Taxonomic revision of the genus Delorhachis Karsch 1896 (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)

This paper presents the first comprehensive revision of the Afrotropical genus Delorhachis Karsch, 1896. Through the utilisation of integrative taxonomic methods (external morphology, dissections of genitalia and DNA barcoding), we distinguish five species groups within the genus and herein describe 11 new species and one new subspecies: D. meyi sp. nov., D. nimbaensis sp. nov., D. pallidifascia sp. nov., D. parvinota sp. nov., D. smithi sp. nov., D. wetzelae sp. nov., D. wetzelae shambaa ssp. nov., D. manuelae sp. nov., D. tommasoi sp. nov., D. bakossi sp. nov., D. baaka sp. nov., and D. zambica sp. nov. We also remove D. charopa Bethune-Baker, 1909 stat. rev. from synonymy with D. viridiplaga Karsch, 1896. Several new taxonomic combinations are proposed: Chrysamma syntomoctena Tams, 1929 is transferred to Delorhachis (D. syntomoctena (Tams, 1929) comb. nov.) and Delorhachis amator Hering, 1928, D. amica Hering, 1928 and D. purpurea Hering, 1928 are transferred to Miresa (M. amator (Hering, 1928) comb. nov., M. amica (Hering, 1928) comb. nov., and M. purpurea (Hering, 1928) comb. nov.). Delorhachis schultzei Aurivillius, 1905 is synonymised with Hilipoda gravidipes Karsch, 1896 syn. nov. Miresa strigivena Hampson, 1910 is synonymised with D. nigrivenosa Karsch, 1896 syn. nov. Delorhachis denisae Dufrane, 1945 and Chrysamma erythrochrysa Tams, 1929 are synonymised with M. purpurea syn. nov. The females of D. viridiplaga and D. charopa and the male of D. chlorodaedala Tams, 1929 are described and illustrated for the first time. DNA barcodes were obtained for 55 specimens representing 14 taxa, and analyses were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches; a tree resulting from the latter is provided. Pairwise distances of barcodes between taxa are provided where available. The adults and genitalia of all taxa, their habitats and distribution are illustrated in 182 colour figures and five distribution maps.

Automated summary

This paper presents the first comprehensive revision of the Afrotropical genus Delorhachis, distinguishing five species groups and describing 11 new species and one new subspecies. The study proposes new taxonomic combinations and provides DNA barcodes for 55 specimens. The findings are supported by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches, and illustrated with color figures and distribution maps.