A contribution to the knowledge of the prominent moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea, Notodontidae) of the Maputo Special Reserve with descriptions of four new species

Abstract

This paper provides the first comprehensive summary of the Notodontidae fauna of the Maputo Special Reserve in southern Mozambique listing 51 species. Four species are described as new to science (Thacona smithi László & Schintlmeister sp. n., Arciera meridiana László & Schintlmeister sp. n., Leptolepida krugeri László & Schintlmeister sp. n., Thaumetopoea latinivea László & Schintlmeister sp. n.) and 23 species are recorded as new country records. Several taxonomic changes are made: the genus Arciera Kiriakoff, 1962 is reinstated and a lectotype is designated for Turnaca grisea Holland, 1893; Thacona pinheyi is transferred to the genus Subscrancia Gaede, 1928 (Subscrancia pinheyi (Kiriakoff, 1965) comb. nov.); and Hoplitis gigas Distant, 1899 is reinstated from synonymy to species rank (Amyops gigas (Distant, 1899) stat. rev.). 106 colour and 40 black and white diagnostic figures are provided including the hitherto unknown females of Archistilbia mlawula Schintlmeister & Witt, 2015 and Eurystauridia iphis Kiriakoff, 1968.

A contribution to the knowledge of the slug moths (Zygaenoidea: Limacodidae) of the Maputo Special Reserve

“…Three consecutive sampling expeditions were undertaken between 2016 and 2018 to create a comprehensive knowledge of the Lepidoptera fauna of the Maputo Special Reserve. This research has already produced publications on Tumicla (Lithosiini, Arctiinae, Erebidae) (Volynkin & László 2018), Nolini (Nolinae, Nolidae) (László & Vetina, 2019), Cossidae (Yakovlev et al 2020) Sphingidae (Bąkowski et al 2020), and Notodontidae (László et al 2021). This present paper aims to provide a first summary of the Limacodidae fauna of the Maputo Special Reserve based on the material collected between 2016 and 2018.…”

A contribution to the knowledge of the butterfly fauna of Maputo Special Reserve, Mozambique from African Natural History Research Trust expeditions (Papilionoidea)

“…With such a high concentration of endemic plant species, the insect diversity of the region is expected to be great, with numerous endemic species. However, historically, the Lepidoptera fauna of Mozambique has been understudied in comparison to that of some other African countries (Congdon & Bayliss, 2013;László et al, 2021), but there are a number of historical collections which have provided an important foundation for further entomological study in the area. Particularly important to the area now comprising the Maputaland Centre of Endemism is the work of British botanist and lepidopterist Rose Monteiro, who collected in the region of Delagoa Bay between 1876 and 1891 (Monteiro, 1891).…”

“…More recently there have been a number of research papers to come out of MSR as a result of expeditions organised by the African Natural History Research Trust (ANHRT) in collaboration with the Museu De História Natural de Maputo. These include both checklists and new species descriptions for Lepidoptera belonging to the following families and subfamilies: Cossidae (Yakovlev et al, 2020), Erebidae: Arctiinae: (Volynkin & László, 2018;, Limacodidae (Taberer & László, 2022), Nolidae: Nolinae (László & Vetina, 2019), Notodontidae (László et al, 2021), Saturniidae and Eupterotidae (Takano & László, 2022), Sphingidae (Bakowski et al, 2020) and for the Mantodea (Miles, in prep. ).…”