Eupithecia fossaria, Šumpich & Mironov, 2022

Šumpich, Jan & Mironov, Vladimir, 2022, New species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China. Part VIII, Zootaxa 5194 (4), pp. 561-574 : 562-563

Eupithecia fossaria sp. n.

( Figs 2 , 16 , 22 )

Type material: Holotype, ♂, China, NW. Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, Road Lushui / Gulang , 25°58.15ʺ N, 98°47.40ʺ E, 10.iii.2019, 2000 m, A. Saldaitis leg. Gen. prep. J. Procházka 20176, Photo J. Šumpich 22102 ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. This species possibly belongs to the fletcherata species group. It is externally similar to E. raniata Prout, 1958 owing to the shape of the fore wings and the large discal dots ( Mironov & Galsworthy 2014). The male genitalia can be distinguished from those of other species by the shape of the valve and the pattern of cornuti on the vesica of the aedeagus. The shape and sclerotization of the eighth sternite are similar to those of the Taiwanese E. karapinensis Wileman & South, 1917.

Description. Adult. ( Figs 2 , 16 ). Male. Wingspan 18.0 mm, fore wing 10.0 mm. Head and notum covered with yellowish scales. Fore wing with slightly arched costal margin; apex narrowly rounded. Ground colour brownish ochreous; transverse lines inconspicuous; terminal area with narrow, wavy, whitish subterminal line; terminal line narrow, black, interrupted by veins; discal dot large, ovoid, black. Hind wing with medially emarginate terminal margin; slightly paler than fore wing; with traces of dark basal and medial transverse lines and small, ovoid discal dot. Fringe chequered with brown and pale ochreous.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 22 ). Uncus rather short, narrow, biapical. Valve relatively broad with dorsal margin slightly convex near base; ventral margin with prominent ventral process and deep medial hollow; apex rather narrowly rounded; sacculus heavily sclerotized. Vinculum broad, elongate. Papillae on the anterior arms of labides elongate, tapered to apices and covered with short setae. Aedeagus elongate, stout, slightly broadened to anterior end. Vesica multiply granulate, armed with two elongate cornuti with obtuse apices, one elongate, plate-like, U-shaped cornutus and one other folded, irregular cornutus near ductus ejaculatorius base. Sternite A8 slightly elongate, broadened basally, with two narrow apical horns pointed outwards basal hollow rather narrow and deep; about 2/3 apical part of sternite heavily sclerotized.

Female. Unknown.

Bionomy. Host plant unknown. The holotype was collected by light in March at an elevation of 2000 m ( Fig. 36 ) .

Distribution. China. Known from Yunnan province.

Etymology. From the latin word “fossa”—“ditch” in english.

Note. The single type specimen is worn.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Eupithecia adults, China, holotypes (scale bars = 10 mm). 1. E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 2. E. fossaria sp. n.; 3. E. eremiata sp. n.; 4. E. panacea sp. n.; 5. E. mediata sp. n.; 6. E. caementariata sp. n.

FIGURES 15–20. Heads of Eupithecia species, China, holotypes. 15. E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 16. E. fossaria sp. n.; 17. E. eremiata sp. n.; 18. E. panacea sp. n.; 19. E. mediata sp. n.; 20. E. caementariata sp. n.

FIGURES 21–24. Male genitalia and sternite A8 of Eupithecia species, holotypes (scale bar = 1 mm; detail of uncus enlarged). 21. E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 22. E. fossaria sp. n.; 23. E. mediata sp. n.; 24. E. caementariata sp. n.; a—other view.

FIGURES 35–39. Habitats of newly described Eupithecia species, China. 35. Qinghai, Laji Shan Mt., locality of E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 36. Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, locality of E. fossaria sp. n.; 37. Sichuan, surroundings of Maoxian, locality of E. eremiata sp. n.; 38. Sichuan, surroundings of Batang, locality of E. panacea sp. n.; 39. Sichuan, Road Jiuzhaigou/Songpan, locality of E. mediata sp. n. and E. caementariata sp. n.