Parvispinia geminus Babics, Kononenko & Saldaitis, 2012

Babics, J., Kononenko, V. S. & Saldaitis, A., 2012, New genus and three new species of the subfamily Xyleninae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3509, pp. 55-68 : 64-65

Parvispinia geminus Babics, Kononenko & Saldaitis sp. n.

( Figs. 11, 12, 21, 29)

Type material. Holotype: male, China, N. Sichuan, near Chuan Zhu Si , H- 3100 m, 25.ix.2011, N32˚57,714', E103˚41,912', Floriani leg., slide No. BJ 1947 (in coll. Behounek / ZSM) . Paratypes: 9 males and 3 females, China, N. Sichuan, near Chuan Zhu Si , H- 3100 m, 25.ix.2011, N32˚57,714', E103˚41,912', Floriani leg., slide No. BJ 1948 ; 2 males, China, N. Sichuan, road Barkam / Hong Yuan , H- 3400 m, 23.ix.2011, N 32˚10.353' E 102˚29. 692’, Floriani leg. ; 1 male, China, N. Sichuan, near Huang Long , H- 2800 m, 27. vii. 2011, N32˚45,733', E103˚52,853', Floriani leg (in coll. Floriani and NRCV) .

Diagnosis. The new species differs from related P. caelestina ( Figs. 7, 8, 19, 27) in the darker brown ground colour, smaller size, somewhat elongated orbicular stigma. P. geminus differs from P. cortex and P. parvispina by its more colourful ground colour and even less elongated triangular-shaped forewing. The male genitalia of P. geminus differ from those of P. caelestina in the characteristic shape of juxta, distally quadrangular valva, more prominent saccular extension; it differs from P. cortex in the more prominent and elongated valva, in the characteristic shape of juxta, more broadened vesica with two less developed cornutus and a well developed medial diverticula. The female genitalia of P. geminus differ form those of P. parvispina and P. caelestina by its characteristically straight ostium bursae, longer ductus bursae, and characteristically smaller but broader cervix bursae.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 11, 12). Sexes similar. Wingspan 38–40 mm, length of forewing 18–19 mm. Head pale cinnamon-brown with grey irroration, thorax cinnamon-brown with pale greyish irroration. Palpi short, densely hairy, in colour similar to thorax; antenna filiform, chocolate brown. Forewing elongated triangular, narrow, ground colour paler brown than thorax. Subbasal fascia more or less indistinct, in costal field followed by dark brown scales; antemedial fascia sinuous, pale brown, followed proximally by narrow, dark brown band. Claviform stigma well discernible, dark brown with fine reddish irroration, more or less quadrangular. Orbicular stigma slightly elongated, grey; outlined by bicoloured band with pale greyish and reddish scales. Reniform stigma well discernible, faded by blackish scales, followed distally by a rounded, pale ochreous cloud. Median field paler brown than ground colour, with fine muddy irroration. Medial fascia more or less faded, pale cinnamon-brown; postmedial fascia well discernible, cinnamon-brown, followed distally by whitish, narrow band. Subterminal fascia black, distally followed by narrow, ochreous band; terminal fascia fine, blackish. Marginal field bicoloured, splitted by subterminal fascia: proximally dark brown with blackish irroration, distally pale brown. Cilia unicoloured brown. Hindwing pale greyish brown, with blackish hairs at marginal suffusion. Veins covered by darker brown scales; discal spot well discernible. Terminal fascia similar to that of forewing; cilia pale ochreous brown. Underside of forewing greyish brown, with fine blackish irroration, with well discernible ochreous brown band at distally. Underside of hindwing unicolour pale grey, with fine reddish irroration, transverse line well discernible. Male genitalia ( Fig. 21). Uncus sabre shaped, curved along, apically finely hooked, weakly hairy. Tegumen moderately broad, with broad, sclerotised margin; penicular lobes well developed, semicircular. Fultura inferior quadrangular, with broad and elongated, relatively long, quadrangular shaped dorsal excision. Saccus relatively broad, sclerotised, bell-shaped; vinculum short, sclerotised. Valvae symmetrical, relatively short and broad, more or less triangular shaped. Sacculus narrow and short, sclerotised, trapezoid, with parallel margins; harpe broad but short, heavily sclerotised, slightly sinuous, distally quadrangular, with elongated harpe basis. Costal extension weak and short, triangular shaped. Cucullus well developed, densely setose, apex triangular; corona well developed with narrow cornutus band. Aedeagus curved along, narrow, cylindrical. Carina broad, membranous. Vesica everted ventrally, curved along, with two variably shaped and developed diverticulum. Medial diverticula well developed, elliptical-ovoid; terminal diverticula slightly developed, triangular shaped. Distal part of vesica covered by two well developed corutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 29). Ovipositor characteristically elongated, apically acute. Papillae anales more or less triangular shaped, heavily sclerotised, posterior part acute without hair-scales. Apophyses posteriors relatively long but narrow; apophyses anteriores relatively short, straight. Ostium bursae relatively narrow, with narrow, V-shaped, more or less sclerotised anterior part; ductus bursae relatively long and broad, membranous. Corpus bursae ovoid, membranous; cervix bursae relatively broad but short, ovoid, moderately sclerotised.

Distribution and Bionomics. West China. Known only from the Chuan Zhu Si and Barkam regions of Sichuan province of China at the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. Most specimens were collected in September at altitudes ranging from 3100 to 3400 m by light. The species appear to have a local distribution as it was discovered in few valleys near Barkam and Chuan Zhu Si. It was collected in mountainous mixed forest with swampy and mossy meadows. The vegetation of the habitat is dominated by various trees of Alnus , Prunus , Quercus , Rhododendron , Abies , and different smaller shrubs and ferns. It flies together with other early autumn Chinese Noctuidae species such as Parvispinia barkama , Dryobotodes banghaasi , Tiliacea japonago likianago (Draudt, 1950) , Charierges brunneomedia , Charierges nigralba , Hoeneidia cidarioides and others. One male was collected in late July at altitude 2800 m in deep spruce forest.

Etymology. The new species is named for its similarity to P. caelestina . Geminus means twin, in Latin.