Narcotica cryptica, Kiss & Choi & Han, 2018

Kiss, Ádám, Choi, Sei-Woong & Han, Hui-Lin, 2018, Two new species of the genus Narcotica Sugi, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Acronictinae), Zootaxa 4504 (2), pp. 194-208 : 197-201

Narcotica cryptica sp. n.

( Figs 5–8 , 14, 15 , 19 , 23, 24 , 28 , 30B, 31B, 32B )

LSID: 0624363F-8291-4FE8-AAC4-02B37388C352

Type material. Holotype. SOUTH KOREA: male, Prov. Jeonnam, Gurye-gun, Gwangui-myun , Jirisan , 660 m, 35°17’31”N, 127°29’39”E, 01.vii.2011, slide No.: KA 1234m (coll. HNHM). Paratypes. 5 males, 2 females, other data same as for holotype, 27.v.2006, 20.vi.2007, 20.vii.2007, 26.vi.2008, slide No.: KA1235f (coll. HNHM and MNU) ; 2 males, Prov. Jeonnam, Gurye-gun, Gwangui-myun , Jirisan , 295 m, 35°16’36”N, 127°28’41”E, 26.vi.2008, 13.viii.2009 (coll. MNU) ; 1 male, Gyungnam, Hadong-gun, Uishin-myun , Jirisan , 702 m, 35°18’21”N, 127°38’11”E, 31.viii.2011 (coll. MNU) . CHINA: 1 male, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], West Tien-mu-shan [Tianmu shan], 28.vii.1932, leg. & ex. coll. H. Höne, slide No.: KA 1300m (coll. ZFMK) ; 1 male, Prov. Jiangxi, Wuyi Shan, Xipaihe village , 1500 m, 27°54’N, 117°20’E, 01-30.vi.2003, leg. V. Siniaev & local coll. (coll. PGy) ; 1 female, Prov. Shansi [Shanxi], Mien-shan [Mianshan], obere höhe [higher altitude] ca. 2000 m, 27.vii.1937, leg. & ex. coll. H. Höne, slide No.: KA1301f (coll. ZFMK) .

Diagnosis. Adult ( Figs 5–8 , 30B ). Narcotica cryptica differs from N. hoenei by its larger size (wingspan 26–28 mm in N. cryptica and 19–23 mm in N. hoenei ), conspicuous, whitish orbicular spot and whitish patch in the apical region of the forewing, less contrasting medial fascia, and the blackish crest dorsally on the abdomen. The species can be distinguished from both congeners by the somewhat variegated, rather mottled forewing pattern and the presence of a lighter, greyish patch between the antemedial- and medial lines of forewing ( Fig. 30 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 14, 15 , 31B, 32B ). The new species has, in comparison with N. niveosparsa , slightly straighter, less protruding harpe, somewhat wider opened clasping apparatus ( Fig. 31 ), less parallel, proximally more curved carina field of aedeagus and different armature of the vesica having somewhat longer and larger cornuti basally, slightly longer cornuti medially and more numerous medium-sized cornuti distally on the surface of the larger distal diverticulum ( Fig. 32 ). Comparing with N. hoenei , N. cryptica has larger clasping apparatus and vesica, more protruding harpe, and wider carinal field of aedeagus. The structure of the vesica is also different as the armature of N. cryptica is more complex, consisting of 10–12 medial cornuti of larger size, and more numerous medium-sized cornuti distally with stronger cornuti at the terminal section; in addition, the basal and terminal diverticula are more prominent in N. cryptica than in N. hoenei .

Male 7 th and 8 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 19 ). This species has more trapezoidal 7 th sternite with straight lateral sides, wider 7 th tergite with more curved lateral sides, slightly narrower 8 th sternite with more rectangular “window”, and less reduced posterior abdominal brush, substituted by more sclerotized, split streak than in N. niveosparsa ; straighter distal edge of 7 th sternite, wider 7 th tergite, somewhat higher and narrower 8 th sternite with more rectangular “window”, and slightly reduced posterior abdominal brush, substituted by a thinner, split streak than in N. hoenei . N. cryptica has wider, bell-shaped 8 th tergite with slightly narrower distal part; more curved lateral sides with smaller bulb-like or smaller, isosceles triangle-like distal end and larger, oval “window” with wide handle-like part in the middle-distal section or more irregular shaped, oval “window” than in N. niveosparsa ; slightly wider, bell-shaped 8 th tergite with longer, more triangular distal part, lateral sides with smaller bulb-like or smaller, isosceles triangle-like distal ends and larger, oval “window” with wide handle-like part in the middle-distal section or more irregular shaped, oval “window” than in N. hoenei . The size of the abdominal segments is equal with those of N. niveosparsa but is larger than those of N. hoenei .

Female genitalia ( Figs 23, 24 , 33B ). The new species has similar structure of genital capsule to its congeners, however, it has slightly shorter distal part of ductus bursae and somewhat wider junction of ductus bursae to corpus bursae and longer, somewhat straighter corpus bursae. In N. cryptica , the transition of ductus bursae to corpus bursae is more angled ( Fig. 33 ) than in N. niveosparsa and N. hoenei . In N. cryptica , the entire organ is much larger than that of N. hoenei .

Female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 28 ). There is no significant difference among the three Narcotica species, since the size of the “window” on the tergite is variable. The size of the abdominal segments in N. cryptica is equal with that of N. niveosparsa but larger than in N. hoenei .

Description. Adult ( Figs 5–8 ). Wingspan 26–27 mm in males, 25–28 mm in females.

Head wide, covered with whitish and some brownish scales; frons smooth; eye rather large, naked; the 2 nd segment of labial palp laterally flattened, covered with longer scales, the 3 rd segment of labial palp almost as long as the 2 nd, covered with small scales, apically heavily pointed; antennae in both sexes filiform, laterally slightly flattened, covered with velvety hairs and sparsely with tiny, stronger, long hairs.

Thorax brownish with some whitish scales; patagia and tegulae brownish with some whitish scales, blackish outlined. Forewing in both sexes elongate, apically pointed, ground colour dark greyish-blackish with brownish suffusion; basal-, antemedial-, medial- and subterminal lines double, reduced, rather interrupted; medial shadow blurry; postmedial line interrupted, heavily crenulated with black, conspicuous arrow-like spots; terminal line whitish, interrupted with black lines; tornal streak heavily reduced; medial field between the antemedial- and medial lines greyish, less conspicuous; terminal field whitish with a black, smaller patch in the apex and a larger patch next to M 2 vein; claviform spot absent; orbicular spot rounded or irregular, filled with whitish scales and a brownish patch in the middle; reniform spot reduced, outlined with black interrupted line; fringes whitish with blackish-brownish spots. Hindwing in both sexes triangle-shaped, apically elongated, brownish; discal line and spot pale, almost absent; tornal spot blackish, tiny; fringes brownish with whitish scales.

Abdomen greyish with one larger and one smaller, blackish crest dorsally on the first two segments.

Male genitalia ( Figs 14, 15 , 31B, 32B ). Uncus moderately long, basally curved, slender, laterally slightly flattened, apically evenly narrowing, pointed, covered with sparse, long, weak hairs. Tegumen developed more or less evenly wide, as long as vinculum; peniculus covered with dense, long hairs. Vinculum narrow, evenly wide. Saccus “V”-shaped, apically heavily pointed. Juxta moderately sclerotized, triangle-shaped, basally widest and somewhat more sclerotized with medial cleft at the distal part. Transtilla relatively wide, moderately sclerotized, long, fused with the base of digitus. Valvae long, more or less evenly wide, ventral margin slightly angular; sacculus developed, more sclerotized; harpe long, apically evenly narrowing with rounded end; costa and the dorsally positioned digitus more sclerotized, digitus hooked with rounded end, covered with sparse, long hairs; cucullus elongated with round end; corona sparse, weak, long hairs. Aedeagus sclerotized, ventrally heavily curved; carina field rather sclerotized, long, laterally protruding and widening. Vesica as long as the aedeagus, tubular, distally widening with a sclerotized, ribbed patch laterally; basal and terminal diverticula sac-like; basal four cornuti small; medial 10–12 cornuti long; distal cornuti dense, gradually shortening and strengthening.

Male 7 th and 8 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 19 ). 7 th sternite longer than wide, slightly trapezoidal, evenly fully sclerotized; proximal, distal edge and lateral side straight. 7 th tergite quadrangular, about one and half times longer than wide with a semi-circular, slightly stronger part distally with “U”-shaped “window”; proximal edge straight with two curved, slightly stronger rods; lateral sides convex; distal edge rather straight. 8 th sternite circa one and half times wider as high, quadrangular; proximal edge horn-like, evenly wide; lateral sides parallel, inner margin rather straight, outer margin slightly curved; distal edge somewhat curved, line-like, slightly sclerotized in the middle; the weakly sclerotized “window” circa one and half times wider as high, quadrangular with a double, thin, sclerotized streak proximally. 8 th tergite as high as wide, bell-shaped; proximal edge trapezoidal, distally much wider than proximally, its lateral sides slightly wavy; lateral sides heavily curved, proximally thin, line-like, distally bulb-like, widening or smaller, isosceles triangle-like; distal edge curved, angled in the middle, less sclerotized; the weakly sclerotized “window” circa one and half times wider as high, large, oval with a huge, distally widening part or more irregular shaped.

Female genitalia ( Figs 23, 24 , 33B ). Ovipositor rounded shaped, slightly longer than wider; papillae anales weakly sclerotized, oval, flattened, densely hairy; apophyses anteriores shorter than apophyses posteriores; ostium oval; antrum moderately sclerotized, wide, plate-like. Ductus bursae moderately long, distally conspicuously narrower, angled curved; distal part narrower than the proximal part, the latter weakly sclerotized with some weakly sclerotized crests. Corpus bursae sack-like, angled compared to ductus bursae, proximally slightly pointed, fused with appendix bursae; appendix bursae tubular, helicoidal.

Female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 28 ). 7 th sternite as wide as high, trapezoidal, weakly sclerotized; proximal edge and lateral sides weakly sclerotized, hardly recognizable; distal edge somewhat more sclerotized, slightly curved with a short, flat, wide and less sclerotized “window” in the middle. 7 th tergite as wide as high, quadrangular, three-fourth part in semicircle slightly more sclerotized with “U”-shaped, less sclerotized “window”; proximal edge and lateral sides hardly recognizable; distal edge angled curved. Between the sternite and tergite, distally with double, tuft of dense, short hairs.

Etymology. The name “ cryptica ” refers to the late recognition of the species due to the high similarity of its congeners, especially to N. niveosparsa .

Distribution ( Fig. 34 ). Narcotica cryptica is distributed in the southern part of South Korea and the mainland of China, with overlapping range of distribution with N. niveosparsa (however, the specimen from the Wuyi Mountains was collected only 50 km far from the collecting site of one of the specimens of N. niveosparsa ) and N. hoenei but with no sympatric occurrence. In West Tien-mu-shan, both N. cryptica and N. hoenei occur, however, their sympatric distribution has not been confirmed yet.

Notes. The Korean and Chinese populations show some size differences in the male vesica and female corpus bursae, however, to answer whether these morphological differences are taxon differential requires additional material and detailed analysis. The variance in the number of basal and medial cornuti is also not known entirely.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Female genitalia with male aedeagus and vesica. N. niveosparsa (A) and N. cryptica sp. n. (B). Scaled to each other.

FIGURE 34. Distribution map of Narcotica spp.

FIGURES 1–11. Narcotica spp. adults. 1. N. niveosparsa, male, Japan, Honshu, slide No.: KA1404m (coll. GB); 2. ditto, female, Japan, Honshu, slide No.: KA1403f (coll. GB); 3. ditto, female, North Korea, Prov. Kangwon, slide No.: KA042f (coll. HNHM); 4. ditto, female, South Korea, Prov. Kangwon, slide No.: KA041f (coll. HNHM); 5. N. cryptica sp. n., holotype, male, South Korea, Prov. Jeonnam, Jirisan, slide No.: KA1234m (coll. HNHM); 6. ditto, paratype, female, South Korea, Prov. Jeonnam, Jirisan, slide No.: KA1235f (coll. HNHM); 7. ditto, paratype, male, China, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], Tien-mu-shan [Tianmu shan], slide No.: KA1300m (coll. ZFMK); 8. ditto, paratype, female, China, Prov. Shansi [Shanxi], Mien-shan [Mianshan], slide No.: KA1301f (coll. ZFMK); 9. N. hoenei sp. n., holotype, male, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1305m (coll. ZFMK); 10. ditto, paratype, female, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1306f (coll. ZFMK); 11. ditto, paratype, male, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1308m (coll. ZFMK). Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURES 12–17. Male genitalia of Narcotica spp. 12. N. niveosparsa, Japan, slide No.: KA1404m (coll. GB); 13. ditto, South Korea, Prov. Gyunggi, slide No.: HHL-506-1 (coll. KNA); 14. N. cryptica sp. n., holotype, South Korea, Prov. Jeonnam, Jirisan, slide No.: KA1234m (coll. HNHM); 15. ditto, paratype, China, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], Tien-mu-shan [Tianmu shan], slide No.: KA1300m (coll. ZFMK); 16. N. hoenei sp. n., paratype, China, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], Tien-mu-shan [Tianmu shan], slide No.: KA1303m (coll. ZFMK); 17. ditto, paratype, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1307m (coll. ZFMK). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 18–21. Male last abdominal segments of Narcotica spp. 18. N. niveosparsa, Japan, slide No.: KA1404m (coll. GB); 19. N. cryptica sp. n., paratype, China, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], Tien-mu-shan [Tianmu shan], slide No.: KA1300m (coll. ZFMK); 20. N. hoenei sp. n., paratype, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1307m (coll. ZFMK). Left side = sternite. Right side = tergite. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 21–26. Female genitalia of Narcotica spp. 21. N. niveosparsa, Japan, slide No.: KA1403f (coll. GB); 22. ditto, South Korea, Prov. Kangwon, slide No.: KA041f (coll. HNHM); 23. N. cryptica sp. n., paratype, South Korea, Prov. Jeonnam, Jirisan, slide No.: KA1235f (coll. HNHM); 24. ditto, paratype, China, Prov. Shansi [Shanxi], Mien-shan [Mianshan], slide No.: KA1301f (coll. ZFMK); 25. N. hoenei sp. n., paratype, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1304f (coll. ZFMK); 26. ditto, paratype, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1306f (coll. ZFMK). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 27–29. Female last abdominal segments of Narcotica spp. 27. N. niveosparsa, Japan, slide No.: KA1403f (coll. GB); 28. N. cryptica sp. n., paratype, South Korea, Prov. Jeonnam, Jirisan, slide No.: KA1235f (coll. HNHM); 29. N. hoenei sp. n., paratype, China, Shanghai, slide No.: KA1306f (coll. ZFMK). Left side = tergite. Right side = sternite. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 30–32. Adults and male genitalia of Narcotica niveosparsa and N. cryptica sp. n. 30. External habitus of N. niveosparsa (A) and N. cryptica sp. n. (B); 31. Clasping apparatus of N. niveosparsa (A) and N. cryptica sp. n. (B); 32. Aedeagus and vesica of N. niveosparsa (A) and N. cryptica sp. n. (B). Male genitalia are scaled to each other.