Parvispinia barkama 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 : 60-62

Parvispinia barkama Babics, Kononenko & Saldaitis sp. n.

( Figs. 9, 10, 20, 28)

Type material. Holotype: male, China, N. Sichuan, road Barkam / Hong Yuan , H- 3400 m, 23.ix.2011, N 32˚10,353' E 102˚29, 692', Floriani leg., slide No. BJ 1840 (in coll. Saldaitis) . Paratypes: female, China, N. Sichuan, road Barkam / Hong Yuan , H- 3400 m, 23. ix. 2011, N 32˚10,353' E 102˚29, 692', Floriani leg. , slide No. BJ1949 (in coll. Floriani).

Diagnosis. The new species differs from the related P. cortex ( Figs. 5, 6, 18, 26) and P. parvispina ( Figs. 3, 4, 17, 24, and 25) in well discernible and outlined claviform stigma, characteristically darker brown median field with muddy irroration, and well discernible discal spot on the hindwing. P. barkama differs from P. caelestina by more unicolour ground colour of forewing. The male genitalia of P. barkama differ from those of P. cortex , P. caelestina and P. parvispina in the characteristically shaped excision of juxta; it differs from P. cortex in the narrower tegument and more elongated valva, in short and straight aedeagus and more broadened vesica with two less developed cornutus. The female genitalia of P. barkama differ from those of P. cortex , P. caelestina and P. parvispina by its relatively short and rounded ovipositor, shorter apophyses and posteriorly more sclerotised corpus bursae with relatively sclerotised cervix.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 9, 10). Sexes similar. Wingspan 36 mm, length of forewing 17 mm. Head and thorax pale greyish brown with fine blackish hairs and purple irroration; collar with fine pale brown median line. Palpi short, densely hairy; antenna filiform, chocolate brown. Forewing triangular, narrow, ground colour similar to that of thorax. Submedian fold straight and clearly discernible, reach the ventral edge of the claviform stigma; claviform stigma well developed, dark brown, outlined by well discernible black scales. Subbasal fascia indistinct; antemedial fascia more or less sinuous, black, followed proximally by paler, narrow band. Orbicular stigma elongated, outlined by black scales; reniform stigma more or less faded but discernible, filled with chocolate brown scales, with blackish scales at proximal part of it. Median field darker brown than ground colour, with fine muddy irroration. Medial fascia indistinct; postmedial fascia well discernible, black, followed distally by paler, narrow band. Subterminal fascia indistinct; terminal fascia fine, blackish. Termen paler brown than ground colour, with two variably shaped, dark brown arrow-head shape extension at ventral part of it. Cilia unicolour, whitish. Hindwing paler greyish brown than ground colour of forewing, with blackish hairs at proximal part. Veins covered by darker brown scales; discal spot well discernible, pale brown. Terminal fascia similar to that of forewing; cilia pale ochreous brown. Underside of forewing yellowish ochre, with fine blackish irroration of basal and medial field of it. Underside of hindwing unicolour, similar to that of forewing, with well discernible discal spot and transverse line. Male genitalia ( Figs. 20). Uncus short and strong, curved along, apically finely hooked. Tegumen characteristically narrow, with broadly sclerotised margin; penicular lobes well developed, bell-shaped. Fultura inferior quadrangular, with broad and elongated, relatively short, quadrangular shaped dorsal excision. Saccus narrow but elongated, heavily sclerotised, v-shaped; vinculum short, sclerotised. Valvae symmetrical, elongated, with parallel margins. Sacculus broad but short, heavily sclerotised, with parallel margins; harpe narrow but strong, heavily sclerotised, characteristically curved along, distally rounded, with short harpe basis. Costal extension short and acute, ventrally elongated, triangular shaped. Cucullus well developed, densely setose, apex rounded; corona well developed with narrow cornutus band. Aedeagus characteristically short and broad, cylindrical; posterior end of it sclerotised ventrally. Coecum penis characteristically developed. Carina short but broad, membranous, with fine spine-field of ventral part of it. Vesica everted ventrally, curved along, with two variably shaped and developed medial diverticulum. Distal part of vesica covered by fine spiculi field with two well developed cornutus. Female genitalia ( Figs. 28). Ovipositor characteristically short, somewhat rounded, conical. Papillae anales more or less quadrangular, heavily sclerotised, posterior part rounded without hair-scales; apophyses relatively short but narrow, finely curved along. Ostium bursae narrow, with broad, V-shaped, more or less sclerotised anterior part; ductus bursae relatively short, membranous. Posterior part of corpus bursae narrow, characteristically sclerotised; anterior part elliptical ovoid, membranous. Cervix bursae relatively broad, ovoid, sclerotised.

Distribution and Bionomics. West China. The species is known only from the type-locality, the Zhe Gu Shan Mountains in Sichuan province of China, the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateu. Two specimens were collected in September 2011 at altitude ranging 3400 m by light. P. barkama appears to have a very local distribution as it was discovered only in small valley near Barkam village in mountainous mixed forest with swampy and mossy slope meadows. The vegetation of the habitat is dominated by various trees: Alnus , Prunus , Quercus , Rhododendron , Abies , various smaller shrubs and ferns. P. barcama flies together with early autumn Chinese Noctuidae species: Parvispinia geminus , Dryobotodes banghaasi Draeseke, 1928 , Dasyerges poliastis Draudt, 1950 , Telorta divergens (Butler, 1879) , Hoeneidia cidarioides Boursin, 1954 and others.

Etymology. The name refers to the type-locality of P. barkama .