Nikara cupreomicans (Draudt, 1950) Saldaitis & Volynkin & Speidel & Zahiri, 2022

Saldaitis, Aidas, Volynkin, Anton V., Speidel, Wolfgang & Zahiri, Reza, 2022, A review of the genus Nikara Moore and its transfer to the Stiriinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Zootaxa 5205 (3), pp. 201-219 : 209-210

Nikara cupreomicans (Draudt, 1950) , comb. nov.

( Figs 7–10 , 17 , 21 )

Lasiplexia cupreomicans Draudt, 1950 , Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 40 (1): 102, pl. 7, fig. 8 (adult) (Type locality (hereby fixed by lectotype designation): [SW China, Yunnan, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Adunzi ] “A-tun-tse”).

Type material examined. Lectotype (hereby designated) ( Fig. 7 ): female, “A-tun-tse (Nord Yünnan) | Mittlere Höhe (ca. 4000m) | 20.7.1936 H. Höne ” / pink label “ Holotype | Lasiplexia | cupreomicans | ♀ Draudt.” / “ Lasiplexia | cupreomicans | ♀ Draudt.” ( ZFMK).

Additional material examined. CHINA: 4 males, 2 females, Li-kiang [Lijiang], North Yunnan Province, H. Höne [leg.], with the following dates: 11.VIII.1934 (2 males), 12.VIII.1934 (1 male), 23.VIII.1934 (1 male) and 29.vii.1934 (1 female), and 7.VIII.1934 (1 female), unique numbers ZFMK Lep. 153596 and 153599 (males, dissected by Si-yao Huang), gen. slide Nos. AV 6639 and AV6640 (females) (prepared by Volynkin) ( ZFMK) ; 4 males, E Sichuan, 30 km SE from Ping Wu , 1420m, N32°20.725 '', E104°36.650 '', 7.viii.2006, Floriani & Saldaitis leg., gen. slide No. AV 5596 (prepared by Volynkin) ( AFM, ASV & JSL) ; 3 males, 1 female, the same locality and collectors but 1.viii.2006, gen. slide Nos. AV 5597 (male) and AV6403 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( AFM & ASV) ; 2 females, N Sichuan, 20 km N of Maoxian , 1820m, N31°46.310 '', E103°42.898 '', 30.vii.2006. Floriani & Saldaitis leg. ( AFM) ; 1 female, Shaanxi, 1480m, North from Foping , N33°42.546 '', E107°56.418 '', 3–5. viii. 2006, Floriani & Saldaitis leg. ( AFM) .

Notes. (1) In the original description, Draudt (1950) mentioned several female specimens from A-tun-tse (with the date “20. VI.[19]36”) and two females from Li-kiang (with the dates “8 und 13.VIII.[19]34”), which are syntypes. In ZFMK collection, no specimens with such label data were found. However, we found a female labeled as ‘Holotype’ from A-tun-tse collected at 20.VII.1936 which let us to assume that Draudt made a typo in the citation of the date (June instead of July). In order to stabilize the nomenclature, we hereby designate this specimen as lectotype. (2) The type and topotype specimens housed in ZFMK are faded and lack the shiny bluish suffusion which is present in the fresh specimens collected by the senior author of the present paper.

Diagnosis. The species is reminiscent of N. castanea , but can be distinguished by the absence of a wide brown area along the anal forewing margin which is present in N. castanea . Additionally, the terminal area of N. cupreomicans is brownish grey (brown in N. castanea ), and the orbicular stigma is nearly circular (whereas it is narrowly elliptical in N. castanea ). The male genital capsule of N. cupreomicans differs from that of N. castanea in the subapically slightly dilated uncus (it is strongly dilated in N. castanea ), the somewhat narrower juxta (in proportion to the tegumen-vinculum complex width) and the presence of a harpe which is absent in N. castanea . The aedeagus of N. cupreomicans is ca. 2 times narrower than in N. castanea and has the narrower and somewhat shorter carinal process. The vesica of N. cupreomicans is much narrower (in proportion to the aedeagus width) than that of N. castanea , lacks a ventral diverticulum (present in N. castanea ) and bears a row of tiny denticles subbasally and a row of various-sized spine-like cornuti distally and medio-laterally whereas N. castanea has a dorsal cluster of short but robust spinules subbasally and lacks cornuti distally. Additionally, the vesica ejaculatorius of N. cupreomicans is narrower than in N. castanea (in proportion to the vesica width). The vesica structure of N. cupreomicans is similar to that of N. plusiodes , the detailed comparison is provided in the diagnosis of the latter species. Compared to N. castanea , the vesica of N. cupreomicans lacks an elongate ventral diverticulum but bears an elongate row-like cluster of spine-like cornuti medially ( N. castanea , there is a short cluster subbasally). The female genitalia of N. cupreomicans differ clearly from those of N. castanea by the somewhat wider and less elongate papillae anales (they are narrow and more heavily sclerotised in N. castanea ) and the markedly (ca. 2 times) longer corpus bursae which is narrowed posteriorly and medially and drop-like dilated anteriorly (whereas it is sack-like in N. castanea ). Additionally, in N. cupreomicans , the posterior section of the corpus bursae has a broad globular postero-lateral protrusion (absent in N. castanea ), and the sclerotised plate is markedly shorter and narrower than in castanea . The appendix bursae of N. cupreomicans is short, with thick gelatinous walls and positioned sub-postero-ventrally, whereas that of N. castanea is broader, membranous and is positioned postero-laterally on the left side.

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 7–10 ). Antennae of both sexes filiform. Head and thorax dark brown, with suffusion of shiny bluish scales. Forewing length 15 mm in males and 15–16 mm in females. Sexual dimorphism limited: female has somewhat wider forewing than male. Forewing ground colour dark brown. Antemedial line double, dark brown, narrow, sinuous. Postmedial line dark brown, slightly curved. Cell dark brown between the spots. Orbicular stigma circular, encircled with shiny bluish scales. Reniform stigma moderately broad, encircled with shiny bluish scales. Subcostal area dark brown with five various sized spots with intense shiny bluish suffusion. Postmedial area with intense amber suffusion. Subterminal area brownish grey with intense shiny bluish suffusion. Cilia brown. Hindwing brown, discal spot small, circular, dark brown, indistinct. Abdomen brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 17 ). Uncus elongate, narrow, laterally flattened, dorso-ventrally curved, somewhat dilated subapically, apically pointed with tiny claw-like tip. Tuba analis moderately broad, with heavily sclerotised and rugose scaphium. Tegumen moderately wide, shorter than valva. Juxta shield-like, with wide rounded apical depression and tiny round basal incision. Vinculum ca. 1.5 times shorter than tegumen, with thin but well-sclerotised arms, Vshaped with pointed tip. Pleurite present, as a curved and apically rounded, plate-like extension of vinculum. Valva elongate and narrow (length to width ratio 5:1), with nearly parallel margins. Costal margin convex subbasally. Corona present, consisting of robust setae. Sacculus short (ca. 1/4 of valva length) and narrow (ca. half of basal section of valva width). Clavus narrowly triangular with rounded tip. Harpe short (its length to valva width ration 1:3.8), narrowly triangular and apically pointed. Aedeagus elongate, slightly downcurved medially, with short (ca. 1/5 of aedeagus length) and apically rounded distal carinal process ventrally. Vesica sack-like, approximately equal in length with aedeagus, projecting dorsad, bearing lateral row of tiny denticles subbasally, and row of various sized spine-like cornuti extending from medial section to the base of vesica ejaculatorius and terminating by a robust thorn-like cornutus apically. Female genitalia ( Fig. 21 ). Papillae anales trapezoid with rounded corners, setose. Apophyses thin, rod-like, equal in length. Ostium bursae with membranous margins. Ductus bursae as long as apophyses, narrowly tubular, membranous. Corpus bursae extremely long, narrowed posteriorly and medially and drop-like dilated anteriorly, with globular and membranous lateral protrusion posteriorly on the right side. Posterior sclerotised plate of corpus bursae elongate and narrow. Appendix bursae broadly conical with wide and rounded apex and thick gelatinous walls, positioned sub-posteriorly on the ventral side of corpus bursae.

Distribution and bionomics. The species is known from Yunnan, Sichuan and south-western Shaanxi Provinces of China. In Sichuan, the species was collected at early August at the altitude of approximately 1400 meters in the scarce mountain mixed forest dominated by various deciduous trees, bamboo and bushes and located in between small agriculture fields ( Fig. 25 ).

Figures

FIGURE 25. China, Sichuan, 30 km SE from Ping Wu. Habitat of N. cupreomicans (photo by A. Saldaitis).

FIGURES 1–8. Nikara spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 3 in MHB (photo by B. Tóth); 4 in HNHM (photo by B. Tóth); 5 in ASV; 6 in HSV (photo by H. Seibald); 7 and 8 in ZFMK.

FIGURES 9–14. Nikara aureus: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9 in ASV; 10 in AFM; 11 in MNHN (©MNHN, photo by unknown photographer); 12 in MfN; 13 in ZFMK (photo by V.S. Kononenko); 14 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

FIGURES 15–18. Nikara spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 15 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 16 and 17 in ASV 18 in ZFMK (photo by V.S. Kononenko).

FIGURES 19–23. Nikara spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 19 and 23 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 20 in HSV; 21 in AFM; 22 in MfN.