Three New Species of the Genus &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Autocharis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Swinhoe, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Odontiinae) from the Southern Arabian Peninsula

Michael Seizmair

doi:10.11648/j.aje.20200401.13

Abstract

New taxonomic results on the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 (Lepeidoptera: Crambidae, Odontiinae) are presented on the basis of a sample of 11 specimens collected by the author in south-western Oman between 2017 - 2019. The attribution of the material to the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 and the exclusion of other genera close to Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 was done on the basis of differential features in the forewing venation. Examination of the wing pattern and the genitalia resulted in the attribution of one part of the sample (10 specimens) to the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) species complex and of the other part (1 specimen) to the Autocharis fessalis (Swinhoe, 1886) complex. Morphpmetric analysis of the sample and comparison with type material of the respective species groups revealed significant differences between the specimens of the sample and the representants of the two species groups. These differences result in the description of three new species: Autocharis trisignalis Seizmair, sp.nov. Autocharis renalis Seizmair, sp.nov. belonging to the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex and Autocharis arrondalis Seizmair, sp.nov. belonging to the Autocharis fessalis (Swinhoe, 1886) complex. Furthermore, the presence of the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex is reported as new to the entomofauna of the Arabian Peninsula. Up to now, records of the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex have been restricted to South Africa and the Malagasy region.

Highlights

The genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 comprises according to present knowledge a total of 25 species
In the Afrotropical zone the distribution presently known is centered on South Africa and on the Malagasy region, with further occurrences reported from East, Central and West Africa
The most important common external features are triangular shaped forewings and a characteristic wing pattern characterized by a transverse band in the distal area, which is clearly distinct from the ground scaling

Summary

Introduction

The genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 comprises according to present knowledge a total of 25 species. The genus is distributed in the Afrotropical, Oriental and Indo-Australian zones. In the Afrotropical zone the distribution presently known is centered on South Africa and on the Malagasy region, with further occurrences reported from East, Central and West Africa. The most important common external features are triangular shaped forewings and a characteristic wing pattern characterized by a transverse band in the distal area, which is clearly distinct from the ground scaling. The central feature shared in the structure of the male genitalia is a fan-like shape of the valves, with extensive setose fields on the borders and a characteristic structure of several sclerites in the interior, which varies inter-. One of the key features distinguishing the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 from the other two genera is the radial venation of the forewings: R2 and R3+4 are separate in the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854. In the other two genera, R2 is stalked on R3+4 (Figures 3, 8, 11)

Methods

Results

Conclusion