Protohermes similis Ya n g & Ya n g

(Figs. 18, 108–114)

Protohermes similis Yang & Yang, 1988 . Zool. Res. 9 (1): 47. Type locality: Sichuan (Ya-an, Emeishan), Yunnan (Yanjin).

Protohermes sichuanensis Yang & Yang, 1997 . J. China Agric. Univ. 2 (5): 31. Type locality: Sichuan (Emeishan). syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Head with one large blackish marking on each side; pronotum with two pairs of blackish markings on each side; forewings with distinct brownish stripes on costal cellules; male ninth sternum with trapezoidal posterior incision; male tenth sternum with extremely small V-shaped posterior incision and short digitiform lateral lobes.

Body length 30–32 mm (male) and 40–45 mm (female); forewing length 42–44 mm (male) and 50–52 mm (female), hindwing length 39–41 mm (male) and 45–46 mm (female).

Head (Fig. 108) pale yellowish brown to reddish brown without post-ocular spine; vertex with one large blackish marking on each side, occasionally separated into three markings. Compound eyes brown; ocelli yellow, darkly margined medially. Antennae black, with scapes and pedicel brown. Mouthparts yellowish brown; mandible with distal half black. Occiput yellowish brown with one pair of blackish markings on lateral sides.

Prothorax (Fig. 108) yellowish brown or entirely brown; pronotum with two blackish markings on each side. Meso- and metathorax yellowish brown, each dorsally with one pair of brownish markings on sides. Thoracic pilosity yellow, much longer on meso- and metathorax. Legs yellow to brown with dense yellowish short setae; tibiae and tarsi black; tarsal claws reddish brown. Forewings (Fig. 18) pale smoky brown, with 1– 3 yellowish markings at base, 4–8 yellowish markings at middle and 1 round yellowish marking on apical 1/3; costal cellules with distinct brownish stripes. Hindwings much paler than forewings, respectively with 1 round yellowish marking at middle and apical 1/3. Veins pale brown, except costal crossveins pale yellow and veins in yellowish markings yellow. Rs 9 to 10-branched, last branch trifurcate; 10–13 crossveins between R1 and Rs; M1+2 5 to 7-branched, M3+4 4-branched; 1A 3-branched.

Abdomen brown with short, yellow setae. Male ninth tergum (Fig. 109) subtrapezoidal, with trapezoidal anterior margin and shallowly incised posterior margin. Ninth sternum (Fig. 110) broad with arched lateral margins; posterior margin with trapezoidal incision, forming two broad acute-angled triangular processes; central portion inflated. Ninth gonostylus (Fig. 111) unguiform and slightly curved dorsomedially. Tenth tergum (Figs. 108–109) short and subcylindrical, ventrally with one feebly developed tufted tubercle at posteromedial corner; posterolateral corner slightly produced; tip slightly incised and densely setose. Tenth sternum (Fig. 112) arched, anteriorly slightly elevated at middle; posterior incision V-shaped; lateral lobes short digitiform and slightly incurved. Female eighth sternum (Fig. 113–114) strongly sclerotized and subtrapezoidal in lateral view, posterior margin apparently elevated with shallow median incision, forming pair of obtuse processes; ninth segment (Fig. 113) laterally inflated one pair of small suboval sac-like lobes; ninth gonocoxite valvate and membranous with one digitiform process at tip; tenth tergum short, with posterior margin medially incised, leaving one thick digitiform upper and one round lower lobe.

Material examined. Holotype ɗ, CHINA: Sichuan, Ya-an, VIII.1984 (CAU). Allotype Ψ, CHINA: same data as holotype (CAU). Paratypes, ɗ, CHINA: same data as holotype (CAU); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, Qingyinge, 22.VII.1962, Zhenghong Yu (CAU); 2 Ψ, CHINA: Yunnan, Yanjin, 800 m, 12.VI.1980, Zongli Hu (CAU). ɗ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, Wanniansi, 23.V.1962, Zhaorong Chen & Yizheng Wang (CAU); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, Wanniansi, 28.VII.1962, Zhaorong Chen (CAU); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Qingchengshan, Tianshidong, 1000 m, 4.VI.1979, Ping Gao (IZCAS); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Qingchengshan, 1000 m, 5.VI.1979, Jinwen Gao (IZCAS); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, 710 m, 20.VI.1979, Ping Gao (IZCAS); ɗ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, Qingyinge, 800–1000 m, 30.VI.1957 (IZCAS); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Emeishan, 710 m, 20.VI.1979, Ping Gao (IZCAS); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Ya- an, 1973 (CAU); Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Ya-an, 1974 (CAU).

Distribution. China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan).

Remarks. Protohermes similis appears to have a close affinity with P. acutatus in having similar general structure of the male genitalia and similar pattern of markings on head, prothorax and wings. But this species is distinguished from P. acutatus by having the forewings with distinct brown stripes on the costal cellules and round yellowish markings at the apical 1/3, while in P. acutatus the forewings are much paler, with indistinct stripes on the costal cellules and the apical portions of the forewings. Protohermes sichuanensis was established by Yang and Yang (1997) according to one male and one female specimen. After examination to the type series of P. sichuanensis, no distinct differences from P. similis were found. Contrary to what was stated in the original description, P. sichuanensis has the trapezoidal apical incision on the male ninth sternum, which is the same as P. s i m i l i s. Therefore, P. sichuanensis is undoubtedly a new synonym of P. similis .