Lasianobia labranga Saldaitis, Volynkin & Truuverk, 2018

Saldaitis, Aidas, Volynkin, Anton V. & Truuverk, Andro, 2018, Three new species of the genus Lasianobia Hampson, 1905 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) from China, with a revised checklist for the genus, Zootaxa 4472 (2), pp. 343-357 : 347-348

Lasianobia labranga Saldaitis, Volynkin & Truuverk , sp. nov.

( Figs 9 , 20 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 9 , 20 ): ♂, China, SW Gansu, near Xiahe ( Labrang ), H- 2900 m, N35°11.968’ E102°33.545’, 23.V.2017, A. Saldaitis leg., slide AV3086 Volynkin (coll. AFM).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality of the holotype, Labrang (=Xiahe) town.

Diagnosis. Lasianobia labranga ( Fig. 9 ) is a close relative of L. dvoraki ( Figs 1–4 ). However, it can be easily separated externally by its brown forewing ground color, sharp pattern, paler costal margin, reniform stigma narrower and with much longer extensions along the cubital veins, and smaller orbicular stigma. In all specimens of L. dvoraki examined, the forewing ground color is reddish brown, the pattern more diffuse, the pale suffusion on the costal margin less intense, the reniform stigmata broader and with shorter extensions, and the orbicular stigma larger. The male genitalia of L. labranga ( Fig. 20 ) are similar to those of L. dvoraki ( Figs 13–16 ), but differ in the presence of a few very weak spinules on the 2nd medial ventral diverticulum, and the longer distal section of vesica, which is also longer than the proximal section. In all dissected specimens of L. dvoraki collected in three different localities ( Figs 13–16 ), the 2nd medial ventral diverticulum has a broad, dense cluster of spinules, and the distal section of vesica is comparable to or shorter than the proximal section. Lengths of the sections of the vesica and the presence of spinules are stable also in another similar species, L. albilinea ( Figs 17–19 ), and we infer that these features are likewise stable in L. labranga .

The forewing pattern of L. labranga also resembles that of L. fickleri ( Fig. 8 ) and L. pensottii ( Figs 11–12 ), but L. labranga can be easily distinguished from L. fickleri ( Fig. 8 ) by its somewhat larger size, the broader forewing, the slightly longer and thinner submedial longitudinal dash, the paler, whitish orbicular and reniform stigmata, which are not fused along the cubital vein, the smaller orbicular stigma, the smaller reniform stigma with the shorter extensions along the cubital veins, and the darker, grayish brown hindwings; from L. pensottii ( Figs 11–12 ) it differs in the brownish gray forewing coloration (while in L. pensottii the forewing ground color is velvet-like gray with a reddish brown irroration), the grayish creamy submedial longitudinal dash and the subterminal line (whereas in L. pensottii they are bright yellow), the diffuse ante-, postmedial and terminal transverse lines, the larger reniform stigma with longer extensions along the cubital vein, and the darker, brownish gray hindwings with the significantly smaller discal spot. The male genitalia of L. labranga ( Fig. 20 ) differ from those of L. albilinea ( Figs 17–19 ) in the uncus less narrowed basally, the broader penicular lobes, the significantly shorter and weaker digitus, the more robust carinal thorn of the aedeagus, the presence of the subbasal ventral cluster of spinules, the much broader 1 st medial ventral diverticulum with no spinules, the broader 2nd ventral medial diverticulum armed with a few very weak spinules, the significantly longer and broader distal section of the vesica, and the much smaller, row-like distal cluster of spines (while in L. albilinea this cluster is broad and encircles the dorsal surface of the vesica); from L. superba ( Fig. 21 ) they differ in the uncus narrower basally, the slightly broader cucullus, the absence of an ampulla on the costa, the more robust digitus, the much shorter aedeagus with the more robust carinal thorn, the presence of the subbasal dorsal cluster of spinules, the absence of spinules on the 1 st ventral medial diverticulum, and the more robust spinules of the distal cluster; from L. pensottii ( Fig. 22 ) they differ in the narrower and more rounded uncus, the broader cucullus, the distally narrowed digitus (whereas in L. pensottii the digitus is broadened and bilobate apically), the significantly longer distal saccular process, the larger aedeagus with the much weaker carinal thorn, the aedeagus vesica much longer and broader, with two subbasal clusters of spinules, the broader medial diverticula, and the much larger distal cluster of much more robust spinules.

Molecular analysis. Pairwise comparisons of the DNA barcode sequences of the holotype of L. labranga with L. dvoraki showed 4.2–4.4% difference, 4.4% with paratype of L. pensottii , and 5.2% with L. albilinea . Sequences from two specimens of L. superba differed by 4.1% from that of L. labranga .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 9 ). Forewing length 14 mm in male holotype. Male antennae bipectinate, grayish brown. Body grayish brown. Forewing ground colour somewhat darker than thorax, grayish brown, with intense pale gray suffusion along the costa; medial area darkened; subbasal line absent; ante- and postmedial lines thin, brown, curved; submedial longitudinal dash thin, creamy yellowish, outlined with fine black scales, slightly curved; subterminal line thin, yellowish creamy, angled at apex; terminal line interrupted into a row of brown dots between veins; orbicular stigma small, rounded, yellowish creamy, outlined with fine black scales; reniform stigma with long trigonal extensions along the cubital veins, outlined with fine black scales; cilia grayish brown. Hindwing dark brownish gray, slightly lightened basally; discal spot short, semilunar, diffuse; cilia dark grayish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 20 ): Uncus dorso-ventrally flattened, broad, trapezoidal, with distally rounded corners, weakly hairy; tegumen short, broadened; penicular lobes broadened, ear-shaped; juxta elongated, conical; vinculum V-shaped, with rounded apex; valves symmetrical, evenly curved medially; costa heavily sclerotized; costal margin evenly curved, heavily sclerotized; digitus large, with broad base, distally narrowed and apically tapered; cucullus narrow, trigonal with rounded corners, weakly setose; neck of cucullus long and narrow; sacculus well developed, broad, its dorsal surface with short rounded protrusion medially; distal saccular process robust, long, peak-shaped, with broad basal plate, which has irregularly dentate dorsal surface; clasper short, trigonal with no processes; aedeagus short, broad, cylindrical; carina with trigonal thorn; vesica tubular, curved dorsally in its medial section; subbasal section of vesica with two band-like clusters of robust spinules dorsally and ventrally; 1 st medial diverticulum short and broad, with no spinules; 2nd medial diverticulum short, broad and rounded, with several short and weak spinules; subapical diverticulum broad and extremely short, with band-like cluster of spinules.

Female unknown.

Bionomics and distribution. A single male was collected at ultraviolet light on 25 May 2017 in a remote part of central China Gansu Province near the Xiahe. It was taken at an altitude of 2900 m in a dry, narrow, stony river bed in a valley sparsely covered by various shrubs.

Figures

FIGURES 9–12. Lasianobia spp., male adults. 9, L. labranga, holotype, China, SW Gansu (AFM); 10, L. superba, China, NW Yunnan (AFM); 11, L. pensottii, holotype, China, NW Yunnan (GBG/ZSM); 12, L. pensottii, paratype, China, NW Yunnan (ASV).

FIGURES 20–22. Lasianobia spp., male genitalia. 20, L. labranga, holotype, China, SW Gansu, slide AV3086 Volynkin; 21, L. superba, China, Tibet, slide BJ2070 BabiCs; 22, L. pensottii, holotype, China, NW Yunnan, slide BJ2064 BabiCs.

FIGURES 1–8. Lasianobia spp., male adults. 1, L. dvoraki, holotype, China, W SiChuan (AFM); 2, L. dvoraki, paratype, China, W SiChuan (ASV); 3, L. dvoraki, paratype, China, W SiChuan (AFM); 4, L. dvoraki, paratype, China, W SiChuan (ASV); 5, L. albilinea albilinea, China, NW Yunnan (AFM); 6, L. albilinea albilinea, China, W SiChuan (Pekarsky); 7, L. qinghana, holotype, China, Qinghai (Coll. AFM); 8, L. fickleri, holotype, China, East Tibet (PGM/HNHM).

FIGURES 13–16. Lasianobia dvoraki, male genitalia. 13, holotype, China, W SiChuan, slide AV3085 Volynkin; 14, paratype, China, W SiChuan, slide AV3084 Volynkin; 15, paratype, China, W SiChuan, slide AV3083 Volynkin; 16, paratype, China, W SiChuan, slide AV3082 Volynkin.

FIGURES 17–19. Lasianobia albilinea albilinea, male genitalia. 17, W SiChuan, slide OP3251 Pekarsky; 18, NW Yunnan, slide BJ2067 BabiCs; 19, W SiChuan, slide OP3250 Pekarsky.