Prays spiniprocessa Li

Cong, Peixin & Li, Houhun, 2017, Review of the genus Prays Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Praydidae) from China, with descriptions of twelve new species, Zootaxa 4263 (2), pp. 201-227 : 208

Prays spiniprocessa Li , sp. nov.

( Figs. 6 , 24 )

Type material. CHINA: Holotype ♂, Gansu Province: Dangchuan, Tianshui , 1331 m, 30.VII.2006, coll. Xinpu Wang and Xiangfeng Shi, genitalia slide No. JQ 07339 . Paratype: Guizhou Province: 1 ♂, Kuankuoshui Nature Reserves, Suiyang , 16.VIII.2010, coll. Linlin Yang, genitalia slide No. CPX15159 .

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to P. erromera sp. nov. in the male genitalia, but it can be distinguished from the latter by the socius with a spinous process at about distal 1/4 that produces ventrally, the valva concave in arc medially on the dorsal margin, and the tegumen with lateral band concave medially. In P. erromera sp. nov., the socius does not have such a process as mentioned above, the valva is nearly straight on the dorsal margin, and the lateral band of the tegumen is approximately parallel laterally.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 6 ): Wingspan 11.0–12.0 mm. Head with vertex white, mixed with pale brown; frons white, mixed with dark brown scales on lateral sides. Labial palpus with dorsal surface white, ventral surface brown, each segment white basally. Antenna with scape pale brown dorsally, white ventrally; flagellum greyish brown. Thorax brown. Tegula pale brown in basal half, white in distal half. Forewing pale brown, with several irregular blackish brown stripes distally, mixed with white scales; costal margin with seven to nine ill-defined blackish brown strigulae alternated with white on basal half; white fascia from before apex of costal margin extending obliquely inwards to beyond tornus; longitudinal W-shaped white band from about 1/6 below costal margin oblique outwards across fold, then arched to middle of cell, again oblique outwards to dorsum, finally extending upward to meet white band from costal margin; dorsum with six ill-defined blackish brown strigulae, with a black triangular spot at tornus; cilia pale brown, mixed with white except dark brown along costal margin and apex. Hindwing and cilia pale brown. Foreleg blackish brown; midleg with coxa white, tibia with white streak on outer surface at base and middle respectively, remaining part blackish brown; hindleg pale yellowish brown except tarsus white on inner surface, deep grey on outer surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 24 ): Socius with basal half smooth and parallel, distal half bearing dense short thorns and long setae, slightly widened from middle to basal 3/4, sharply narrowed to pointed apex distally; with a spinous process at about distal 1/4 that produces ventrally. Tegumen produced into a pair of triangular processes medially, about 1/3 length of lateral band; lateral band concave medially. Gnathos widely banded, posterior margin produced to a triangular process medially, which extends downwards across anterior margin; lateral band narrow, shorter than 1/3 width of transverse band at middle. Valva with basal half widened, distal half separated from sacculus, slightly narrowed, triangular with pointed apex distally; dorsal margin concave archly at middle; transtilla thornshaped, separated medially; sacculus about 3/5 length of valva, produced into a free horn-shaped process distally, ventral margin waved; large membranous area between sacculus from basal 1/3 to beyond 2/3 and valva. Vinculum U-shaped; saccus slender, about 3/5 length of socius, narrowed at base, gradually widened to rounded apex. Juxta semicircular; anellus lobe triangular, arising from anterior angle of juxta. Aedeagus approximately 1.3 times length of valva, slightly curved medially; cornuti being three thorns and numerous spinules, extended from basal 1/4 to apex of aedeagus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Gansu, Guizhou).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin spin- and processus, referring to the spinous process at about distal 1/4 of the socius in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 10. Adults of Prays spp. 5, P. orthacantha sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 6, P. spiniprocessa sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 7, P. erromera sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 8, P. cingulata, ♂; 9, P. kalligraphos, ♀; 10, P. rectangula sp. nov., holotype, ♂. (Scales = 2.0 mm).

FIGURES 23 – 28. Male genitalia of Prays spp. 23, P. orthacantha sp. nov. (holotype, slide no. CPX 15149); 24, P. spiniprocessa sp. nov. (paratype, slide no. CPX 15159); 25, P. erromera sp. nov. (paratype, slide no. CPX 15164); 26, P. rectangula sp. nov. (holotype, slide no. JQ 08151); 27, P. bisechinata sp. nov. (holotype, slide no. CPX 15195); 28, P. tauricornis sp. nov. (holotype, slide no. CPX 15162). (Scales = 0.2 mm).