Araeopteron simaoensis, Jin & Yao & Han, 2025

Jin, Yuanyuan, Yao, Chunhua & Han, Huilin, 2025, Four new and one newly recorded species of Araeopteron Hampson, 1893 (Erebidae, Boletobiinae, Araeopteronini), with the checklist of the genus from China, ZooKeys 1256, pp. 259-273 : 259-273

Araeopteron simaoensis sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 15 Common name: 思茅纤翅夜蛾

Material examined.

Holotype: China • ♂; Yunnan, Simao District, Manxieba Village ; 22.VII.2012; HL. Han, XX. Jin, H. Geng leg.; genit. prep. no. hhl- 4442-1; in NEFU . Paratypes: China • 2 ♂; same data as holotype; HL. Han, XX. Jin, H. Geng leg.; genit. prep. no. hhl- 4445-1, hhl- 4452-1, in NEFU .

Diagnosis.

The new species is similar to A. medogensis Han & Kononenko, 2021 (Figs 6 , 16 ), but can be distinguished by the following morphological characters (characters for A. medogensis are in parentheses):

Adult. The background color of forewing in A. simaoensis sp. nov. is more yellowish brown (pale grayish to whitish); the antemedial and median lines of hindwing are more distinct, black-brown between double lines (indistinct, it is lighter, grayish); the outer margin of the hindwing is slightly concave medially (sinuous).

Male genitalia. The paratergal sclerites are wider and rounder (smaller); the saccus is tongue-shaped (U-shaped); the clasper is fused to the sacculus, has a sharp and gradually narrowing harpe in 2 / 3 length of valva (with pointed and tapered harpe in its apical 1 / 3); the costa is narrow basally, gradually bulging in the apical 2 / 5 part of the valva (with arched bulge in apical 1 / 2 part of valva).

Description.

Adult (Fig. 3 ). Wingspan 9.0–10.0 mm. Antennae filiform. Head, patagia, tegula, and thorax grayish white. Abdomen brown, covered with grey. Forewing pale smoky grey with brownish, adorned with black dots along the costa; basal line oblique, blurred and discontinuous, with smoky yellow; antemedial line yellow-brown, wavy, oblique; median line smoky brown, indistinct and wavy; postmedial line indistinct, rising to M 2, then bending and continuing obliquely; median area appearing darker than rest of wing; subterminal line grayish white, indistinct and wavy; terminal line barely discernible; fringe smoky brown, mixed with white; reniform stigma round and hazy. Hindwing brown with yellowish brown, slightly darker than the forewing; antemedial line blackish brown and hazy; median line parallel to postmedial line, blackish brown, with dark brown between double lines; interspersed with tawny; fringe weakly darker than forewing; discal spot absent. Male genitalia (Fig. 15 ). Tegumen membranous, triangular, with broader and rounded ear lobes on both sides. Vinculum wide and thick, slightly sclerotized, V-shaped. Saccus tongue-shaped, weakly sclerotized. Valva narrowed basally; sacculus weakly sclerotized, gradually rounded apically; clasper fused to the sacculus, with a sharp, narrowing harpe, placed at c. 2 / 3 length from base of valva; costa narrow basally, gradually bulging apically. Uncus short, approximately as long as 1 / 2 length of tegumen, weakly curved, relatively sclerotized. Juxta membranous. Aedeagus short, tube-shaped, slightly curved; coecum rounded, as long as 1 / 4 length of aedeagus, strongly sclerotized; vesica membranous, covered with small grains. Female genitalia. Unknown.

Distribution.

China ( Yunnan).

Etymology.

This species name is derived from the locality of the type, Simao.

Figures

Figures 1–6. Adults of Araeopteron spp. 1. A. maculas sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 2. A. maculas sp. nov., female, paratype (NEFU); 3. A. simaoensis sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 4. A. submedogensis sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 5. A. ussurica, male (after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008, ZMUC); 6. A. medogensis, male (after Han and Kononenko 2021, NEFU). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 13–18. Male genitalia of Araeopteron spp. 13. A. maculas sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 14. A. ussurica sp. nov., male, paratype (after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008, ZMUC); 15. A. simaoensis sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 16. A. medogensis, male (after Han and Kononenko 2021, NEFU); 17. A. submedogensis sp. nov., male, holotype (NEFU); 18. A. xanthopis, male (NEFU).