Isochlora grumi multirosea, Gyulai & Saldaitis, 2017

Gyulai, Péter & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2017, Three new taxa of Noctuidae from China (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Zootaxa 4311 (2), pp. 292-300 : 293-296

Isochlora grumi multirosea , ssp. nov . ( Figs. 4–6 , 16, 17 )

Holotype: Male ( Fig. 4 ), China, West Sichuan, Shaluli Shan , 40 km NW from Daocheng, H – 4050 m, N29°17.399′, E100°05.068′, 19.vi.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis, slide No. PGY 4467m (coll. PGM, later will be deposited in the HNHM).

Paratypes: 14 males, as follows. Three males, same data as the holotype (colls AFM, ASV) ; 4 males, same data, but 21.vi.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis (colls AFM, ASV) ; 1 male, China, West Sichuan, Shaluli Shan , road Litang / Daocheng, H– 4410m, N29°17.399′, E100°05.068′, 22.vi.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis, slide No PGY 4468m (coll. PGM) ; 6 males, W. Sichuan, near Litang , H– 4000 m, N29°50′, E100°21′, 16.vii.2009, leg. I. & A. Floriani & Saldaitis, DNA identification numbers 10364- 160709 - CH & 10364- 160709 - CH (colls AFM, PGM) .

Diagnosis. Isochlora grumi multirosea ( Figs. 4–6 ) can be very easily distinguished from the nominotypical subspecies ( Figs. 7, 8 ) by its darker, ochre ground coloured forewings, generally with more extensive pinkish shade (which extends onto the basal–subbasal area and from the inner margin toward the apex as a broad ribbon in certain specimens) and the conspicuously darker, brown coloured hindwings, in which only a slight marginal field is pale ochre; whereas the hindwings in the nominotypical subspecies is always homogenous whitish–pale yellowish. The comparison of the male genitalia of the two subspecies ( Figs. 16, 17 & 18 ) do not indicates remarkable differences and due to the individual variability in the number of the small distal cornuti and the shape and length of the harpe and the distal segment of the valve, the authors describe here the new taxa on subspecific level only, spite of the conspicuous external differences. The female is unknown yet.

In addition to the morphological evidence, DNA barcoding support the existence of a new subspecific taxon in Isochlora . Full length 658 base pair 'barcodes' of the Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 5' Region (CO1–5P) gene were prepared by the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding (CCDB, Guelph) by methods described in Hebert et al. (2003). Molecular variation based on the Kimura-2-Parameter distance model for CO1 DNA barcodes between three specimens of I. grumi grumi from Qinghai and two specimens of I. grumi multirosea ssp. nov . varied from 1.08 to 1.39 %.

Description ( Figs. 4–6 ). Wingspan 32–40 mm, length of forewing 16–20 mm. Antennae are ochre, finely bipectinated. The forewing elongated with pointed apex. Vesture of the thorax ochre, while that of the abdomen is pale brownish, however, the tuft on the apical abdominal part is whitish–ochre. The ground colour of the forewings ochre, generally with more extensive pinkish shade (which extends onto the inner margin and more or less the reniform stigma, however, in certain specimens, the basal–subbasal area and from the inner margin toward the apex is also pinkish, as a broad ribbon). The transverse lines are not discernible, rarely the postmedial and the subterminal lines are more or less visible, since pinkish marked. Hindwing dark brown coloured, with only a slight pale ochre marginal field. Underside of wings pale ochre, forewing costa more or less pinkish, inner part brown suffused. The most remarkable features of the new subspecies in the male genitalia ( Figs. 16, 17 ), can be characterized by the rather short, strong evenly thick, hooked uncus apically with pointed tip; well developed, elongated tegumen; broadly subquadrangular juxta, dorsally with two strongly sclerotized lateral appendages; V–shaped vinculum; long, dorsally projected, somewhat curved, apically pointed harpe; distally strongly tapering valvae without corona; sclerotized aedeagus with slight carinal plate; membranous, tubular, distally more ample, ventrally recurved everted vesica with a large prominent subterminal bulbous based, terminally pointed cornutus and 2–3 similarly shaped, but remarkably smaller subbasal–submedial cornuti.

Female unknown.

Biology and distribution. Fifteen males were collected at ultraviolet light on 16 July, 2009 and 19 –22 June, 2015 in remote parts of west China, Sichuan Province near the Litang and Daocheng of the Shaluli Shan mountain range. The new subspecies was collected at altitudes ranging from 4000 to 4400 meters in mountain mixed forest dominated by various conifer trees, bushes and rhododendrons in alpine zone. Known only from western Sichuan in a restricted area, whereas the northern and northern–western ranges of the province are the southernmost known habitats of the nominotypical subspecies.

Etymology. The new subspecies is named after the extended pink colouration of the forewings.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Subleuconycta & Isochlora spp. adults. 1. S. sola male, HT, China, W. Sichuan, PGY 2935 m (PGM / HNHM); 2. S. palshkovi, male, S. E. Russia, Vladivostok reg., PGY 4689 m (PGM); 3. S. calonesiota, male, HT, Taiwan, Tai – Tung prov., KA 1046 m (HNHM); 4. I. grumi multirosea ssp. n., male, HT, China, W. Sichuan, PGY 4467 m (PGM / HNHM); 5. I. grumi multirosea ssp. n., male, PT, China, W. Sichuan, PGY 4468 m (PGM); 6. I. grumi multirosea ssp. n., male, PT, China, W. Sichuan (AFM); 7. I. grumi grumi, male, Russia, Chita region, PGY 4490 m (PGM); 8. I. grumi grumi, female, China, Qinghai.

FIGURES 16 – 18. Isochlora grumi male genitalia. 16. I. grumi multirosea, HT, China, W. Sichuan, PGY 4467 m (PGM / HNHM); 17. I. grumi multirosea, PT, China, W. Sichuan, PGY 4468 m (PGM); 18. I. grumi grumi, Russia, Chita region, PGY 4490 m (PGM).