Review of the Afrotropical Psalis Hübner, [1823] with descriptions of two new species and notes on Asiatic taxa (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Lymantriinae, Orgyiini)

Abstract

This paper is intended to present the results of morpho-taxonomic investigations carried out on the palaeotropical tussock moth genus Psalis Hübner, [1823] with the aim of clarifying and diagnosing its species content as well as revising the Afrotropical taxa. Examinations of Asian and African Psalis material confirmed the distinctness of the externally alike P. pennatula (Fabricius, 1793), P. securis Hübner, [1823] stat. rev. and P. africana Kiriakoff, 1956. Although the marked morphological differences between the configuration of the tympanal organ of P. pennatula and P. africana as reported by Kiriakoff (1956a) could not be confirmed, the two former taxa are retained as distinct species, as well as P. securis which is reinstated from synonymy with P. pennatula based on constant differences in the female genitalia structures. Morphological examinations of collection material and samples collected during recent fieldwork in Africa resulted in the discovery of two new species: Psalis smithi sp. n. and Psalis bashfordae sp. n. Adults and their genitalia, as well as tympanal organs of all valid Asian and African Psalis taxa are illustrated.