European Journal of Taxonomy 65: 1-15

http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2013.65

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2013 • Antonio Durante et al.

Research article

um:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:lA278230-80B9-487E-AF3D-72D22D7B6B7F

Second contribution to the knowledge of the Lithosiini of Gabon:

the genus Nanna Birket-Smith (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae)

Antonio DURANTE', Emelie Arlette APINDA-LEGNOUO^ & Chiara ROMANO"

^ Museo di Storia naturale del Salento. Via Europa 95, 73021 Calimera, Italy

Email: [email protected] (eorrespending author)

^ Institut de Reeherehes sur EEeologie Tropieale, Eibreville, Gabon

Email: [email protected]

^ Viale Santa Caterina Novella 26, 73013 Galatina, Italy

Email: [email protected]

^ um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:EE002752-B8CA-40FA-A6B2-02B46375D850

^ um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:BC3E3E0E-D9C9-4664-AE16-709F8DA33D8F

^ um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:A882257F-26A4-4493-8522-BlE22561E933

Abstract. The presenee of the genus Nanna in Gabon is treated. Four speeies are reeorded, two of whieh are

new to seienee (V. molouba sp. nov. and V semigrisea sp. nov.), and the hitherto unknown female of Nanna

ceratopygia is deseribed. A eheeklist and a key to the speeies of the genus Nanna are provided.

Keywords. Aretiinae, Fithosiini, Nanna, new speeies, Afrotropieal Region.

Durante A., Apinda-Legnouo E.A. & Romano C. 2013. Second contribution to the knowledge of the Lithosiini

of Gabon: the genus Nanna Birket-Smith (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae). European Journal of Taxonomy 65:

1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2013.65

Introduction

This seeond eontribution on the Fithosiini of Gabon (the first one is Durante 2012) deals with the

presenee of the genus Nanna Birket-Smith, 1965 in the Ivindo National Park (North-eastern Gabon).

This genus was proposed by its author mainly based on West Alfiean material: Kiriakoff (1963) deseribed

Lithosia colonoides (Kiriakoff, 1963) from Demoeratie Republie of the Congo and reeently Ktihne (2005,

2007) extended its range to East Afriea (see list below). Hitherto it has not been reeorded from Gabon.

The genus was diagnosed by its author by means of the irregular weak selerotizations of the aedeagus

and the absenee of the valvellae; he also added (Birket-Smith 1965: 35) a small plate-like eomutus in the

vesiea, the vineulum not forming any saeeus, and the distally rounded, membranous supravalva.

With the present eontribution, the number of Nanna speeies rises to 13, two of whieh are newly reeorded

from Gabon and two more are here deseribed as new.

A key to the speeies of the genus Nanna is provided below.

European Journal of Taxonomy 65: 1-15 (2013)

Material and methods

All the Gabonese material used for this paper eomes from the moths eolleeted by the first and seeond

authors in the National Park of Ivindo, during the short rainy season from February to April.

The Park, in the North-East of Gabon at about 500 m a.s.L, has an extension of 300000 ha, most of

whieh is eovered by primary forest and is drained by a lot of watereourses, the most important being

Ivindo, the major, Djidji and Langoue (Vande Weghe 2006). The Ipassa Researeh Station, the plaee of

the eaptures, is in the far north of the park, and the forest around is somewhat degraded with residual

primary forest, old and young seeondary forest, and bush and erop areas. The Ivindo National Park

presents a forest with transitional eharaeteristies between the Western Congolese forest with Atlantie

influenees and the real Western Congolese forest, without a elear line of demareation (Vande Weghe

2010). The elimate is equatorial with two wet seasons (a short one from February to April/May, and a

longer one from August to November), a short dry season in Deeember-January, and a long dry season

from May/June to July/August.

The moths were attraeted at night using three blended light lamps of 500 watt plaeed at about 200 m

from eaeh other, in front of a white eotton sheet. The eolleetion started aetively from 7 p.m. to about

midnight. Mueh material was also eolleeted in the morning on and around the white sheets.

One sheet was positioned in front of the seeondary forest around the station, the seeond one in front of

the Ivindo River on the top of a slope high over the primary forest eanopy (Fig. 1), and the third one

faeing the researeh station inwards (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Primary forest on the Ivindo River at the Ipassa researeh station. Courtesy of Piero Carlino.

DURANTE A. et al ., The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

The Lithosiini moths were killed immediately after eapture, using ammonia vapours, and pinned the

following morning. After a few months, the moths were rehydrated and spread with standard methods

(e.g.. Winter 2000).

Genitalia were disseeted aeeording to Durante (2008).

Pietures were taken in the field (landseapes) and in the laboratory (adults) with a digital eamera; genitalia

were photographed and mounted under a trinoeular stereomieroseope. The pietures were improved using

the software Photoshop CS4.

Pietures of genitalia are not in due proportion.

Genitalia terminology aeeording to Birket-Smith (1965), Klots (1970), Tikhomirov (1979) and

Kristensen (2003).

The material is stored at the MSNS and the first author’s eolleetions.

Abbreviations

ANPN

BMNH

CENAREST =

D.R.C.

IRAF

IRET

Agenee Nationale des Pares Nationaux, Gabon

The Natural History Museum, Eondon, United Kingdom

Centre National de la Reeherehe Seientifique et Teehnologique, Gabon

Demoeratie Republie of the Congo

Institut de Reeherehes Agronomiques et Forestieres, Gabon

Institut de Reeherehes sur TBeologie Tropieale, Gabon

Fig. 2. The Ipassa researeh station in Ivindo National Park.

European Journal of Taxonomy 65 : 1-15 ( 2013 )

MAD

MSNS

NKMD

RMCA

ZIM

ZMHB

Acronym of the first author

Museo di Storia naturale del Salento, Calimera, Italy

Museum fiir Naturkunde und Vorgesehiehte, Dessau, Germany

Royal Museum for Central Afriea, Tervuren, Belgium

Zoologisehes Institut und Museum, Emst-Moritz-Amdt-Universitat, Greifswald,

Germany.

Museum fiir Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universitat, Berlin, Germany.

Results

Phylum Arthropoda Latreille, 1829

Class Inseeta Linnaeus, 1758

Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758

Family Erebidae Leaeh, [1815]

Subfamily Aretiinae Leaeh, [1815]

Tribus Lithosiini Billberg, 1820

Genus Nanna Birket-Smith, 1965

At present, the genus Nanna ineludes 13 speeies of whieh two are newly reeorded for Gabon,

N. ceratopygia Birket-Smith, 1965 and N. eningae (Plotz, 1880), and two are endemie in Gabon

(N. molouba sp. nov. and A. semigrisea sp. nov.).

Remarks

In the original paper, Birket-Smith does not provide any information about the etymology and grammatieal

gender. It is very probably derived from the name “Nanna”, the god of the moon in Sumerian mythology.

That name should be maseuline, but the author treats it as feminine, making it agree with the speeifie

names, sueh as magna. Aeeording to the art. 30.2.3 of ICZN, the genus name Nanna has to be eonsidered

feminine.

Checklist of species belonging to the genus Nanna

Nanna ceratopygia Birket-Smith, 1965

Nanna collinsii Kiihne, 2007

Nanna colonoides (Kiriakoff, 1963)

Nanna diplisticta (Bethune-Baker, 1911)

Nanna eningae (Plotz, 1880)

Nanna griseata Kuhne, 2007

Nanna kamerunica Kiihne, 2007

Nanna loloana (Strand, 1912)

Nanna magna 1965

Nanna melanosticta (Bethune-Baker, 1911)

Nanna molouba sp. nov.

Nanna naumanni Kiihne, 2005

Nanna semigrisea sp. nov.

Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon (type in BMNH)

D.R.C., Kenya (type in RMCA)

D.R.C. (type in RMCA)

(type speeies) Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, (type in

BMNH)

Ivory Coast, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon (type

in ZIM)

Ivory Coast (type in RMCA)

Cameroon (type in NKMD)

Cameroon (type in ZMHB)

Cameroon (type in its author’s eolleetion)

Ghana, Angola (type in BMNH)

Gabon (type in MSNS)

Kenya (type in its author’s eolleetion)

Gabon (type in MSNS)

DURANTE A. et al. , The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

Key to the males of the species of Nanna

The following key is based mainly on the genitalia beeause the habitus of the speeies ineluded in the

genus Nanna is very similar. Furthermore the females are not ineluded due to our fragmented knowledge

about them.

1. Forewings oehreous yellow. Nanna ceratopygia Birket-Smith, 1965

- Forewings white or light grey.2

2. Male antennae bipeetinate.3

- Male antennae serrate or eiliated.4

3. Ala valvae of the male genitalia with a triangular proeess at its distal third.

Ala valvae of the male genitalia without a triangular proeess.

Nanna molouba sp. nov.

■ wflg/ia Birket-Smith, 1965

4. Male genitalia proeessus basalis plieae elearly notieeable (1st group of B.-S. 1965).5

- Male genitalia proeessus basalis plieae not notieeable or absent (2nd group of B.-S. 1965). 12

5. Proeessus basalis plieae from half length of valva up to longer than the entire valva.6

- Proeessus basalis plieae shorter than half length of valva.10

6. Supravalva spatulate and elearly shorter than ala valvae. Nanna loloana (Strand, 1912)

- Supravalva as long as or longer than ala valvae.7

7. Ala valvae distally bent in U-shape. Nanna ceratopygia Birket-Smith, 1965

- Ala valvae tapering and just smoothly bent.8

8. Proeessus basalis plieae longer than supravalva, S-shaped. Nanna naumanni Ktihne, 2005

- Proeessus basalis plieae shorter than supravalva, almost straight.9

9. Uneus strong and long. Nanna diplisticta (Bethune-Baker, 1911)

- Uneus slender and short. Nanna colonoides (Kiriakoff, 1963)

10. Aedeagus slender (eight times longer than broad). Nanna griseata Ktihne, 2007

- Aedeagus normally sized (less than five times longer than the average width).11

11. Proeessus basalis plieae deeply faleate. Nanna semigrisea sp. nov.

- Proeessus basalis plieae less eurved and shorter. Nanna collinsii Ktihne, 2007

12. Supravalva very large, ear-like. Nanna kamerunica Ktihne, 2007

- Supravalva slender and long.13

13. Distal proeess of the ala valvae slender and long. Nanna eningae (Plotz, 1880)

- Distal proeess of the ala valvae short and stubby. Nanna melanosticta (Bethune-Baker, 1911)

European Journal of Taxonomy 65 : 1-15 ( 2013 )

Account of the Gabonese species

Nanna ceratopygia Birket-Smith, 1965

Figs 3A-B, 4A, 5A

Nanna ceratopygia 1965: 40-42.

Type material

Holotype

S, BMNH, examined.

Allotype

GABON: Makokou-lpassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N, 12°48’13”E, 16-28 Feb. 2012; gen. prep. n. 730/13

MAD, MSNS.

Type locality

Bitje, Ja river, Cameroons, leg. Joyee ? 1915.

Other material examined

GABON: Makokou-lpassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N, 12°48’13”E, 2 SS, 1 $, 5-10 Apr. 2010; 3 SS, 19Feb.-

11 Mar. 2011; 5 SS, 1?, 16-28 Feb. 2012; MSNS and MAD.

Description

Habitus

Wingspan: $ 39-44 mm. General aspeet similar to the male, larger and with a bigger abdomen.

Genitalia

Seventh segment slightly selerotized, one and a half times longer than the sixth segment; the stemite

with a deep eoneavity in the middle of its eaudal margin to aeeommodate the sterigma; pleurae with

one triangular membranous thiekness, eephalad with a shallow poueh eonsisting of membranous thiek

tissue. Eighth segment slightly selerotized, as long as the sixth one; stemite with two membranous lateral

shallow eoneavities and the eentral portion forming a well selerotized squarish lamella postvaginalis.

Anterior apophyses very short, about one third as long as the eight segment; posterior apophyses two

times longer than the anterior ones. Dorsal pheromone glands a little longer than the posterior apophyses.

Ostium bursae membranous, no lamella ante vaginalis. Duetus bursae almost as long as large broad,

internally eovered by spieulate thorns; its eaudal portion naked, with a small dorsal dome-shaped

appendix holding the duetus seminalis. Corpus bursae lentieular, internally eovered by spieulate thorns

exeept around the signum. Signum eoneave, roundish, with small thorns.

Distribution

Cameroon (type loeality, Birket-Smith 1965). Nigeria (Birket-Smith 1965); Gabon (new loeality).

Remarks

This speeies, hitherto only known from the type loeality and Nigeria, is now also reported from Gabon.

The female is reeorded and hereafter deseribed for the first time (an allotype is designed in the sense of

ICZN art. 72.1.3, Reco mm endation 72A).

DURANTE A. et al. , The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

Fig. 3 .Adults. X. Nannaceratopy 1965, S, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500m, 0°30’43”N

12°48’13”E, 19 Feb.-11 Mar. 2011. B. Nanna ceratopygia, $ allotype. C. Nanna eningae (Plotz, 1880),

$ holotype. D. Nanna eningae, S, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N 12°48’13”E, 19 Feb.-

11 Mar. 2011, gen. prep. n. 697/12 MAD. E. Nanna eningae, S, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m,

0°30’43”N I2°48’I3”E, 16-28 Feb. 2012, gen. prep. n. 705/12 MAD. F. Nanna eningae, $, Gabon,

Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N I2°48’I3”E, 5-10 Apr. 2010. G. Nanna semigrisea sp. nov., S

paratype, gen. prep. n. 709/12 MAD. H. Nanna semigrisea sp. nov., S paratype, gen. prep. n. 708/12

MAD. I. Nanna semigrisea sp. nov., $ paratype, gen. prep. n. 699/12 MAD. J. Nanna molouba sp. nov.,

S holotype.

European Journal of Taxonomy 65 : 1-15 ( 2013 )

Nanna eningae (F\6tz, 1880)

Figs 3C-F, 4B, 5B

Gnophria eningae Flotz, 1880: 80.

Eilema eningae ym.pia Strand, 1912: 99-100.

Nanna montana Birket-Smith, 1965: 44-45; synonymized by Kiihne (2005).

Ilema eningae - Hampson 1900: 156.

Nannapia - Birket-Smith 1965: 43-44; synonymized by Kii hn e (2005).

Type material

Holotype, $, ZIM., only the pieture examined.

Type locality

W. Afriea, Eningo [Ivory Coast], 13 Jun. 1875, leg. R. Buekholz.

Other material examined

GHANA: Ashanti, Bobiri, 1 S, 25 May 2011.

D.R.C: Eala, 1 Get. 1936; Sankum, 1 S, 25 Nov. 1951.

NIGERIA: Odi, 1 S, 30-31 May 1997.

GABON: Makokou-lpassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N, 12°48’13”E, 17 SS, 5 ??, 5-10 Apr. 2010; 3 SS, 19

Feb.-ll Mar. 2011; 3 (?(? 16-28 Feb. 2012; MSNS and MAD.

Distribution

Ivory Coast (type loeality, Plotz 1880); Ghana (RMCA eolL); Togo (Strand 1912); Nigeria (Birket-

Smith 1965; Durante & Panzera 2001); Cameroon (Strand 1912; Birket-Smith 1965); DRC (RMCA

eolL); Gabon (new loeality).

Remarks

Kiihne (2005) synonymized Nanna montana and N. eningae var. pia with N. eningae based on the

variability of the wing eolour and the eolour pattern of N. eningae (see Kiihne 2007: 354), and on

eomparisons with the type of A. eningae (Kiihne 2007: 354), disregarding the male genitalie differenees

deseribed by Birket-Smith between N. montana and N. pia. They were probably eonsidered to represent

only a minor intraspeeifie variability. Aeeording to Birket-Smith (1965: 43, 47), the types of N. eningae

and N. pia were untraeeable, but Kiihne (2005) explained that he was able to eompare his speeimens

of N. eningae and N. pia with the types in the Plotz eolleetion. However, Kiihne (2007) admitted to the

possibility that the N. eningae-growp is eomposed of several taxa, but he did not go further into this

matter.

Durante & Panzera (2001) did not provide elear distinetive eharaeters for laek of material and elassified

a single speeimen from Nigeria as N montana, based on male genitalie morphology. In this respeet, it

should be remarked that one speeimen from Ghana (RMCA eolleetion) shows all the eharaeteristies

deseribed by Birket-Smith (1965) about N. pia, leading to the eonelusion that the variability between

N. pia (eningae) and N. montana eould be eonerete.

At present, although the examined series from Gabon does not show any genitalie variability within

itself (in eontrast with the above supposed “minor intraspeeifie variability”), the eonelusions of Kiihne

(2005) are here eautiously aeeepted, sinee the synonymy ean be supported by the similarity of the

Gabonese female genitalia with the ones of N. pia figured in Birket-Smith (1965) and the similarity of

DURANTE A. et al ., The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

Fig. 4. Male genitalia. Figures are not in equal proportion; the aedeagus, on the right, is enlarged.

A.Nannaceratopygia^iY]LQt-'^mi\h, 1965, S, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500m, 0°30’43”N 12°48’13”E,

19 Feb.-11 Mar. 2011, gen. prep. nov. 729/13 MAD. B. Nanna eningae (Plotz, 1880), S, Gabon,

Makokou-Ipassa, 500m, 0°30’43”N 12°48’13”E, 19Feb.-ll Mar. 2011, gen. prep. n. 697/12MAD. C.

Nanna semigrisea sp. nov., S paratype, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N I2°48’I3”E, 19

Feb.-II Mar. 2011., gen. prep. n. 698/12 MAD. Arrows: a = ventral selerotization of the basis valvae; b

= proeessus basalis plieae; e = distal selerotized bar. s = tha moderate swelling in the vesiea. 1-4 = lobes

of the vesiea. D. Nanna molouba sp. nov., S paratype, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N

I2°48’I3”E, 5-10 Apr. 2010, gen. prep. n. 562/10 MAD.

European Journal of Taxonomy 65: 1-15 (2013)

the Gabonese male genitalia with the ones of N. montana, both figured in Birket-Smith (1965) and in

Durante & Panzera (2001), in addition to the existing wing eolour variability (see Fig. 3E).

Nanna semigrisea sp. nov.

um:lsid:zoobank.org:aet:0B5D4B5E-108E-4376-990C-ED2DADD56869

Figs 31, 4C, 5C

Diagnosis

Speeies quite distinguishable in the genus thanks to the light grey forewings and the usually paler

hindwings; it is, however, very similar to Nanna griseata. Male genitalia similar to those of Nanna

collinsii and N. griseata, but the proeessus basalis plieae is longer and more faleate in N. semigrisea

sp. nov.; moreover, N. collinsi has shorter valvae and a larger aedeagus, N. griseata a more slender

aedeagus.

Etymology

The name originates from the eombination of the Eatin prefix semi- (meaning “half’) and the adjeetive

griseus (meaning “grey”).

Type material

Holotype

S, MSNS.

Paratypes

2 SS, 5-10 Apr. 2010; 5 SS, 1 ?, 19 Feb.-ll Mar. 2011; 2 SS, 16-28 Feb. 2012. Same loeality as the

holotype. MSNS and MAD.

Type locality

GABON: Makokou-lpassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N, 12°48’13” E, 19 Feb.-ll Mar. 2011.

Description

Habitus

Wingspan: S 36-41 mm; $ 31 mm. Forewing upper side ground eolour light grey, slightly darkening

distally; eosta with the proximal two fifths greyish; pattern with two blaek dots on the median area, one

on the eostal margin, and another one between the CuA2 and the anal vein. Hindwing upper side ground

eolour white, sometimes shading to grey toward the apex and termen. Forewing underside ground eolour

darker grey than the upper side, gradually shading to ereamy white toward the base and the inner margin.

Hindwing underside as in the upper side. Fringes of the same eolour as that wing’s ground eolour.

Head oehreous yellow, labial palpi porreet, oehreous yellow male antennae eiliated, female filiform,

oehreous yellow.

Patagia uniformly oehreous yellow, tegulae and notum oehreous yellow, shading posteriorly to greyish

white. Thorax ventrally yellow.

Male legs light yellow with the distal end of the femur dark grey; forelegs with femur and tibia shading

into light grey; in the female homogeneous light yellow. Praetarsi blaekish. Spurs formula 0-2-4.

Abdomen greyish white, shading to oehreous yellow starting from about the sixth segment to the

terminalia.

DURANTE A. et al ., The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

Fig. 5. Female genitalia. Figures are not in equal proportion. A. Nanna ceratopygia Birket-Smith,

1965, $ allotype. B. Nanna eningae (Plotz, 1880), $, Gabon, Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N

12°48’13”E, 5-10 Apr. 2010, gen. prep. n. 558/10 MAD. C. Nanna semigrisea sp. nov., $ paratype

European Journal of Taxonomy 65: 1-15 (2013)

Genitalia

Male. A8 medially membranous and laterally slightly selerotized, length about one third that of the

seventh segment.

Uneus slender, long, eaudally bent, ending in a point; tegument pear-shaped (ventral view); vineulum

semieireular, strong, with two ventral swellings if pressed under eover slide. Juxta great, upside down

Y-shaped, well selerotized.

Basis valvae ventrally selerotized (a round bar-like selerotization eontiguous to the dorsal margin of the

ala valvae. Fig. 4C, arrow a); medially membranous; dorsally well selerotized, with a strong proeessus

basalis plieae (tendon of Ktihne 2007), deeply faleate, with its distal three fifths eovered by dense tiny

thorns, terminating with a strong spike (Fig. 4C, arrow b).

Ala valvae selerotized, distally tapering. The distal proeess strongly selerotized, eovered by thorns

dorsally for all its length and eompleted only on its last fourth, ending in a point.

Supravalva more membranous, finger shaped, just a little shorter than ala valvae.

Aedeagus quite narrow, partially membranous (pseudaedoeagus of Birket-Smith 1965), with a distal

narrow selerotized bar terminating in a eurl. Vesiea small, membranous, with two proximal (numbered 1

and 2 in Fig. 4C) and two distal (3 and 4) lobes eovered by very small spines; opposite to the eurl (arrow

e), a moderate swelling (s).

Female. Seventh segment slightly selerotized, one and a half times longer than the sixth segment. Eighth

segment about half as long as the sixth one, membranous. Anterior apophyses as short as the eight

segment; posterior apophyses three times longer than the anterior ones. Dorsal pheromone glands a little

longer than posterior apophyses.

Lamella postvaginalis present as a strong shield inserting eephalad in the seventh sternum, whieh

surrounds the lamella with two lateral well evident folds.

Ostium membranous, with two small anterior swellings, whieh eannot be interpreted as lamellae

antevaginalis.

Duetus bursae short, membranous with the dorsal wall strongly selerified, triangularish.

Corpus bursae ovoid, internally eovered by small slender thorns exeept around the signum, with a small

dome-shaped posterior appendix; duetus seminalis arising from the appendix. Signum eoneave, oblong,

eovered by very tiny spines.

Nanna molouba sp. nov.

um:lsid:zoobank.org:aet:2B2F8C94-2AA5-45EQ-9A5B-DEF470A55E0D

Figs 3J, 4D

Diagnosis

Speeies similar to N. collinsi, N. colonoides, N. eningae and N. melanosticta, but easily distinguishable

thanks to the bipeetinate antennae of N. molouba sp. nov. Nanna magna also has bipeetinate antennae,

but its genitalia are elearly different.

DURANTE A. et al ., The genus Nanna in Gabon (Lepidoptera)

Etymology

This speeies is dedieated to the kind Dr. Aurelie Flore Molouba, head of the Seientifie Commission of

the CENAREST. Noun in apposition (ICZN artiele 11.9.1.2).

Type material

Holotype

<S, MSNS.

Paratypes

5 SS, 5-10 Apr. 2010; 3 SS, 19 Feb.-11 Mar. 2011. Same loeality as the holotype. MSNS and MAD.

Type locality

GABON: Makokou-Ipassa, 500 m, 0°30’43”N, 12°48’13”E, 19 Feb.-ll Mar. 2011.

Description

Habitus

Wingspan: S 36-42 mm. Forewing upper side ground eolour whitish; basal third of the eosta sometimes

blaekish; pattern with two blaek dots on the median area, one on the eostal margin, and another one

between the CuA2 and the anal vein. Hindwing upper side ground eolour white. Fore wing underside

ground eolour slightly darker than the upper side, with a ereamy faseia along the eostal margin. Hindwing

underside as in the upper side. Fringes of the same eolour as that wing’s ground eolour.

Head yellow, labial palpi yellow, porreet or slightly downward, male antennae bipeetinate, yellow along

the first fourth, shading to brown toward the apex.

Patagia yellow, tegulae whitish, notum anteriorly yellow, shading baekward to whitish. Thorax ventrally

yellow.

Forelegs yellow with femur and tibia externally grayish brown, tarsus lighter; mid- and hindlegs yellow

with artieulation between femur and tibia grayish brown. All praetarsi brown. Spurs formula 0-2-4.

Abdomen yellow.

Genitalia

Male. A8 tergum reetangular, slightly shorter than seventh segment; A8 sternum slightly selerotized,

bar-like, areh-shaped, with two apodemal blunt eephalad appendiees.

Uneus slender, long, eaudally bent, ending in a point; tegument pear-shaped (ventral view); vineulum

semieireular, strong, with a median eoneavity. Juxta great, upside down Y-shaped, well selerotized.

Basis valvae selerotized at the junetion with the juxta, with whieh it forms a pseudo-artieulation;

membranous at supravalvar level.

Ala valvae with ventral margin selerotized and swollen, dorsal margin membranous.

Supravalva selerotized with ventral margin membranous.

Distal proeess of the ala valvae strongly selerotized, with a triangular proeess (Fig. 4D, arrow) at the

distal third of the valvar length, and a robust hook-like termination ending in a big thorn and dorsally

European Journal of Taxonomy 65: 1-15 (2013)

covered by slim spines. Distal proeess of the supravalva less selerotized than the previous one, large and

spatulate.

Aedeagus quite narrow, partially membranous (pseudaedoeagus ofBirket-Smith 1965), without eoeeum;

vesiea small, with sparse tiny thorns and two lobes, one at the base and one apieally on the main lobe

(respeetively numbered 1 and 2 in Fig. 4D).

Discussion

The genus Nanna is an entirely Afriean genus, with mainly Western and Central distribution, and it

seems to be ehiefly assoeiated with a tropieal habitat with a high humidity level.

From a strietly systematie point of view, the genus is quite well distinguishable from others by its large

wingspan, generally white wing eolour and peeuliarities in its genital apparatus (see Introduetion).

In Gabon, at the moment, it eonsists of four speeies; however, given the high biodiversity in other groups

(even inseets other than moths; Durante, personal observation), it is very probable that the number will

inerease following future researeh. Most speeies, based on present knowledge, oeeur in Cameroon (six),

followed by Gabon (four) and Nigeria (three), due probably to the extension of the reeording survey in

eaeh eountry.

Acknowledgements

Permission to visit and eolleet in the Gabonese parks was obtained through an international eonvention

established between the CENAREST and the MSNS in order to implement co mm on research

projects. The eontributions of the IRAF and IRET were fundamental in helping with faeilities in the

Ipassa Researeh Station, and the authors thank the following for their important roles in this MSNS

eollaboration: Daniel Franek Idiata (Commissaire General of the CENAREST), Auguste Ndoutoume-

Ndong (Direetor of the IRAF), Alfred Ngomanda (Direetor of the IRET), Joseph Vivien Okouyi Okouyi

(Conservator of the Ivindo National Park) and Aurelie Flore Molouba (Commission Seientifique sur les

Autorisations de Reeherehe of the CENAREST). Many thanks are due to the ANPN for permission to

eolleet material for researeh purpose in the parks. The authors also thank Piero Carlino, Euea Noeeo,

Sandro Panzera, and Euigi Potenza of MSNS for their support of the Gabonese researeh program. This

study has been possible thanks to the eourtesy of Ugo DalFAsta and Aliee-Marie Busset, RMCA, and

of Martin Honey, BMNH. Many thanks are due to Koen Martens, University of Ghent, for very useful

suggestions and language revision, and to two anonymous referees for valuable adviee. The present

paper (marked MSNS-GE3) has been prepared within the Gabonese researeh program of the MSNS

(being the previous paper Bayendi Eoudit et al, in prep., marked MSNS-GE2).

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Manuscript received: 18 July 2013

Manuscript accepted: 21 October 2012

Published on: 22 November 2012

Topic editor: Koen Martens

Desk editor: Charlotte Thionois

Printed versions of all papers are also deposited in the libraries of the institutes that are members of

the EJT eonsortium: Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Franee; National Botanie Garden

of Belgium, Meise, Belgium; Royal Museum for Central Alfiea, Tervuren, Belgium; Natural History

Museum, London, United Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Seienees, Brussels, Belgium;

Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.