, Arba Minch (no. 26; BC ZSM Lep 13171; gen.prp. ZSM G 19659, 19436); 1♀, Arba Minch (no. 43; BC ZSM Lep 13170; gen.prp. ZSM G 19421); 9♂, Arba Minch (no. 44); 5♂ 1♀, Arba Minch (no. 46); 6♀, Arba Minch (no. 23; BC ZSM Lep 78497, 81860); 1♂, Arba Minch (no. 100; BC ZSM Lep 84765); 1♂ 1♀, Mago NP (no. 96; gen.prp. ZSM G 15903).

Redescription. Adult (Fig. 1). Wingspan. Male and female 16 – 23 mm. Ground colour leaf green, irrorated with white strigulae. Forewings with a small spot, at ½ of the inner margin, white in the proximal half and brownish in the distal half. On fore- and hindwing, discal dot developed as elongate diffuse dark green streak towards costa, terminal dots absent. Hindwing termen round. Length of male palpi 1.0 times diameter of eye, tip pale brown. In female twice length of diameter of eye. Frons brown. Antennae bipectinate in male, filiform in female. Antennal branches pale ochre, at base slightly darker. Male frenulum present. Male hindtibia with white pencil and four spurs.

Male genitalia (Fig. 43). Comparatively small. Valva narrow, ventral margin convex at base and subapically, concave between. Aedeagus (1.4 – 1.6 mm) narrow, length of basal stalk approx. 2/5 of aedeagus, with sclerotized lateral process at centre (“coecum”). Sternum A8 with stout, sharp, paired projections.

Female genitalia (Fig. 80). Ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae, the former narrow, the latter elongate oval, both membranous and without any sclerotization. Lamella antevaginalis with slight transverse sclerotization.

Genetic data. BIN: BOLD:AAD7153. Nearest neighbour in Ethiopia: P. stefani sp. n. (6.3%). One barcoded Ethiopian specimen, BC ZSM Lep 78492, belonging to a separate BIN cluster (BOLD:AAE9969) at a distance of 4.4%, with further representants from Kenya and Tanzania, but ♂ and female genitalia without apparent differential characters from P. immaculata thiaucourti. Requiring further study and more material.

Remarks. South African populations (immaculata, scissaria, unipuncta) show longer processes of sternum A8 and longer aedeagus (1.7 – 1.8 mm). Delimitation of subspecies requiring further study.