Phragmataecia ishuqii Rayhan, Jahan, & Hulsbosch, 2023

Rayhan, Md Jahir, Jahan, Sayema & Hulsbosch, Ramon, 2023, A new species of Phragmataecia Newman, 1850 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from Bangladesh, Zootaxa 5375 (2), pp. 273-278 : 274-278

Phragmataecia ishuqii Rayhan, Jahan, & Hulsbosch sp. nov.

Figs 2‒8 , 11

Type locality: University of Chittagong ( Chittagong, Bangladesh).

Materials examined: Holotype, 1♂: BANGLADESH, CHITTAGONG, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Chittagong campus (22°28′17.66″N 91°47′15.65″E), 28.vii.2023, Coll. Md. J. Rayhan and S. Jahan; Paratype, 1♂: from the same location, 10.iii.2022, Coll. Md. J. Rayhan and S. Jahan. Both specimens along with the genitalia slides are deposited in the IMZUC.

Diagnosis: In wing maculation and genitalia characteristics, this species is closely related to Ph. castaneae Hübner , Ph. impura Moore , Ph. minor Moore , Ph. purpureus Fletcher and Ph. saccharum Moore but differs from all in having the posteriorly bilobed saccus which is tapered into a single robust and blunt conical process in these species; the presence of small single setae bearing lobe on either postero-lateral triangular extension of juxta which is absent in rest other species; the presence of angular pocket on sacculus; areole of forewing being very long and narrow; as well as very short, robust, and less curved uncus in the male genitalia. Furthermore, unlike Ph. castaneae forewings have a paler area along the lower edge of discal cell which in Ph. castaneae is completely dark, lobes of juxta are short, the unsclerotized area of uncus near tegumen reduced, and the areole in forewings long and much narrower exteriorly; unlike Ph. impura the valvae in male genitalia broad, and uniform in wide all the way while in Ph. impura , the costal margin produced inwardly; unlike Ph. purpureus the areole in forewings are distorted by the median cell.

Description: Adult male ( Figs 2‒5 , 11 ): 42 mm in wingspan; head, thorax, and abdomen smoky brown; thorax slightly darker anteriorly; labial palps dark smoky; antennae smoky brown, bipectinate, branches of basal half long, rest very short; abdomen longer, about same length of forewing. Forewings upperside with ground-color greyish brown, costal margin dark up to the discal cell leaving an elongated pale area along the lower edge of discal cell, rest of the wings irrorated with black spots, the latter extensive between the anal veins; underside darker excluding the anal area. Hindwings upperside paler than forewings with some dark suffusions along costal margin and beyond the discal cell; underside as same as the upperside. Cilia on both wings brown, but darker at the end of each vein. Legs smoky brown.

Forewing venation ( Fig 5 ): Areole distorted by the median cell and comparatively long and narrow than the closely allied species discussed above.

Male genitalia ( Figs 6‒8 ): Uncus short, robust, slightly curved in lateral view, moderately setose along lateral edges, dilated distally ending into a short and blunt spine, and thickly sclerotized leaving a small triangular weakly sclerotized area just above tegumen, as well as weakly sclerotized area laterally near base. Tegumen broad and conical. Saccus U-shaped and moderately tapering anteriorly, moderate in length, somewhat flat, and distinctively bilobed posteriorly. Valva simple, lancet-shaped, moderately setose in distal half, almost uniform broad throughout, costal margin slightly curved to almost straight, saccular margin with the basal area sclerotized forming a V- shaped or angular pocket and moderately curved into the rounded apex, costal margin with inwardly directed long thumb like processes basally. Juxta broad, quadrangular oval, with postero-lateral triangular extension having a small fragile lobe on each bearing a single long setae, two postero-apical lobes of juxta broad and somewhat rounded with some moderate setae on upper side. Vinculum anvil-shaped. Aedeagus knife-like, long, simple, moderately curved, and undifferentiated.

Female: Unknown.

Biology and habitat: Biology is unknown. The species inhabits small hills with slightly altered vegetation situated in front of the Faculty of Biological Science on the University of Chittagong campus ( Figs 9‒10 ).

Distribution: Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Etymology: The species epithet is dedicated to the late Mr. Md. Ishuq Ali, B.Sc., the teacher of the first author who taught him the ABC of science and inspired him to explore the natural world.

Figures

FIGURES 2-5. Imago of Phragmataecia ishuqii, 2, Holotype male in dorsal; 3, Same in ventral; 4, Paratype male; 5, Part of forewing venation of the holotype. (Apex of forewings got broken during catching).

FIGURES 6–8. Male genitalia of Phragmataecia ishuqii, holotype, 6, Genitalia in ventral view (juxta and aedeagus removed); 7, Aedeagus attached with juxta; 8, Juxta in close view.

FIGURES 9–11. Habitat of Phragmataecia ishuqii, 9, Habitat hill, 10, Types of vegetation in the habitat, 11, Holotype male in life habitus (Photographed by Sidratul Muntaaha Twaha).