Aschistophleps nahinensis O. Gorbunov, 2021

Gorbunov, Oleg G., 2021, Review of the genus Aschistophleps Hampson, 1893 (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae) of Laos, Zootaxa 5020 (2), pp. 384-396 : 391-393

Aschistophleps nahinensis O. Gorbunov , sp. nov.

( Figs 25–26 , 31–32 )

Holotype ♂ ( Figs 25–26 ), “ Laos, Kammouang Prov. , / Ban Khounkham (Nahin). / 18˚13΄N, 104˚31΄E, 200 m, / 25.IV.2005, / O. Gorbunov leg.”; “ SESIIDAE / Pictures №№ / 0855–0856-2014 / Photo by O. Gorbunov ”; “Geni- talia examined / by O. Gorbunov / Preparation № / OG–011-2021”; “ HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Aschistophleps nahinensis / O. Gorbunov, 2021 / O. Gorbunov des. 2020” ( COGM).

Description. Male (holotype) ( Figs 25–26 ). Alar expanse 16.8 mm; body length 9.0 mm; forewing 7.6 mm; antenna 4.5 mm.

Head with antenna dorsally black with dark violet sheen and a few orange scales, ventrally light brown with a row of orange scales on each joint distally, scapus black with dark violet sheen and a few whitish scales anteriorly; frons grey-brown with blue-violet sheen and a few whitish scales latero-ventrally; vertex black with dark blue-violet sheen; two basal joints of labial palpus dark yellow with a few black scales externally, apical joint dark yellow with a few black scales; pericephalic hairs orange dorsally and white laterally.

Thorax with patagia mixed with orange and dark brown to black scales with bronze-violet sheen; tegula black with greenish-blue sheen densely covered with orange scales masking background colouration and a small pale orange spot at base of forewing; mesothorax black with greenish-violet sheen sparsely covered with individual orange scales; metathorax black with greenish-violet sheen; thorax laterally and a few such scales at distal margin of mesomeron; posteriorly both metepimeron and metameron white with yellowish glitter densely covered white with yellowish glitter hair-like scales. Legs with neck plate white and bronze-violet glitter; fore coxa white with golden glitter and pale orange scales distally; fore femur black with greenish-blue sheen; fore tibia orange with a few black scales both dorsally and ventrally; fore tarsus orange with a few black scales dorso-basally on each tarsomete; mid coxa and mid femur dark brown to black with greenish-blue sheen; mid tibia externally orange with a few black scales, internally dark yellow with a few black scales; spurs black with greenish sheen and a few orange scales; mid tarsus dorsally black with greenish-blue sheen and a few orange scales on three distal tarsomeres and a small spot of silvery scales with electric-blue glitter on two basal tarsomeres basally; ventrally mid tarsus dark yellow; hind coxa and hind femur dark brown to black with greenish-blue sheen; hind tibia in basal half white with golden glitter and a narrow black line with greenish-blue sheen, distal half black with bright greenish-violet sheen and a small spot of silvery scales with electric-blue glitter at level of both mid and apical spurs; spurs black with bright greenish-violet sheen; hind tarsus black with bright greenish-blue sheen and a few orange scales ventrally on two basal tarsomeres, and a small spot of silvery scales with electric-blue glitter on second tarsomere basally. Forewing dorsally black with greenish-violet sheen and a few orange scales basally; costal and anal margins, CuA-stem, discal spot and veins within external transparent area dark brown to black with greenish sheen and with an admixture of individual orange scales; scales between veins R 3 –CuA 1 orange and brown with golden glitter; ventrally costal and anal margins, CuA-stem, discal spot and veins within external transparent area dark brown to black with greenish-violet sheen; scales between veins R 3 –CuA 1 yellow with a few brown and golden glittered; cilia dark brown with bronze sheen; transparent area well developed but densely covered with yellowish translucent scales and golden glitter (brighter ventrally); posterior transparent area exceeding distal margin of discal spot; external transparent area extremely large, divided into six cells between veins R 3 –CuA 2, cells between veins R 3 –CuA 1 divided into two parts by a thin, broadened distally, sparse scales; outer margin undeveloped. Hindwing transparent but distal third densely covered with yellowish translucent scales with golden glitter; veins M 1 and M 2 and discal spot yellowish with golden glitter, remaining veins and outer margin dark brown with dark violet sheen; discal spot extremely narrow consisting of one row of scales, reaching to common stem M 3 –CuA 1; outer margin narrow, about one quarter as broad as cilia; cilia dark brown with bronze sheen, anally white.

Abdomen dorsally black with greenish-violet sheen and a few white scales latero-distally on tergite 4; ventrally entirely white with golden glitter; anal tuft small dark brown to black with greenish sheen.

Male genitalia (holotype, genital preparation № OG–011-2021) ( Figs 31–32 ).

Female. Unknown.

Individual variability. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. This new species seems to be the closest to A. xanthocrista O. Gorbunov & Arita, 1995 and A. argentifasciata Skowron Volponi & Volponi, 2018 . Compared with the first species, this new species differs by the colouration of the frons (dark brown with purplish sheen and with a narrow snow-white stripe laterally in the species compared, vs. grey-brown with blue-violet sheen and a few whitish scales lateral-ventrally in A. nahinensis sp. nov.), fore coxa and fore tibia (fore coxa black with blue-violet sheen and a brick-orange external margin, fore tibia entirely black in A. xanthocrista , vs. fore coxa white with golden glitter and pale orange scales distally, fore tibia orange with a few black scales both dorsally and ventrally in A. nahinensis sp. nov.), hind tibia in basal half (entirely black in A. xanthocrista , vs. white with golden glitter and a narrow black line with greenish-blue sheen in the new species). From A. argentifasciata , A. nahinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished by the colouration of the frons (grey with a narrow white stripe laterally in A. argentifasciata , vs. grey-brown with blue-violet sheen and a few whitish scales lateral-ventrally in A. nahinensis sp. nov.), fore tibia (black with metallic sheen and a admixture of white and creamy-yellow to orange scales in A. argentifasciata , vs. orange with a few black scales both dorsally and ventrally in A. nahinensis sp. nov.), abdomen ventrally (sternite 1+2 black with a few creamy-yellow scales distally, remaining sternites black with a narrow white stripe distally on 3–6 sternites in the species compared, vs. entirely white with golden glitter in A. nahinensis sp. nov.).

Bionomics. The host plant is unknown. The holotype was collected in the end of April. Male was mud-puddling.

Habitat. Like the two previous species, this new species was collected on wet soil on the banks of the Nam Sanam stream in a primary, monsoon, semi-deciduous, lowland, tropical forest.

Distribution. The new species is known only from the type locality in Laos.

Etymology. This new species is named after Na Hin, the name of the village near which the holotype was collected.

Figures

FIGURES 25–26. Male, holotype of Aschistophleps nahinensis O. Gorbunov, sp. nov. Laos, Khammouang Prov., Ban Khounkham (Na Hin), 18˚13΄N, 104˚31΄E, 200 m, 25.IV.2005, O. Gorbunov leg. 25) upside. Sesiidae picture № 0855–2014. Alar expanse 16.8 mm; 26) ditto underside. Sesiidae picture № 0856–2014.

FIGURES 31–32. Male genitalia of Aschistophleps nahinensis O. Gorbunov, sp. nov. Holotype. Genital preparation № OG– 011-2021. 31) ventral view; 32) aedeagus. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.