New or poorly known Epermeniidae of the Afrotropis ( Lepidoptera , Epermenioidea ) With 105 figures

One new genus (Inuncus) and nineteen new species are described: Phaulernis montuosa, P. africana, Inuncus jura­ tae, Epermenia (Calotripis) paramalawica, E. (C.) karurucola, E. (C.) formosa, E. (C.) dallastai, E. (C.) costom­ aculata, E. (C.) turicola, E. (C.) hamata, E. (C.) aarviki, E. (C.) ruwenzorica, E. (C.) tenuipennella, E. (Epermenia s. str.) agassizi, E. (Cataplectica) kenyacola, E. (C.) triacuta, Gnathifera punctata, Ochromolopis sagittella, O. cana. Females were described for the first time from Epermenia (Calotripis) malawica Gaedike, 2004, and E. (C.) bulbosa Gaedike, 2004. There are established new country records for seven species (Africepermenia tanzanica Gaedike, 2004, Epermenia (Calotripis) criticodes Meyrick, 1913, E. (C.) conioptila Meyrick, 1921, E. (C.) meyi Gaedike, 2004, E. (C.) malawica Gaedike, 2004, E. (C.) bulbosa Gaedike, 2004, E. (C.) iniquella (Wocke, 1867) [= ochro­ desma Meyrick, 1913]). Recenty are known 41 species from the Afrotropical Region.


Introduction
Only some years after publication of two papers about the Afrotropical Epermeniidae (Gaedike, 2004;2004a) I have had the opportunity to study a rich material of this family, which was recently collected in several parts of the region.The main part of the studied 109 specimens was collected by members of the staff (Jurate De Prins, Ugo dall' Asta) of the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren Belgium, the other specimens were collected by Leif Aarvik, Natural History Museum, University Oslo, Norway, David J. L. AGAssiz/North Somerset, Great Britain, and Wolfram M ey, Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany.Addition ally were studied some specimens from the collections of Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Genève, Switzerland and of the Zoologische Staatssammlung, Munich, Germany.
The result from examination of the specimens was the discovery of nineteen new species and one new genus.For two species were discovered females for the first time, and for seven species were determined new country records.

Derivatio nominis:
The name refers to the montane loca tions of the type series.
Diagnosis (Fig. 1): Wingspan 15 -17 mm; head light yel low, laterally, around eyes dark brown; labial palpi long, curved, outside yellowish-brown, inside lighter; scape of antenna yellowish-brown, basally with pecten of some scales, flagellum darker brown; thorax and tegulae dark brown; forewing on dorsum with three black tufts of raised scales at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3; ground colour of wing dark brown, the basal third somewhat darker than the other part; on costa, opposite the first tuft, a white stripe, reaching the cell, in middle of wing, after 1/2, above third tuft and on apex each a minute white dot, fringe with two sickle-shaped dark brown scale lines; hindwing shining grey.
Female genitalia : Proximal edge of segment V III slightly immersed in the middle, ostium somewhat broader than ductus bursae, nearly the whole ductus and the beginning of corpus bursae with numerous minute sclerotisations, signum exists as some rows of strong sclerotised various-sized thorns.

Derivatio nominis:
The name refers to the continent of the type location.
Diagnosis (Fig. 2): Wingspan 11 mm; head pale yellow ish, tips of scales dark grey; labial palpi short, curved, inside pale yellowish too, outside overlaid with numer ous dark grey scales; scape of antenna with same coloura tion, pecten basally pale, apically dark grey, flagellum ringed; thorax and tegulae light clay-coloured, tegulae basally overlaid with dark grey scales; forewing on dor sum with three tufts of raised scales at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3, the first two tufts large, connected, the third clear smaller; ground colour of wing clay-coloured, pale yellow are an area at base above dorsum, a large patch from costa to cell, opposite the first tuft, and a smaller patch on costa opposite the third tuft; between this patch and the tuft a small dark grey patch, apex pale yellow, fringe with dark scales; hindwing grey.
Female genitalia : Proximal edge of segment V III immersed in the middle, ostium and the first part of ductus bursae with numerous minute sclerotisations, ductus below ostium with one torsion; corpus bursae partly covered with minute sclerotisations, signum small, elongate-oval, with strong sclerotised keel.
The external characteristics and the main structures of the genitalia shows, that the described below species belongs to the family Epermeniidae but, the absence of uncus in male genitalia separates this taxon from all other known members of this family.This is why the new spe cies will described as representant of a new genus.
Inuncus gen.n.Derivatio nominis: Named after the similarity to E. m alaw ica in the shape of the male genitalia.
Diagnosis (Fig. 4): Wingspan 13 -15 mm; head pale yel lowish, scales from neck to insertion of antennae with grey tips; labial palpi on inside pale yellowish too, on outside dark grey; scape of antenna with pecten of some bristles, flagellum more or less ringed; thorax and tegulae pale yellowish, basally overlaid with dark grey scales; forewing on dorsum with four tufts of raised scales, the largest at 1/3 and at 1/2, the smallest at 2/3 and at 3/4; the pattern is colourful: in the middle three minute black dots at 1/3, 1/2, and 3/4, bordered to costa by whitish line; between the dots each a golden-brown area, two additional golden-brown patches between third dot and apex; basal third of wing pale yellowish, interrupted by an angle-shaped darker brown stripe from costa to dorsum; a small whitish thin wedge-shaped stripe from dorsum before second tuft oblique to the second black dot, the last golden-brown patch before apex with pale line to apex; the other area (costa from base to apex, area on dor sum from first tuft to apex) dark grey, fringe below apex with two dark scale-lines; hindwing grey.Female genitalia : Proximal edge of segment V III truncated, laterally rounded, laterally each a oval stronger sclerotised area, ostium calyx-shaped, lateral edges stronger sclerotised, corpus bursae with a broad band of minute sclerotisations, signum hook-shaped, the shape is variable.
Remarks: Superficially surely distinguishable from m alaw ica by having a clolourful pattern on forewing, while m alaw ica on forewing with a large dark area on costa from 1/2 to 2/3, extending to cell.In the genitalia structure are some similarities, but, param alaw ica with quite shorter phallus without cornutus, and female with calyx-shaped ostium and corpus bursae more covered by sclerotisations.

Derivatio nominis:
Named after the location of the holotype.
Diagnosis (Fig. 5): Wingspan 12 mm; head shining pale yellowish, labial palpi with same colouration, outside with some darker scales; scape of antenna with pecten, flag ellum ringed; thorax and tegulae pale yellowish, basally grey; forewing on dorsum with three tufts of raised scales, at 1/4 and 1/2, at 2/3 the third only as indication; as the condition of the holotype is somewhat poor, only parts of pattern are visible: in the middle at 1/2, after 1/2 and at 2/3 each a minute black dot, surrounded by white; the basal third light yellowish, the area from first to third dot dark grey with some brown patches, before apex a dark brown patch; hindwing light grey.
Male genitalia : Uncus slender, curved, with pointed tip, tegumen without stronger sclerotised mar gins; valva as long as uncus-tegumen, ampulla stout, curved, with pointed tip, upper edge without stronger sclerotisation, border to valva strong sclerotised, cucullus a little longer than ampulla, sacculus with small pointed tip below border of ampulla; phallus a little more than a half of the lenght of valva, basally rounded, in the middle narrower, without cornutus.
Remarks: In the shape of genitalia similar to the species m alaw ica, param alaw ica and form osa, but ampulla with out stronger sclerotised upper edge.
Epermenia (Calotripis) formosa sp.n.Diagnosis (Fig. 6): Wingspan 13 mm; head cream; antenna dark grey to black, scape at underside cream, with pecten, flagellum ringed; labial palpi inside cream, out side dark grey, apices of segments cream; thorax cream, tegulae dark grey, apically cream; forewing on dorsum at 1/3 and 1/2 each with tuft of raised scales, at 2/3 and 3/4 indications of additional two minute tufts; on whitish to cream ground colour a light brown and blackish pattern: in the middle at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3 a minute black dot, sur rounded by nearly white area; from costa to cell between 1/3 and 2/3 a blackish area, oblique prolonged to first tuft; on costa numerous very short dark stripes from base to blackish area; blackish are a smaller patch on dorsum at 3/4, the apex and some short stripes on costa at the last third; area above the patch on dorsum, and cell below the blackish area are light brown, basal forth is light brown too; hindwing shining light grey.

Remarks:
The colourful pattern distinguishes the new species from the other species with similar shape of genitalia (m alaw ica, p aram alaw ica, karu rucola); the tip of ampulla with the two pointed teeth is characteristic, too.
Derivatio nominis: Named after my colleague, Ugo DallAsta, the collector of this new species.
Diagnosis (Fig. 7): Wingspan 12 -13 mm; head dark greybrown, labial palpi, antenna (scape with pecten of some scales), thorax and tegulae with the same coloura tion; forewing on dorsum with two tufts of raised scales, the first large, from 1/4 to before 1/2, the second after 1/2, in the last fourth indications of two additional tufts; ground colour of wing brown, basal third somewhat dark grey; in the middle, at 1/3 and at 2/3 each a minute black dot, immediatly before apex a dark brown patch, from apex on fringe two dark scale lines; on dorsum, at begin ning of first tuft a whitish stripe oblique to cell, at begin ning of the second tuft a small whitish patch; hindwing shining grey.

Remarks:
The shape of male genitalia (triangular tegumen with rod-shaped sclerotisation and the narrow valva with straight ampulla) is characteristic for this new species.

Derivatio nominis:
The name refers to the characteristic pattern on forewing.
Diagnosis (Fig. 8): Wingspan 13 -14 mm; head cream mixed with grey; labial palpi inside cream, outside over laid with grey scales, last segment complete greyish; scape of antenna with same colouration as head, flag ellum light ringed; thorax and tegulae cream, basally somewhat darker, forewing on dorsum with three tufts of raised scales at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3; on costa, opposite the first tuft, a light cream patch, reaching cell, the other wing area covered by dark brown, brown, and dark grey scales without clear pattern, only the dark brown scales forms in the middle a row of four patches; hindwing shining grey.

Remarks:
The pattern of forewing with the light cream patch is characteristic for the species.

Remarks:
The large size and the pattern of forewing with the black dots surrounded by white and the oblique white prolongations are characteristic for this species.

Remarks:
The black pattern of forewing, the shape o f valva with vaulted costa and short ampulla and the hook-shaped cornutus are characteristic for this species.

Remarks:
The small size and the very large two first tufts, in the male genitalia the broad vinculum, the shape of valva and the long slender cornutus, in the female geni talia the wrinkles on segment V III are characteristic for this species.
Diagnosis (Fig. 13): The specimen is in poor condition, the pattern of forewing is only partly visible.Wingspan 17 mm; head (partly rubbed), antenna, labial palpi, tho rax and tegulae dark greybrown, palpi inside lighter; forewing greybrown, in the middle of wing at 1/3 and 2/3 each a minute black dot, at 1/2 from dorsum to the second dot an oblique thin whitish line, before apex a short brown stripe; on dorsum are visible only indica tions of tufts of raised scales at 1/3 and 1/2; hindwing browngrey.
Remarks: Superficially similar to turicola, but in the male genitalia the stout uncus, the curved ampulla, and the large cornutus are characteristic for this species.GAEDi KE, 2004 Kenya: Derivatio nominis: Named after the very narrow shape of forewings.

Epermenia (Calotripis) bulbosa
Diagnosis (Fig. 14): Wingspan 11 -12 mm; head grey, neck and laterally dark grey; scape of antenna dark grey, flagellum somewhat ringed, labial palpi inside whitish, outside dark grey; thorax and tegulae dark grey; forewing narrow, on dorsum at 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 and before 3/4 each a tuft of raised scales, the first two are larger than the other two; in the middle of wing before 1/2 and at 3/4 each a minute black dot; on costa, between 1/3 and 1/2 a whit ish patch, reaching cell and the first black dot, overlaid by grey scales; a small whitish patch on costa before apex; from base two thin brown lines, the first to costa at 1/2, the second to dorsum at fourth tuft, brown are the area between the two dots and a lence-shaped patch before apex, hindwing light grey.
Female genitalia (Fig. 80): proximal edge of segment V III rounded, along 2/3 of the lenght of ductus bursae a rod-shaped sclerotisation, last part of ductus somewhat larger, covered with minute scale-shaped sclerotisations, signum narrow, slightly sickle-shaped, with pointed tip, proximal half on outside with strong sclerotised edge.
Remarks: Superficially characteristic by the narrow wings, female genitalia similar to agassizi, but the proxi mal edge of segment V III is not invaginated, and the rod shaped sclerotisation is clear broader.
Derivatio nominis: Named after my colleague David Agassiz, the collector of the holotype of this species and of other important material of Afrotropical Epermeniidae.
Diagnosis (Fig. 15): Wingspan 8 -11 mm; head creamgrey, laterally darker; antenna dark grey, flagellum ringed; labial palpi dark grey, tips of segments whitish; thorax and tegulae dark cream, basally dark grey; forewing on dorsum at 1/4, 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 each with tuft of raised scales, the first tuft is the largest, the third and the fourth only as indication visible; in the middle of wing at 1/3 and at 3/4 each a minute black dot, the area between the dots golden brown, the same colouration has a patch proximal the second dot; on costa before apex a small yellowish patch, wing from base along costa to this patch dark grey, apex black, on the first half of fringe two black scale-lines; hindwing grey.
Female genitalia : Proximal edge of segment V III rounded, invaginated at ostium, ductus bursae with a thin rod-shaped sclerotisation, signum more or less elliptical, the shape somewhat variable.
Remarks: Differences to tenuipennella see under this species.
Diagnosis : Wingspan 10 -12 mm; head pale yellowish, antenna dark grey, underside whitish, scape with distinct pecten, labial palpi on inside whitish, on outside dark grey; thorax and tegulae pale yellowish, basally overlaid with grey scales; forewing on dorsum at 1/3, 1/2 each with tuft of raised scales, at 2/3 an indica tion of a third tuft, wing colouration pale yellowish, in the middle of wing at 1/3 and at 3/4 each a minute black dot; costa from base to apex, and dorsum from first tuft to apex each with a stripe of grey scales, from second black dot to apex light brown, fringe with two black scale lines; hindwing grey.Some specimens more yellowish and light brown.
Male genitalia : Uncus below base broad est, apical truncated, tegumen with strong sclerotised proximal edge; valva as long as uncus-tegumen, ampulla curved, with pointed tip, border to valva strong sclerotised, cucullus a little protruding ampulla, cucullus with upward directed pointed, strong sclerotised end below border of ampulla; phallus a little longer than phallus, straight, without cornutus.
Female genitalia (Fig. 89): Proximal edge of segment V III slightly immersed at ostium, ostium laterally with strong sclerotised margin, corpus bursae without signa.

Remarks:
The pale yellowish colouration of forewing and male genitalia the slender uncus and the phallus with out cornutus are characteristic for this species in compar ison to mineti and triacuta.

Derivatio nominis:
The name refers to the shape of cornutus with three pointed tips.
Diagnosis (Fig. 18): Wingspan 10 mm; head light cream, laterally with some grey scales, scape grey, with pecten, underside whitish, flagellum ringed; thorax and tegulae cream, basally overlaid with some dark grey scales; ground colouration of forewing cream, on dorsum at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3 each a tuft of raised scales, in the middle of wing at 1/3 and at 3/4 each a minute black dot, the first only as indication; from first tuft a light brown stripe, oblique reaching costa at 1/2, apically the second black dot and on apex each a brown patch; from apex on fringe two black scale lines; the ground colouration with scat tered dark grey scales, some more of them along costa; hindwing shining light grey.
Male genitalia : Uncus with broad base, than narrower, tip rounded; tegumen with strong sclerotised proximal edge; valva longer than uncus-tegumen, ampulla curved, with pointed tip, protruding cucullus, border to valva only indicated, cucullus with thin, pointed tip below border of ampulla; phallus as long as valva, cornutus somewhat shorter than phallus, with three pointed tips.

Remarks:
The brown pattern on forewing and the cornutus with three tips are characteristic for this species.Superficially similar to iniquella, but in male genitalia the broad uncus and the shape of cornutus are different.(Wocke, 1867) Kenya: 1 ?, Rift Valley, Gilgil 2100 m, 0°37'N, 36°22 'E, 6.xii.2010, leg. D. Agassiz & L. Aarvik;coll. Agassiz.This is the second record of this species from Afrotropical Region after the first record from South Africa (Holotype of Eperm enia ochrodesm a Meyrick, 1913) (Gaedike, 2004).

Derivatio nominis:
The name refers to the pattern of the forewing.
Diagnosis (Fig. 19): Wingspan 11 -12 mm; head yel lowish; antenna dark grey, lapbial palpi dark grey, inside whitish; thorax and tegulae dark grey; forewing on dor sum at before and after 1/2 each with a small tuft of raised scales; in the middle of wing at 1/2, 1/2 and 2/3 each a small black dot, two other black dots on costa before apex; a narrow golden brown stripe from first black dot to apex, interrupted by the black dots; the apical half of wing more or less complete overlaid by dark grey and blackish scales; hindwing light grey.
Male genitalia : Uncus laterally each with bristled, pointed process, apical in the middle bulged, with rounded lateral edges; tegumen mid-medial and along basal and proximal edges stronger sclerotised; valva as long as uncus-tegumen, narrow, apical rounded, along the whole valva a fold (cucullus?),ending in a short strong sclerotised tooth; phallus as long as valva, parallelsided, vesica with numerous small slender pointed thorns.
Female genitalia (Fig. 96): Proximal edge of segment V III truncated, anterior apophysae forked, ventral branches ends in a stronger sclerotised area, covered with minute lunt thorns, in the middle immersed to ostium, nearly the whole ductus bursae covered with minute blunt thorns too, at beginning of corpus bursae a sclerotised ring.

Remarks:
The pattern of the black dots make the species superficially distinguish alb e from the other afrotropical members of Gnathifera, in male genitalia the shape of uncus is characteristic, too.
Diagnosis (Fig. 20): Wingspan 12 -14 mm; head, labial palpi, thorax and tegulae light clay-coloured, the outside of palpi with grey scales; scape with pecten and flagel lum dark grey, tegulae basally dark grey too; forewing light clay-coloured, without pattern; in the middle of wing at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3 each a minute black dot, a forth dot between the first and second dot nearby the dorsum; apex surrounded by dark grey, nearly black scales, pro longed on fringe as two scale-lines, dorsum without tufts of raised scales on dorsum; hindwing light grey.

Remarks:
The various shape of valvae is characteristi for this species.
Ochromolopiscana sp.n.Diagnosis (Fig. 21): Wingspan 12 -13 mm; head and labial palpi light grey, outside of palpi darker; antenna grey, flagellum ringed; thorax and tegulae dark grey; forewing grey, with a somewhat indifferent dark grey pattern.Dark grey are two oblique short stripes at 1/4 and 1/2 on dorsum to cell, and the last forth of wing; on dorsum, at 1/2 and 2/3 each indication of tufts of raised scales; hindwing light grey.
Male genitalia (Figs 102-104): Uncus from broad base narrower to tip with two rounded angles, subapically with a calyx-shaped process; tegumen with rounded lateral angles with minute thorns, basally, proximally and mid-medial with strong sclerotised margins; valva somewhat longer than tegumen, costal arm longer than cucullus, with rounded tip and with more or less trian gular process at 1/2, cucullus ends in a directed upwards pointed tip; phallus appr.1.5 times longer than valva, curved, the concave side strong sclerotised, basally nar row, in the middle broader, subapically thin, ending into a triangular tip, versica covered with minute strong sclerotised thorns.
Female genitalia (Fig. 105): Anterior apophysae forked, ventral branches ends into large elongated plates, con nected in the middle, armed with minute thin thorns; first part of ostium with stronger sclerotised margins.
Holotype S , "Kenya: Rift Valley, Prov.Turi, 8000 ft,  15.X.1998, [leg.]D.J. L. Agassiz;" "Holotypus S E perm e nia turicola sp.n.det.R. Gaedike 2011;" NMK.Named after the province Turu, the location of the holotype.Diagnosis (Figs 9-10): Wingspan 17 -22 mm; head brown, in the middle from neck to labial palpi more or less golden brown; labial palpi inside cream-coloured, outside dark brown, long, curved; antenna dark brown, scape with pecten of some scales; thorax and tegulae dark brown, apically cream-coloured; forewing on dor sum with three tufts of raised scales at 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3; in the middle of wing opposite the three tufts each a minute black dot, surrounded by white ring, the second dot somewhat prolonged, the third dot prolonged oblique upward, the white ring prolonged nearly to costa; from black apex two sickle-shaped dark scale lines on fringe, nearly the whole other wing dark brown, mixed with dark grey, costa with numerous very short lighter stripes; sometimes forewing more or less unicoloured brown, the three dots with the white rings clear visible (see fig.10); hindwing shining light grey.