Euchalcia matovi Volynkin & Titov

Volynkin, Anton V., Titov, Sergey V. & Ivanova, Maria S., 2014, A new species of Euchalcia Hübner, [1821] from Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3784 (4), pp. 493-497 : 493-497

Euchalcia matovi Volynkin & Titov , sp. n.

( Figs 1–5 , 11, 12 , 17, 18, 22 )

Type material. Holotype: male, 09.vi.2013, E Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan area, Urdzhar district, Tarbagatai Ridge, 6.7 km N of Kyzymbet (Alekseevka) village, mesophilous shrubby slopes, 1300 m. 47°18.365’ N, 81°32.152’ E, Volynkin A.V., Titov S.V. & Černila M. leg. Slide AV0865 Volynkin (Coll. ZISP). Paratypes: 22 males, 15 females, with the same labels as holotype, slides AV0853, AV0863, AV0864, AV0870, AV0871, AV0872, AV0873, AV0874 Volynkin (males), AV0866, AV0867, AV1177, AV1178 Volynkin (females) (Colls ZISP, AVB, STP, MČK); 2 females, 9.vii. [19]67, Kazakhstan, Dzhungarsky Alatau, I. Kostin [leg.] / Euchalcia inconspicua, Zolotarenko det., slides AV1177, AV1178 Volynkin (females) (Coll. SZMN).

Diagnosis. The new species is the third and the smallest member of the E. inconspicua species-complex. Externally E. matovi ( Figs 1–5 ) is close to E. anthea ( Figs 9, 10 ), but differs from it by smaller size (wingspan of E. anthea 31–36 mm), somewhat paler, more brilliant forewing colouration and less contrast pattern; from E. inconspicua ( Figs 7, 8 ) differs by smaller size (wingspan of E. inconspicua 32–37 mm), broader forewing in females, with less acutely pointed apex of forewing in both sexes, much paler forewing colouration with paler medial field and less contrast pattern. E. matovi is also externally similar to E. shugnana (Sheljuzhko, 1929) ( Fig. 6 ), but differs from it by somewhat less acutely pointed apex of forewing in both sexes, broader forewing in females, more brilliant forewing colouration. The male genitalia of the new species ( Figs 11, 12 ) are close to those of E. inconspicua ( Figs 13, 14 ). The genital capsule of E. matovi differs by longer and narrower uncus, narrower and distally more angled valva with larger ventro-medial triangular lobes; E. matovi has a larger aedeagus in comparison to the genital capsule of E. inconspicua , the vesica of E. matovi is longer, and subterminal

cornuti are somewhat longer and more to robust. From E. anthea ( Fig. 15 ) the male genitalia of E. matovi differ by medially broader valva with larger ventro-medial triangular lobes, somewhat longer aedeagus in comparison with the genital capsule, shorter and broader basal tube of vesica, and longer and stronger subterminal cornuti; from E. shugnana ( Fig. 16 ) the male genitalia differ by longer uncus, longer harpe and the vesica structure: in E. matovi the basal tube is much longer, subterminal cornuti longer and stronger. The female genitalia of E. matovi ( Figs 17, 18 ) differ from those of E. inconspicua ( Fig. 19 ) by longer ductus bursae with much stronger sclerotised bulbous anterior part; from E. anthea ( Fig. 20 ) differ by shorter and not S-shaped ductus bursae and somewhat stronger sclerotised bulbous anterior part; from E. shugnana ( Fig. 21 ) differ by much larger, more rounded anterior part of ductus bursae, larger appendix bursae, longer corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Figs 1–5 , 22 ). Wingspan 28–31 mm, length of forewing 12–14 mm. Antennae filiform. Head, thorax and abdomen ochreous; tegulae and patagia golden ochreous; Forewing broad, with pointed apex. Ground colour of forewing ochreous with metallic golden sheen; basal line thin, brown, wavy, indistinct; antemedial and postmedial lines thin, dark golden brown; antemedial line bent at A1, postmedial line smooth curved; suffusion of the medial area varies from golden ochreous to golden brown; submarginal line thin, smooth curved, dark golden brown, with conspicuous dark golden brown shadow at inner margin; terminal line thin, dark brown; cilia ochreous or brown; orbicular, reniform and subcellular stigma conspicuous, with thin dark brown borders. Hindwing ochreous or ochreous brown; terminal band wide, dark, fuzzy; medial band thin, slightly wavy, dark brown; discal spot thin, brown, indistinct. Male genitalia ( Figs 11, 12 ). Uncus narrow, long, curved, apically pointed; tegumen broad, moderately long; juxta broad, shield-like, with long conical apical process; vinculum long, V-shaped; valva moderately broad, distally narrowed, angled, with well developed ventro-medial triangular lobes; sacculus relatively small, clavus small, short, triangular; harpe long, thin; aedeagus large, moderately broad; vesica tubular, consists of broad tubular basal part and sphaerical subterminal bulb with three-six large subterminal cornuti and one terminal cornutus. Female genitalia ( Figs 17, 18 ). Ovipositor short, conical. Apophyses posteriores and anteriores long, thin. Ostium bursae membranous; ductus bursae moderately long, tubular, rugose, with strongly sclerotised bulbous proximal plate at junction to corpus bursae; appendix bursae small, elliptical, membranous; ductus bursae membranous, sack-like, moderately long.

Distribution and bionomics. The new species is known from the south-west part of Tarbagatai Ridge in East Kazakhstan and the Dzhungarsky Alatau Mts. in South-East Kazakhstan. At the type locality, E. matovi inhabits mesophilous slopes with Lonicera and Rosa shrubs ( Fig. 23 ).

Etymology. The species name is dedicated to Dr. Alexey Matov (ZISP), an expert on Asian Noctuoidea.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Euchalcia spp., adults. 1, E. matovi, holotype male, E Kazakhstan (ZISP); 2, E. matovi, paratype male, same locality (AVB); 3, E. matovi, paratype male, same locality (AVB); 4, E. matovi, paratype female, same locality (AVB); 5, E. matovi, paratype female, same locality (ZISP); 6, E. shugnana, female, [Tajikistan], Pamir Mts., Khorog (SZMN); 7, E. inconspicua, lectotype male, Alexander Mts. (NHMW) (photo by L. & G. Ronkay); 8, E. inconspicua, female, [Central Tien Shan Mts.] Juldus (NHMW) (photo by L. & G. Ronkay); 9, E. anthea, holotype male, Afghanistan (HNHM) (photo by L. & G. Ronkay); 10, E. anthea, female, Kyrgyzstan (SZMN).

FIGURES 11 – 16. Euchalcia spp., male genitalia. 11, E. matovi, holotype, Tarbagatai Ridge, slide AV 0865 Volynkin; 12, E. matovi, paratype, slide AV 0853 Volynkin; 13, E. inconspicua, Kyrgyzstan, slide AV 1174 Volynkin; 14, E. inconspicua, slide RL 9527 L. Ronkay (photo by L. & G. Ronkay); 15, E. anthea, Kyrgyzstan, slide AV 1172 Volynkin; 16, E. shugnana, Tajikistan, slide AV 1175 Volynkin.

FIGURES 17 – 23. Euchalcia spp., female genitalia, adult in nature and biotope. 17, E. matovi, paratype, Tarbagatai Ridge, slide AV 0867 Volynkin; 18, E. matovi, paratype, Dzhungarsky Alatau Mts., slide AV 1177 Volynkin; 19, E. inconspicua, slide RL 4177 L. Ronkay (photo by L. & G. Ronkay); 20, E. anthea, Kyrgyzstan, slide AV 1173 Volynkin; 21, E. shugnana, Tajikistan, slide AV 1176 Volynkin; 22, E. matovi, adult in nature, Tarbagatai Ridge; 23, East Kazakhstan, Tarbagatai Ridge, 6.7 km N of Kyzymbet (Alekseevka) village, 47 ° 18.365 ’ N, 81 ° 32.152 ’ E. Type locality of E. matovi.