Neopseustis fanjingshana Yang, 1988

Chen, Liusheng, Owada, Mamoru, Wang, Min & Long, Yang, 2009, The genus Neopseustis (Lepidoptera: Neopseustidae) from China, with description of one new species, Zootaxa 2089, pp. 10-18 : 12-13

Neopseustis fanjingshana Yang, 1988

( Figs. 2 , 7, 8 , 13 )

Neopseustis fanjingshana Yang, 1988 , 151–153, figs. 1–3.

Translation of Chinese description by Yang, 1988.

Male wing expanse about 17 mm. Head light brown, vertex and frons covered with brown scales; antenna brown, about 76 segments (the left one lost); maxillary palpi and labial palpi fawn-colored. Thorax brown fuscous, legs light brown. Forewings hazel basal half, mottled with irregular brown and dark brown spots, speckled with silvery white scales; distal half white, mottled with hazel spots, along the marginal area with a series of spots, among them with the three largest between Sc1 and Sc2, apically and the end of M1. Hindwings basal half hazel, white distal half, with irregular hazel marginal spots, with the Sc and R4 largest. Abdomen fawn colored, sparsely covered with brown scales; Seventh sternite of male with a median ligulate process, eighth sternite without median process.

Most of male genitalia exposed. Uncus with a pair of small triangular lamellae; tegumenal lobes long uncinate; socii rough, densely covered with long hair; gnathos large, uncinate and sclerotized; valvae broad, digitiform apically; vinculum broadly transverse, with slender lateral lobes; lateroposterior process of anellus heavy sclerotized, long, horn-shaped, crossed apically and extend to the base of socii; juxta slender, with a pair of small and sharp parameres apically, which are about 1/3 length of lateroposterior process of anellus, unsclerotized.

Identification of Hunan specimen with N. fanjingshana .

Male: wing expanse 18mm.

Head: Vertex and frons brownish fuscous, with pale brown scales. Antennae brownish. Maxillary palpi and labial palpi fawn-colored.

Thorax: Dorsum brownish fuscous; venter yellowish brown. Legs fawn-colored. Forewings with basal 2/3 brownish fuscous, mottled with irregular brownish fuscous, and a sparse scattering of inconspicuous silvery white scales; distal 1/3 whitish, mottled with irregular yellow brown spots; with various spots along the edge of forewings. Hindwings with basal half hazel, whitish distal half, scattered with hazel spots along the edge, the spots between Sc and R4 the largest.

Abdomen: Dorsum light brown, sparsely clothed with brownish scales. Seventh sternite of male with a median ligulate process, eighth sternite without median process.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 13 ): Gnathos a slender uncinate process arising between socii. Valvae broad, with a long, clavate tegumenal lobes basally; costa straight, slightly concaved near the digitiform apex. Lateroposterior process of anellus long, heavily sclerotized and curved outward basally, surpassing apex of uncus. Juxta slender, with a pair of slender, unsclerotized, relatively inconspicuous and sharp parameres.

Material examined: Tian Pingshan Mt., Sang Zhi County, Hunan Province, China, 1 male, 9-VIII-2008, Min WANG and Xiaoling FAN leg.

Bionomics. The moth was collected in resting on a light trap set at break of dawn.

Distribution: China (Guizhou Province, Hunan Province)

Diagnosis: This species is similar to Neopseustis bicornuta Davis in forewings maculation, with the whitish margin distal half larger than in N. bicornuta , and mottled with less fuscous spots than latter. In the male genitalia, the gnathos is slightly more slender than that of N. bicornuta ; the lateroposterior process of anellus of N. bicornuta is stout, heavily sclerotized, and curved inward, while that of N. fanjingshan a is rather long and slender.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitat of N. fanjingshana Yang, Tian Pingshan Mt. Sangzhi County, Hunan Province.

FIGURES 3 – 10. Adults of Neopseustis spp. 3, N. moxiensis sp. nov., male; 4, N. moxiensis sp. nov., female; 5, N. meyricki Hering, male; 6, N. meyricki Hering, female; 7, N. fangjingshana Yang, male; 8, N. fangjingshana Yang, male resting posture; 9, N. bicornuta Davis, male; 10, N. sinensis Davis, male. Scale bars: 5 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Male genitalia of Neopseustis spp. 11, N. moxiensis sp. nov.; 12, N. meyricki Hering; 13, N. fanjingshana Yang; 14, N. bicornuta Davis; 15, N. sinensis Davis; 16, Lateroposterior process of anellus of N. meyricki Hering.