Agrotis rachingeri Gyulai & Saldaitis

Gyulai, Peter, Saldaitis, Aidas & Truuverk, Andro, 2017, Notes on the Agrotis colossa Boursin problem, with the description of new Agrotis species from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 4291 (1), pp. 144-154 : 150-154

Agrotis rachingeri Gyulai & Saldaitis , sp. n.

( Figs 13–16 , 22, 23 , 27 )

Holotype: ♂ ( Fig. 13 ), China, West Sichuan, 25 km N from Batang , 3100 m, dry valley, N30°12.049′, E 099°14.078′, 05.v.2016, leg. Saldaitis, slide no . PGY4561♂ (coll. PGM, later to be deposited in the HNHM).

Paratypes: 45 specimens ( Figs 14–16 ), with the same data as the holotype ; slide Nos PGY4521♂, PGY4539♀, DNA voucher codes: MF 071466 , MF 071467 , MF 071468 , MF 071469 ), (colls AFM, ASV, HNHM, PGY and M. Rachinger).

Diagnosis. The most resembling and closely associated taxa in the genus Agrotis are A. colossa ( Figs 1–11 ), and A. nagyapo ( Fig 12 ). New species ( Figs 13–16 ) is easily distinguishable from the two congeners both by its size and external features, therefore confusion is impossible with them, although slight differences are recognizable in the male genitalia, as it is usual in the genera Agrotis . Agrotis rachingeri sp. n. ( Figs 13–16 ) is significantly smaller, wingspan 32–36 mm, length of forewing 15–17 mm; versus these are 33–46 mm and 15–22 mm of A. colossa (a few specimens with the same measurements as in A. rachingeri are known from western Sichuan, however have much broader wings), and 38–48 mm and 19–23 mm of A. nagyapo . Beside the remarkably smaller size, A. rachingeri easily separable from the two by the more elongated forewing apex, evenly dark brown coloured, narrower forewings, brown, somewhere conjectural subterminal line, uniformly brown stigmata, without more or less brown or black or ochre infiltration; the missing of the pale ochre shade of the antemedial, postmedial and subterminal transverse lines and stigmata; additionally, in A. rachingeri the cellular spot in the hindwing is always strictly defined, while in the A. nagyapo it is missing or obsolescent. The separation needs careful study by the comparison of the slightly distinctive male genitalia; Agrotis rachingeri ( Figs 22, 23 ) have apparently smaller clasping apparatus, whereas those of the A. colossa ( Figs 17–21 ) and A. nagyapo ( Fig. 24 ) are more robust. New species separable from the two by the finer, evenly thin uncus; the slenderer valva with terminally remarkably elongated section, smaller clavus, shorter carinal plate extending in slighter dentate belt of the vesica; additionally, the tube of the vesica is distinctly shorter. In the female genitalia ( Fig 27 ), the separation is much easier than in case of males. Agrotis rachingeri ( Fig. 27 ) have apparently smaller clasping apparatus from the two; particularly the appendix bursae is significantly shorter, smaller and less broaden distally than in the A. colossa ( Figs 25, 26 ) less saccate than in the A. nagyapo ( Fig. 28 ) and the ovipositor distinctly shorter than in the A. colossa . It is worth to mention, that A. rachingeri considerably different externally from the Nepalian (Langtang) A. maculaclarus , of which have also bipectinated antennae in the males and filiform in the females. Nevertheless, separation is easy, since A. rachingeri strikingly differs from the A. maculaclarus externally by its more elongated forewing apex, unicolorous, evenly brown coloured forewings, and brown stigmata; while the ground colour of the forewings granulose grey in the A. maculaclarus , the marginal area and the stigmata lighter, somewhat whitish suffused, stigmata less defined, incompletely black outlined, the antemedial line less wavy without the inward in the lower section toward the medial area and the cellular spot in the hindwing is missing or obsolescent. In the male genitalia, the shape and the width of the valva very different, as in the A. rachingeri these are much thinner, longer, elongated, particularly in the terminal part of cucullus; whereas those of the female genitalia of the A. maculaclarus have never been dissected.

Description. Wingspan 32–36 mm, length of forewing 15–17 mm. Antennae of the males are brown, broadly bipectinated, however somewhat lighter, filiform in the females; the palpi light brown; the frons, vertex and vesture of the thorax whitish– greyish brown, whereas whitish on the underside; the collar darker with a medial black line, or basally blackish until the middle. The ground colour of the forewings is unicolorous brown somewhere with darker brown suffusion. The ground plan of the forewing pattern basically resembles those of the two close relative species above. The most remarkable external features of the new species are the forewing with pointed apex, the well discernible, sharply defined and the almost evenly black outlined orbicular, reniform and claviform stigmata, the black defined, double, somewhat wavy antemedial line with a projection in the lower section inward the medial area and the simple, crenellated postmedial transverse line. The hind wings lighter, whitish, evenly brown suffused, slightly darker in the marginal area, entirely lack the medial line, whereas the cellular spot present, tiny, sharply discernible. Under side of the wings lighter brown, the hind wings whitish brown, with conspicuous dark brown medial line and cellular spot.

Male genitalia ( Figs 22, 23 ). It can be characterized by the evenly thin and straight uncus; shield–like, somewhat rounded juxta, with two or three small dorsal triangle and ventral medial flap-like appendages; V–shaped vinculum; forward projected, terminally inward curved, apically pointed clasper; rather weak, spatulate valva with terminally elongated terminal section and fine clavus; almost straight, rather short aedeagus, and fine, sclerotized carinal plate extending with a thin belt to the basal section of the very long tubular vesica, bearing basal and subbasal swellings and a terminal bulb–like swelling.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 27 ). The main recognizable features are the rather short ovipositor, long apophysis anteriores and posteriores (the latter ones are much longer), the plate-like shape of the not sclerotized antrum, the short, membranous, posteriorly evenly tighter, longitudinally slightly crispate ductus bursae, the long, tubular, posteriorly evenly broaden and rounded appendix bursae and the much shorter, distally evenly broaden terminally globular-ovoid corpus bursae.

Biology and distribution. Large numbers of males and females were collected at ultraviolet light during a single warm, very windy night on 05.v. 2016 in remote part of west China Sichuan province near the Batang. Agrotis rachingeri was collected at altitude ranging 3100 meters in mountain river dry valley rarely covered by mixed forests dominated by various deciduous trees and bushes.

Etymology. The new species is named in the honor of Dr. Markus Rachinger (Vienna, Austria) an entomologist, for his merits in entomology.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 16. Agrotis spp. adults. 9. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Sichuan (PGM); 10. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4523 ♂ (PGM); 11. A. colossa sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Sichuan (PGM); 12. A. nagyapo, ♂, PT, Nepal, Annapurna Himal, PGY 4564 ♂ (PGM); 13. A. rachingeri sp. n., ♂, HT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4561 ♂ (PGM / HNHM); 14. A. rachingeri sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4521 ♂ (PGM); 15. A. rachingeri sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4539 ♀ (PGM); 16. A. rachingeri sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Sichuan (AFM).

FIGURES 21 – 24. Agrotis spp. male genitalia. 21. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4523 ♂ (PGM); 22. A. rachingeri sp. n., HT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4561 ♂ (PGM / HNHM); 23. A. rachingeri sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4521 ♂ (PGM); 24. A. nagyapo, PT, Nepal, Annapurna Himal, PGY 4564 ♂ (PGM).

FIGURES 25 – 29. Agrotis spp. female genitalia. 25. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Yunnan, PGY 4560 ♀ (PGM); 26. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4580 ♀ (PGM); 27. A. rachingeri sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4539 ♀ (PGM); 28. A. nagyapo, PT, Nepal, Annapurna Himal, RL 11867 ♀ (HNHM); 29. Genitalia found in the glued abdomen of A. colossa allotype.

FIGURES 1 – 8. Agrotis spp. adults. 1. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, HT, China, Yunnan (ZFMK); 2. A. colossa sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Sichuan, (ASV); 3. A. colossa sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Yunnan, (ZFMK); 4. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Yunnan, PGY 3118 ♂ (PGM); 5. A. colossa, sp. n., ♀, PT, China, Yunnan, PGY 4560 ♀ (PGM); 6. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Yunnan, PGY 4582 ♂ (PGM); 7. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 2954 ♂ (AFM); 8. A. colossa sp. n., ♂, PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4515 ♂ (PGM).

FIGURES 17 – 20. Agrotis spp. male genitalia. 17. A. colossa sp. n., HT, China, Yunnan, Ch. BoursinNo. Hö. 15 (ZFMK); 18. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Yunnan, PGY 4582 ♂ (PGM); 19. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 2954 ♂ (AFM); 20. A. colossa sp. n., PT, China, Sichuan, PGY 4515 ♂ (PGM).