Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Safian 2022, sp. nov.

Chlorosphecia bele Bartsch & Sáfián sp. nov.

(Figs 2, 4)

Holotype ♂: (Fig. 2) “ Liberia, Coldwater, ENNR / and Blei Community Forest, / 7°24’49.87”N, 8°35’27.25”W, / 553 m, mud-puddling, / 13.IV.2021, leg. Sz. Sáfián ”; “Bartsch GU 2021-07” (SMNS).

Paratype: 1♂, “ Ghana, Western Region / New Debiso / Bia National Park, / 6°37’18.97”N, 3°3’52.60”W, / 219 m, / 19.I.2001, leg. Sz. Sáfián ”, GSCMW454-09 (= BOX-2218 A08) (collection Franz Pühringer Sankt Konrad, Austria).

Worn specimen, labial palpi, hind legs and all left legs (except fore coxa) missing.

Description. A small, compact clearwing moth. Dimensions of the holotype: wingspan 16 mm, antenna 5 mm, forewing 7 mm, body length 9 mm. Head: labial palpus with first palpomere white, laterally with some black scales, second palpomere in distal half dark grey dorsally, black laterally and distally, terminal segment black, inner side yellow; frons dark grey with strong gloss, laterally and on lower part white; vertex glossy black, lateral and occipital as well as pericephalic scales brilliant emerald green, the latter laterally white; antenna black, white dorsodistally. Thorax: dorsally black, densely mottled with emerald green glossy scales, laterally dark grey with some white scales. Foreleg: dark anthracite-grey; coxa white, laterally black, sub-distally with some black scales; femur with narrow, white, lateral patch distally; tibia and tarsomeres with white scales distally. Mid and hind legs: dark anthracite-grey with steel-blue gloss; coxa distally white; tibia laterally with large patches of rough white scales in middle and distally; tibia of hindleg dorso-distally with tuft of black, distally white scales; tarsomeres distally white, ventrally white with black thorns; spurs dark grey, dorsally white. Wings: transparent areas well developed, external one very large, consisting of six sub-cells; veins, margins, apical area and discal spots black, some emerald green glossy scales at forewing base; fringes of both wings dark brownish-grey.Abdomen: black; tergite two mottled with a few emerald green glossy scales and a narrow emerald green posterior margin; tergite four anteriorly indistinctly brownish-black; tergite seven caudally white; sternite four white.

Genitalia (Fig. 4). See description of genus.

Variation. The paratype’s wingspan is 14 mm, somewhat smaller than that of the holotype.

Diagnosis. Unmistakable, see genus description above.

Habitat. Captured along a semi-shaded forest track in wet lowland forest in the Nimba Mountains foothills.

Behaviour. The holotype was actively mud-puddling on a gravelly track near the stream named Coldwater, at around 14:00 hrs and in sunny conditions.

Derivatio nominis. Mount Bele, with its 1000 m altitude, is a unique geographic feature of Blei Community Forest with a beautiful, narrow, horseshoe-shaped ridge and virgin rainforest, and which is also the origin of the Coldwater stream.