Belciades sugii Kononenko, 1997

Behounek, Gottfried, Han, Hui-Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir, 2011, A review of the genus Belciades Kozhanchikov, 1950 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Pantheinae), with descriptions of two new species from China and Thailand. Revision of Pantheinae, contribution II, Zootaxa 3070, pp. 40-50 : 43

Belciades sugii Kononenko, 1997

( Figs. 7, 8 , 20 )

Belciades sugii Kononenko, 1997 , Tinea 15(2): 110, figs 7, 8, 13, 14, 19, 20 (Type-localty: North Thailand, Chiang Mai, Fang Doi Angkhang).

Material examined. Type series, including holotype. Additional material examined: Thailand, Chiang Mai, 30 km E. Pua, 1700 m, 14–15.ix.1999 leg. A. Szabo & Z. Chere (coll. GB); same locality and collectors, 22–23.ix. 199 (coll. GR); Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai, Sa Pa, Mt. Fan Si Pan, 2400 m, viii.2008 leg. E. Sammer; 1 male, China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna Dai aut. pref., Puwen, 30 kn SSW Simao, 900 m, 22˚30ʹN, 100˚02ʹE, 16.iii–10.iv.2000, leg. local collector (coll. AB); 2 males Thailand, Chiang Mai, 30 km N, Pa Pae Mountain, 1000 m, 19–22.ix.2011 (V. Kononenko).

Diagnosis. Adult ( Figs. 7, 8 ). Wingspan 31–34 mm. The species is close to hoenei , but differs in bluish-green tint in coloration of forewing, and details of wing pattern. In male genitalia ( Fig. 20 ) it differs from hoenei in more massive valva, which is not expanded distally, with obscure neck; in structure of juxta by bearing a sclerotised dentate ridge at middle, which is absent in hoenei ; more massive distal extension of sacculus and more developed harpe. Shape of vesica is very similar to that of hoenei , but differs in having more numerous spinulate cornuti with wide base and an isolated one moved to apical part of vesica. Female is much smaller in size than that of hoenei . In female genitalia it differs from hoenei by twice larger papillae anales, horseshoe-shaped antevaginal plate, which in hoenei is represented by paired triangular plates, and larger corpus bursae.

Distribution and biology. The species is distributed in mountain regions of North Thailand, Laos and South China. The label data indicate that it has at least two generations, flying in April and September.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Belciades spp., imagines. 1, 2 – B. niveola (1 – Russian Far East, 2 – Korea); 3, 4 – B. koenigi, China (3 – holotype), 5, 6 – B. hoenei, China, (5 – holotype, 6 – paratype); 7, 8 – B. sugii (7 – Thailand, 8 – China).

FIGURES 17 – 20. Belciades spp., male genitalia. 17 – B. niveola, Russian Far East, genit. prep. 1641 ZFMK; 18 – B. koenigi, paratype, China, genit. prep. 1641 ZFMK; 19 – B. hoenei, paratype, genit. prep. 1639 ZFMK; 20 – B. sugii, Thailand, genit. prep. 7277 GB.