Cerastis aspira Gyulai, Ronkay & Saldaitis, 2011

Gyulai, P., Ronkay, L. & Saldaitis, A., 2011, New Noctuidae species from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea), Zootaxa 2896 (1), pp. 46-52 : 46-47

Cerastis aspira Gyulai, Ronkay & Saldaitis , sp. n.

( Figs. 1, 2 , 9–11 )

Type material. Holotype: Male, China, W. Sichuan, Kangding, near Zheduo Pass , 30°17.022'N, 101°50.256'E, 13. iv. 2010, 3230 m, leg. A. Saldaitis, coll. P. Gyulai, slide No. GYP 2431m . Paratypes: 13 males, 5 females, with the same data. The paratypes are deposited in the collections of AFM, ASV, DNK, GBG / ZSM, GRB, HHP, NRCV and GYP . Slide Nos. GYP 2403m, GYP2480 f.

Diagnosis and description. Forewing lengths of 16–17 mm and 15mm for the male and female, respectively. The forewing differs from all other Palearctic congeners being the noctuid maculation lighter reddish-brown, than the ground color and forewing pattern differs by the lower parts of the orbicular and reniform stigmata confluent on the main vein forming a characteristic broad V. The forewing is more similar to four North American specie s ( C. cornuta Grote, 1874 , C. robertsoni Lafontaine & Crabo, 1997 , C. enigmatica Lafontaine & Crabo, 1997 , and C. gloriosa Lafontaine & Crabo, 1997 ) but can be distinguished by the shape of the crosslines. Compared to the Neartic taxa ( Lafontaine, 1998) the male of the new taxon has narrower valvae terminally, a simple non-twisted vesica without subbasal cornutus, and a twin terminal cornutus. In the female genitalia the appendix bursae of C. aspira is simple (not coiled) and is considerably smaller than in the four Nearctic species; the shape and sclerotization of ostium bursae is different and the otherwise longer ductus bursae has different sclerotized parts. These genitalic differences also apply to the Palaearctic species, however similarities with C. leucographa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) including tubular, helicoidally twisted vesica and the lack of a subbasal cornutus indicate a possible grouping with that species. Recent faunistic lists still include C. leucographa in the genus Cerastis Ochsenheimer, 1816 but suggestions to put it into a distinct genus began with Heinemann (1859), who established the genus Sora for Noctua leucographa , suggested it was distinct. Subsequently, Tams (1939) stated the homonymy of Sora and gave the replacement name Gypsitea (see Nye, 1975), and both Beck (1992) and Fibiger (1997) considered the possibility of a new taxon. There are clear male genitalic differences between the two allied species: the vesica of the new taxon is not twisted and bears two much shorter and wider basally coincident terminal cornuti, the terminal part of the valva is elongated, the basal part of the harpe is broader, distally thorn-like and dorsally curved, the juxta is differently shaped, and the medial incision is broadly U-formed.

Distribution and biology. Only known from the Kangding area of China's Sichuan province on the east edge of the Tibetan plateau. All specimens were collected in mid April at an altitude of 3200 m; both males and females are strongly attracted to light even during periods of snowfall but appear to have a local distribution, as Cerastis aspira was discovered only in the Kangding Valley near Zheduo Pass.

The new species was uncommon in the shrubby transition between the mountain primary mixed forests and alpine grassland zones. It flies with other early spring moths such as Hyalobole nigripalpis (Warren, 1911) or overwintering Dasypolia (Dasypolia) bicolor Hreblay & Ronkay, 1995 .

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Adults: 1. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 2. Cerastis aspira sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 3. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 4. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 5. Hada antonraui sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 6. Hada antonraui sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 7. Lacanobia (Dianobia) kitokia sp. n. holotype, male, China, Sichuan. 8. Lacanobia (Dianobia) kitokia sp. n. paratype, female, China, Yunnan.

FIGURES 9–14. Genitalia: 9. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, genitalic armature. 10. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, aedeagus. 11. Cerastis aspira sp. n. paratype, female, ovipositor. 12. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. paratype, female, ovipositor. 13. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, genitalic armature. 14. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, aedeagus.