Hemistola tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897), Alpheraky, 1897

Chang, Wei-Chun & Wu, Shipher, 2013, Review of the genus Hemistola Warren, 1893 in Taiwan with notes on an unusual conifer-feeding larva and descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Geometrinae), Zootaxa 3741 (4), pp. 538-550 : 548-549

Hemistola tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897)

( Figs 15, 16 , 33, 34 , 42 , 49 )

Thalera tenuilinea Alphéraky, 1897 , in Romanoff, Mém. Lép., 9, 182, pl. 10: 7.

Hemistola tenuilinea: Prout, 1912 , in Wytsmna, Gen. Ins., 129, 226; Prout, 1913, in Seitz, Macrolep., 4: 31; Prout, 1935, in Sietz, Macrolep. Suppl., 4: 20, pl. 3e; Inoue, 1959, in Icon. Ins. Jap. Col. Nat. Ed., 1: 180, pl. 126: 19; Inoue, 1961. Ins. Jap., (1)4: 77, fig. 184. pl. 7: 151, 152; Inoue, 1978, Bull. Fac. domestic Sci., Otsuma Woman’s Univ., 14: 213, misidentification, nec Inoue, 1978; Han & Xue, 2009, Entomol. Sci., 12(4): 403, fig. 24,54,82; Han & Xue, 2011, Fauna Sinica, Insect Vol. 54: 418, figs 289,609,849, pl. XVI: 41; Nakajima, 2011, The standard of moths in Japan 1: 223, pl. 1– 045–18,19.

Notes. This species was recorded in Japan, Korea, SE Russia and Taiwan (Han & Xue 2009; 2011; Nakajima, 2011). The record from Taiwan was given by Inoue (1978) based on examination of a single male specimen from “Jen-ai-hsian”, Nantou, vi–vii. 1958 (ex M. Okano). However, no specimen was illustrated in that report and presently no additional material was acquired during our specimen sampling of Hemistola from Taiwan. We here regard that specimen as a misidentification of an externally similar species, H. orbiculosa , and omit H. tenuilinea from the Taiwanese fauna until further voucher specimens can be obtained. We also illustrate the Japanese H. tenuilinea for comparison. In external appearance, H. tenuilinea ( Fig 15, 16 ) differs from H. orbiculosa by the yellowish transversal lines and discal ring-like spot on its wings. The male genitalia ( Figs 33, 34 ), male 8th sternite ( Fig. 42 ) and female genitalia ( Fig. 49 ) of H. tenuilinea also present distinct differences from that of Taiwanese species.

Hemistola taiwanensis Chang & Wu, sp. nov. ( Figs 14 , 27, 28 , 41 )

Type material. Holotype. Male, TAIWAN, Hualien County, Guanyuan, 2400 m, 18–VII–2012, leg. S. Wu & W. C. Chang, slide TFRI148577 (coll. TFRI). Paratypes. 1 male, Nantou County, Biluxi, 2000 m, 30–VI–1986, leg. Y. Q. Shen; 1 male, same collecting locality, 28–VI–1987, leg. Y. Q. Shen; 1 male, same collecting locality, 18–VII– 1987, leg. Y. Q. Shen; 1 male, Ilan, Fushan Botanical Garden, 750 m, 26–V–1992, leg. Y. B. Fan, slide TFRI87039; 1 male, Hualien County, Hepinglindao, 16–VI–1992, leg. Y. B. Fan; 1 male, Nantou County, Beidongyenshan, 2000 m, 22–VI–2009, leg. Y. Y. Yeh, slide TFRI00105736 (coll. TFRI); 1 male, Hualien County, Guanyuan, 2400 m, 12–VII–2009, leg. L. C. Shih (coll. ESRI)

Diagnosis. The new species is an insular sibling species of the northern eastern Asian H. dijuncta (Walker, 1861) . H. taiwanensis can be distinguished by the hindwing M3 vein being more protruded at the apex; by the apex of uncus being Y-shaped with a shallower central incision rather than bifid and fork-like in H. dijuncta , and by the relatively shorter anterior part of the aedeagus.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 14 ). Wingspan 36–37 mm in male (n= 8). Head: Antenna bipectinate. Length of rami 4 X diameter of shaft in median region. Frons and labial palpus reddish brown. Vertex light green, anterior part white. Labial palpus slender. Thorax: Three segments of thorax light green. Wing ground coloration light green. Forewing apex pointed; costal margin ochreous; outer margin of forewing rounded, that of hindwing dentate, end of hindwing M3 vein protruded; marginal scales white mixed with rufous at end of each vein; transversal lines on both wings white, distinct, straight or slightly curved outward at median part; discal spot absent. Frenulum absent. Abdomen: Abdomen light green; 3rd sternite without setose patch; 8th sternite ( Fig. 41 ) membranous, posterior part slightly sclerotized, concave anteriorly at median part.

Male genitalia ( Figs 27, 28 ): Uncus sclerotized, Y-shaped with shallow central incision at apex. Socii membranous, short. Gnathos with median process narrow and acute at apex, hook-like. Tegumen and vinculum wide, moderate length. Transtillae slightly sclerotized, plate-like. Saccus U-shaped with median part slightly protruded downward. Valva short, broad, blunt at apex; a large auricular protrusion arising from costal base, proximal part connected to the valva sclerotized; sacculus slightly sclerotized sacculus with a row of short spines. Coremata absent. Aedeagus stout, anterior part rod-like, short, posterior part long, sword-like with longitudinal ridges; vesica membranous, small, without cornutus.

Distribution and bionomics. This species occurs in low to mid-elevation primary broad-leaved forests of northern and central Taiwan. The adults occur from mid May to July, and are possibly univoltine. Its sibling species H. dijuncta feeds on Ligustrum tschonoskii (Oleaceae) (Parsons et al. 1999). The Ligustrum plants occurring in the distribution range of the new species include L. pricei and L. morrisonense .

Etymology. This species is named after its type locality, Taiwan.

Figures

FIGURE 9 – 16. Habitus of Hemistola spp. in Taiwan and Japan. 9. H. kezukai Inoue, 1978, male; 10. ditto, female; 11. H. orbiculosa, male; 12. ditto, female; 13. H. simplex Warren, 1899, male; 14. H. taiwanensis sp. nov., male, holotype; 15. H. tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897), male; 16. ditto, female; 9 – 14. Taiwan; 15 – 16. Japan; 10 – 12. Photo before abdomen dissected. Bar scale = 10 mm. Specimens courtesy of: TFRI (9 – 14); NSMT (15 – 16). Photo by Shipher Wu.

FIGURE 25 – 34. Male genitalia of Hemistola spp. in Taiwan and Japan. 25, 26. H. kezukai Inoue, 1978; 27, 28. H. taiwanensis sp. nov.; 29, 30. H. simplex Warren, 1899; 31, 32. H. orbiculosa Inoue, 1978; 33, 34. H. tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897); 25, 27, 29, 31, 33. Male genitalia without aedeagus; 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. Aedeagus 25 – 32. Taiwan; 33, 34. Japan. Specimens courtesy of: TFRI (25 – 32); NSMT (33, 34). Photo by Shipher Wu.

FIGURE 35 – 42. Male eighth abdominal sternite of Hemistola spp. in Taiwan and Japan. 35. H. piceacola sp. nov.; 36. H. fui sp. nov.; 37. H. monotola Inoue, 1983; 38. H. kezukai Inoue, 1978; 39. H. simplex Warren, 1899; 40. H. orbiculosa Inoue, 1978; 41. H. taiwanensis sp. nov.; 42. H. tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897). 35 – 41. Taiwan; 42. Japan. Specimens courtesy of: TFRI (35 – 41); NSMT (42). Photo by Shipher Wu.

FIGURE 43 – 49. Female genitalia of Hemistola spp. in Taiwan and Japan. 43. H. piceacola sp. nov.; 44. H. fui sp. nov.; 45. H. monotola Inoue, 1983; 46. H. kezukai Inoue, 1978; 47. H. orbiculosa Inoue, 1978; 48. H. simplex Warren, 1899; 49. H. tenuilinea (Alphéraky, 1897); 43 – 48. Taiwan; 49. Japan. Bar scale = 1 mm. Specimens courtesy of: TFRI (43 – 48); NSMT (49). Photo by Shipher Wu.