Processuridia S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin, 2022

Huang, Si-Yao, Volynkin, Anton V., Zhu, Li-Juan, Xu, Yong-Qiang, Wang, Min, Fan, Xiao- Ling & Da, Wa, 2022, Processuridia, a new genus for two new species from China and Indochina (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5104 (1), pp. 40-48 : 41-43

Genus Processuridia S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin , gen. n.

Type species: Processuridia thangka S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin sp. n.

Diagnosis. The new genus is characterized by the combination of the following features: 1) the forewing with a reddish lengthwise streak or markings below the costa and above the dorsum (a feature unique in the generic complex) ( Figs 2–7 ); 2) the male genitalia with a strongly elongate distal costal process which is slender, pointed outwards and bended downwards at the distal end, and with an additional dorsal branch in certain species ( Figs 14–16 ); 3) the female genitalia with a broad and bilobate antevaginal plate ( Figs 20–21 ).

Adults of the new genus are externally distinguished from those of the related genera Asuridia (type species A. carnipicta Butler, 1877 , figs 8, 9, 17, 22) and Disasuridia (type species D. rubida Fang, 1991 , figs 10, 11, 18, 23) by the presence of a reddish lengthwise streak or markings below the costa and above the dorsum, while in Asuridia and Disasuridia the forewing is monotonous reddish or yellowish, and reddish markings may be present only at the costa and the dorsum. In the male genitalia, Processuridia gen. n. differs from both genera in the presence of a strongly elongate distal costal process (0.23–0.25 × valva length) which is bended downwards medially and nearly parallel to the axis of the sacculus, while in Asuridia the distal costal process is absent or short (up to 0.13 × valva length) and directed dorsally, and in Disasuridia it is extremely short (ca. 0.08 × valva length) and forming only a blunt protrusion distally. In the female genitalia, Processuridia gen. n. is distinguished from the related genera by the presence of a broad, bilobate and moderately sclerotized antevaginal plate which is absent in Asuridia and Disasuridia . The strongly elongate, slender and medially curved distal costal process of the new genus is reminiscent of that of the genus Idopterum (type species I. ovale Hampson, 1894 , figs 12, 13, 19, 24) belonging to the Miltochrista group ( Huang et al. 2021). However, the genera are fundamentally different superficially and the forewing pattern represented by two wide dark shades is characteristic for Idopterum . In addition to this feature, the differences between the two genera are found in the vesica structure: in Processuridia gen. n., it lacks a basal cluster of tiny cornuti (which is considered as an autapomorphic feature of Idopterum ) but bears elongate spine-like cornuti distally whereas the main chamber of vesica of Idopterum bears only a cluster of short but robust cornuti.

Description. External morphology of adults. Forewing length 9.4–9.7 mm in males and 8–9.5 mm in females. Antenna filiform in both sexes. Head, thorax and abdomen yellow. Patagia crimson or yellow. Tegulae crimson or yellow with a black dot. Forewing ground color yellow, pattern consisting of blackish transverse lines and blackish and reddish lengthwise streaks. Subbasal spot present. Subbasal area with blackish suffusion sometimes forming diffused line between subbasal spot and antemedial line. Antemedial line curved outwards medially in discal cell. Medial line concave at the lower edge of discal cell, with anterior end connected to that of postmedial line at the costa. Discal spot present. Reddish streak extended from outer side of upper half of antemedial line to discal spot. Postmedial line smoothly curved and forming blunt protrusion medially, its anterior end close or connected to that of medial line at the costa. Reddish patch present at the angle formed by medial and postmedial lines. Blackish lengthwise streaks of different lengths present from M 1 to Cu 2 with a series of reddish lengthwise streaks scattering between blackish ones. Reddish pattern present above dorsum, extending from outer margin of lower half of antemedial line to marginal line or restricted between medial and postmedial lines. Marginal line black. Cilia yellow. Hindwing ground color pale yellow. Medial line diffuse, extending from the costa and terminating above the dorsum. Postmedial area with diffused submarginal blackish line extended from subapical area to Cu 2 or to tornus. Cilia yellow. Male genitalia. Uncus elongate (ca.0.66 × tegumen length) and slender, tapered distally and pointed apically. Tuba analis broad (ca. 0.33 × tegumen length). Scaphium short (ca. 0.33 × uncus length) and weakly sclerotized. Tegumen with narrow arms (length to width ratio 1:4.7–1:6.5), somewhat curved downwards. Vinculum with slender arms, as long as tegumen, with broad and U-shaped saccus. Transtilla dilated medially. Valva with parallel margins medially and distally. Costa gently protruding dorsally near the medial part; medial costal process triangular, broad basally and abruptly narrowing towards tip; distal costal process strongly elongate (0.23–0.25 × valva length) and bending downwards distally, in certain species with an additional dorsal process subapically. Membranous lobe broad (ca. 0.77 × valva width), semi-elliptical. Sacculus moderately sclerotized and gradually tapered distally; distal saccular process fused mostly with distal part of the valva, blunt triangular-like. Juxta triangular, with dilated anterior section. Phallus moderately long (0.77–0.8 × tegumen-vinculum complex length), straight or slightly curved downwards medially. Main chamber of vesica broad (3.67–4.17 × phallus width), sack-like; subbasal dorsal diverticulum sack-like, with granulation field basally; ventral diverticulum small, covered with numerous graniculi or small cornuti; medial diverticulum large, bearing scattered thorn-like cornuti of different sizes and numbers. Female genitalia. Papillae anales nearly trapezoid with rounded corners, weakly setose. Apophyses slender, apophyses anteriores slightly shorter and thicker than apophyses posteriores. Antevaginal plate broad (1.50–1.53 × ductus bursae width) and bilobate, with smooth or slightly rugose surface. Ostium bursae as broad as ductus bursae. Ductus bursae moderately sclerotized and wide (length to width ratio 1:1.25–1:2.17). Corpus bursae globular and membranous, scobinated with spinules of different sizes anteriorly and posteriorly and densely covered with larger and longer spines medially. Appendix bursae conical, membranous, situated postero-laterally and directed laterally.

Molecular result. The Kimura 2-parameter distance of COI between the two samples was 3.6%, exceeding 3% COI genetic divergence for species discrimination suggested by Hebert et al. (2004) and the 2% COI genetic divergence for species discrimination in Asura / Miltochrista generic complex observed by us. Hence, these two samples should represent two different species. The two species sampled formed a clade receiving strong support from both methods (UFBS=99, PP=1), corroborating their congenerity. The systematic position of Processuridia gen. n. was congruent in the topologies inferred by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses ( Fig. 1 ), and it is nested in the Asuridia group and sister to the clade ( Asuridia + Disasuridia ), receiving strong support from both methods (UFBS=98, PP=1).

Distribution. Southwestern China (Xizang and Yunnan) and northern Indochina (northern Vietnam).

Etymology. The generic name Processuridia is an aggregate of the word ‘process’ and the genus-group name Asuridia . The name refers to the strongly elongate distal costal process in male genitalia capsule which is unique within the Asuridia group. Gender is feminine.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Molecular phylogenetic tree recovered from the Maximum likelihood inference analysis of the combined dataset with the best-fit partitioning strategy. The clades irrelevant to the present study were all folded. The Processuridia clade was marked out by red. The order of the values on the nodes is as follows: ultrafast bootstrap values (UFBS) in IQtree / posterior probabilities (PP) of the Bayesian analysis.

FIGURES 2–13. Adults of Processuridia spp. and the type species of the genera Asuridia, Disasuridia & Idopterum. Depositories of the specimens: 2, 3 in SCAU; 6, 13 in MWM/ZSM, 4, 5, 7 in CHSY, 8, 9 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK), 10 in CAV, 11, 12 in CKC.

FIGURES 14–19. Male genitalia of Processuridia spp. and the type species of the genera Asuridia, Disasuridia & Idopterum. Depositories of the slides: 14, 19 in SCAU; 15 in CHSY, 16 in MWM/ZSM, 17 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK), 18 in CAV.

FIGURES 20–24. Female genitalia of Processuridia spp. and the type species of the genera Asuridia, Disasuridia & Idopterum. Depositories of the slides: 20, 21 in CHSY, 22 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK), 23 in CAV and 24 in MWM/ZSM.