Nephelobotys semicircularis Zhang & Chen, 2024

Zhang, Dandan, Chen, Kai, Xiang, Lanbin & Kou, Zongqing, 2024, Revision of the genus Nephelobotys Munroe & Mutuura, 1970 (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Pyraustinae), Zootaxa 5403 (3), pp. 301-319 : 310-311

Nephelobotys semicircularis Zhang & Chen , sp. nov.

Figs 6 , 16 , 23

Diagnosis. The ochreous yellow body and wing color can distinguish Nephelobotys semicircularis sp. nov. from all other species in the genus. Nephelobotys semicircularis sp. nov. is also similar to N. brevis sp. nov. and N. flavicilialis in the male genitalia, but differs from them by the outside sella lacking a dorsal process and inside margin of the ventral process strongly sclerotized and bearing long spines ( Fig. 16 ).

Description ( Fig. 6 ). Head. Frons ochreous yellow, with creamy white stripes laterally. Vertex ochreous yellow. Labial palpus ochreous yellow, whitish at base beneath. Maxillary palpus ochreous yellow, paler terminally. Basal scales of proboscis creamy white and pale yellow. Antenna ochreous yellow, basal part with anterior surface white. Thorax. Tegula and thorax ochreous yellow above, pale yellow beneath except the whitish most anterior part. Forelegs pale yellow or pale ochreous yellow; tibia base pale yellow and apex white, outside with a white spot, with ochreous yellow band near apex; tarsus white with 3 rd tarsomere tip and last two tarsomeres pale yellow. Midleg pale yellow; tibia and tarsus white ventrally, tibia ochreous yellow dorsally, tarsus pale brown or pale yellow. Hindleg pale yellow; with outer spurs about 1/8–1/6 length of inner spurs in male. Wing. Wingspan 22.0–29.0 mm. Forewing ochreous yellow, with markings deep ochreous yellow and indistinct; antemedial line with posterior half visible, serrated and obliquely extending nearly to half of dorsum; orbicular stigma almost invisible; reniform stigma lunate; postmedial line stretching from costal 3/4, weakly concave to middle of M 3, retracted to near base of CuA 2, then sinuated to dorsal 3/5; subterminal band sinuated; fringe ochreous yellow. Hindwing pale ochreous yellow, gradually darker near termen; postmedial line indistinct, ochreous yellow, only with the part between M 1 and 1A visible, somewhat S-shaped; fringe ochreous yellow. Abdomen. Ochreous yellow above and posterior margin of each segment paler, pale yellow beneath.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 16 ). Uncus with width uniform except the slightly inflated base and the narrowly rounded apex, mostly setose laterally and dorsally, dorsal setae short, thick and terminally forked. Valva narrow, gradually tapering from base to the rounded apex; costal margin slightly concave, ventral margin slightly convex, with basal half slightly wavy; inside sella nearly trapezoidal and mostly setose, dorsal part bearing thick, long and simple setae; outside sella absent dorsal process, ventral process with inner margin densely bearing long spines together with apex; sacculus with a nearly semicircular distal protrusion, the protrusion approximately 1/3 length of sacculus and with dorsal margin thickly bearing spines. Juxta narrow and small, with basal and lateral margins slightly ridged, bifid from basal 1/4, arms slim and with basal part paralleled and then widely separated and curved. Phallus slightly curved at base.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ). Posterior apophysis as wide as anterior apophysis, anterior apophysis longer than 1.5 times length of posterior apophysis. Sinus vaginalis membranous medially, lateral side with a pocket structure posteriorly and partly sclerotized anteriorly. Antrum shallowly funnel-shaped, mostly membranous, with posteroventral margin nearly V-shaped and well sclerotized, widely surrounded by sinuated lamella antevaginalis; ductus bursae approximately three times length of corpus bursae; colliculum slightly narrowed posteriorly. Corpus bursae globular, the accessory sac small; signum about half length of corpus bursae, with carinate angles slightly acute, other two angles slightly produced.

Material exam ined. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan: No. 55 site, Xishuangbanna Botanic Garden , alt. 659 mm, 29.V.2015, leg. Tao Manfei, genitalia slide No. SYSU0789.

Paratypes: CHINA, Yunnan: 2 ♂, same data as holotype, genitalia slide No. SYSU0787, SYSU0790 ; 1 ♂, 30. V.2015, other data same as holotype, genitalia slide No. SYSU0778 ; 1 ♀, Longmen Village, Xishuangbanna , alt. 850 m, 9. V.2015., leg. Wei Xueli, genitalia slide No. SYSU0780 ; 1 ♂, Yaoqu Town, Xishuangbanna , alt. 1300 m, 11. V.2015, leg. Wei Xueli ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Yaoqu Town, Xishuangbanna , alt. 780 m, 27. V.2015, leg. Tao Manfei, genitalia slide No. SYSU0777 (♂), SYSU0779 (♀) ; 3 ♂, 55 kilometers site, Xishuangbanna Reserve , 25. V.2015, leg. Zhang Zhenguo, genitalia slide No. ZDD12032 ( NKU) ; 1 ♂, Dazhong Mountain Villa, Xishuangbanna , alt. 840 m, 25. V.2015, leg. Tao Manfei, genitalia slide No. SYSU0788 ; 2 ♂, Baihualing, Boshan , 1520 m, 11, 13.VIII.2007, leg. Zhang Dandan, genitalia slide No. CXH12157 .

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin semicircularis = semicircular, referring to the sacculus with a distal protrusion inflated into a semicircular shape.

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Adults of Nephelobotys spp. 1 N. apiculata sp. nov., holotype, male (Yunnan). 2 N. habisalis, male (Guangxi). 3 N. nephelistalis, male (Zhejiang). 4 N. evenoralis, male (Hunan). 5 N. denticulatus, male (Guangxi). 6 N. semicircularis sp. nov., paratype, male (Yunnan). 7 N. brevis sp. nov., paratype, male (Guangdong). 8–10 N. flavicilialis, male (8–9 Yunnan, 10 Sichuan). Scale bars: 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 14–16. Male genitalia of Nephelobotys spp. 14 N. evenoralis, Yunnan (genitalia slide No. SYSU0706). 15 N. denticulatus, Guangxi (genitalia slide No. SYSU0699). 16 N. semicircularis sp. nov., paratype, Yunnan (genitalia slide No. SYSU0788). a Whole genitalia. b Enlarged detail of base part of valva.

FIGURES 23–24. Female genitalia of Nephelobotys spp. 23 N. semicircularis sp. nov., paratype, Yunnan (genitalia slide No. SYSU0779). 24 N. brevis sp. nov., paratype, Guangdong (genitalia slide No. SYSU0791).