Lygephila (Lygephila) stueningi Kononenko & Fibiger

Kononenko, Vladimir & Fibiger, Michael, 2008, A new subgenus and three new species of catocaline noctuids from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Catocalinae), Zootaxa 1876, pp. 19-28 : 20-22

Lygephila (Lygephila) stueningi Kononenko & Fibiger , new species

( Figs. 1–4 , 13 , 17 , 25 )

Type Material. Holotype: male,” China, A-tun-tse (Nord Yunnan), obere Höhe ca. 4500, 24.vii.1936, leg. H. Höne”, coll. ZFMK. Paratypes: 25 males and 21 females. 20 males, 18 females, with same data as holotype, but 3.viii.1935; 12.iv, 4, 15, 18, 26, 27, 30.vii, 9, 16, 22.viii, 2.ix.1936; 31.v, 18, 24, 27, 28, 29 (genit. prep. 5882 M. Fibiger), 31.vii, 11, 17.viii.1937, leg. H. Höne; 2 females, [Tibet] “Batang, im Tal des Yangze, ca. 2800 m ”, 29.v.1936 and 14.vi.1937, leg. H. Höne, latter: genit. prep. 5883 M. Fibiger; 1male, 2 females, “Prov. Nord-Yunnan, Li-kiang”, 23.vii.1935, 10.viii.1935; 2.vii.1935, leg. H. Höne; 1 male, China, Yunnan, 27°49ˏ06ˏ N, 99°43ˏ15ˏ E, near Zhengdian, 3200 m, 31.viii.2000, leg. Manlio Glovanoli, coll. ZFMK; 1 male and 1 female are in the collection of M. Fibiger.

Diagnosis. When compared with L. ludicra ( Figs. 5, 6 , 14 , 18 ) L. stueningi is recognised by the broader wings, and most markedly by the interstigmal, longitudinal black streak inwardly from the lower part of the reniform stigma. In the male genitalia it differs from L. ludicra ( Fig. 14 ) by the relatively shorter uncus; the relatively broader valva, the more distal harpe; and by the very different shape of the everted vesica; in the female genitalia it differs from L. ludicra ( Fig. 18 ) by the much shorter, heavily sclerotised antrum and the super-elliptic shape of corpus bursae; that of L. ludicra is elongate, broadest posteriorly.

Description. Imago ( Figs 1–4 ). Wingspan 42–47 mm. Thorax and ground colour of forewing grayish brown, powdered densely with dark brown scales, including fringes; all cross-lines present, generally well marked, though postmedial line is absent in some specimens; postmedial area by costa dark brown; terminal line indicated by small, black intervenal dots; reniform stigma dark brown, with prominent black spots; orbicular stigma marked by blackish spot; prominent interstigmatal streak presents from ventral edge of reniform stigma. Hindwing light grey-brown, distally with a broad, blackish brown band; first half of fringes light brown, outwardly whitish. Underside of forewing and costal part of hindwing brown, lower part of hindwing light grey; without lines and discal spots. Male genitalia ( Fig. 12 ). Uncus relatively short compared with that of L. ludicra ; distal part of uncus subapically rather high; tegumen very long, about 2 time longer than vinculum; saccus very short, V-shaped; juxta anchor-shaped; valva rather wide, relatively much wider and somewhat shorter than in L. ludicra ; harpe narrow, finger-like, parallel with margins of valva, situated more distally then in L. ludicra ; aedeagus long and rather wide; shape of the everted vesica very different from that of L. ludicra , with multiple moderate and large diverticula, few of them long and broad, main part of vesica corpus and longest diverticulum finely scobinated. Carina without small dentate plate as in L. ludicra . Female genitalia ( Fig. 18 ). Ovipositor lobes broadly triangular, setose; apophyses posteriores somewhat longer than anteriores and narrow, stick-like; ostium wide; antrum long, but much shorter than in L. ludicra , V-shaped, heavily sclerotised; ductus bursae very short, cylindrical; corpus bursae super-elliptic (that of L. ludicra is elongate, broadest posteriorly).

Taxonomic notes. A part of this material was treated as a form by Draudt (1950): Eccrita ludicra forma major Draudt, 1950, but the name is unavailable.

Bionomics and distribution ( Fig. 25 ). The species is known from south west China, Province Yunnan and East Tibet. The moths were recorded from mid April through the beginning of September. Adults were collected at light in the mountains from 2800 to 4500 m.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of our friend Dieter Stüning, the senior curator and chief of the Lepidoptera Section at ZFMK.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Distribution map of L. stueningi, L. longicoecum, and Apopestes curiosa.

FIGURES 1 – 8. Lygephila sp., adults. 1, L. stueningi, male, holotype, China; 2, 3, ditto, female, paratype; China; 4, ditto, male paratype, China; 5, 6, L. ludicra, Russia, Tuva, female and male; 7, L. longicoecum, male, holotype, China; 8, L. maxima, male, Russia, Khabarovsk.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Lygephila sp., male genitalia. 13, L. stueningi, male, paratype, genit. prep. 5882 M. Fibiger; 14, L. ludicra, Turkey, genit. prep. 3561 M. Fibiger; 15, L. longicoecum, holotype, China, ZFMK genit. prep. 2019 V. Kononenko; 16, L. maxima, South Korea, CIS genit. prep. 169 - 1 Han H. L.

FIGURES 17 – 20. Lygephila sp., female genitalia. 17, L. stueningi, paratype, genit. prep. 5883 M. Fibiger; 18, L. ludicra, Mongolia, genit. prep. C 21 B. Goater; 19, L. maxima, Russian Far East, Primorye Territory, genit. prep. 5725 M. Fibiger; 20, L. longicoecum, paratype, China, IBSS genit. prep. 698 V. Kononenko.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Apopestes sp., adults. 9, A. curiosa, male, holotype, China; 10, A. spectrum, male, Dalmatia; 11, A. phantasma, male, Turkmenia, Kopet-Dagh; 12, A. indica, male, China, Li-kiang.