An updated review of the genus Strigivenifera Hering, 1937 (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea: Chrysopolomidae) with the description of a new species.

Abstract

Following on from a recent revision by Kurshakov Zolotuhin (2013), the genus Strigivenifera Hering, 1937 is reviewed based on recently-collected material held at the African Natural History Research Trust. Investigation of genital morphology and newly-generated barcodes suggested that the diagnoses provided for the species in the previous revision were not entirely reliable for all taxa and as a result, a surplus of names exist in respect to valid species. The following taxonomic changes are implemented: S. livingstonei Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013 syn. n. and S. cruisa Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013 syn. n. are synonymised with S. albidiscalis (Hampson, 1910), S. ocellaris Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013 syn. n. is synonymised with S. eborea Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013 and S. tatooifera Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013 syn. n. is synonymised with S. bartschi Kurshakov Zolotuhin, 2013. A new species previously confused with S. ocellaris is described from the Western Area Peninsula in Sierra Leone: S. smithi sp. n. The intraspecific variability of the species together with appropriate diagnostic characters for identification are discussed and illustrated and an updated list of the valid species of the genus is provided.