Polia (Atropolia) posterodiluta, Varga, Zoltan, Ronkay, Gabor & Ronkay, Laszlo, 2017

Varga, Zoltan, Ronkay, Gabor & Ronkay, Laszlo, 2017, Revised taxonomic check list of the Eurasiatic species of the subtribe Poliina (Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Hadenini), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 64 (2), pp. 133-160 : 135

Polia (Atropolia) posterodiluta sp. n.

Holotype.

Male, China, "Ost-Tibet, Gyimda, 3700 m, "temp. Wald", 2.VII.2004, leg. Bretschnieder; slide No. RL8670m (coll. A. Becher).

Diagnosis.

The new species is a sympatric sister taxon of the widespread and polytypical Polia (Atropolia) mortua , occurring together with the ssp. szetschwana at the SE frontier of the Tibetan plateau. The new species differs externally from all subspecies of P. (A.) mortua by its smaller size (wingspan 38 mm), intense pale ochreous-to ochreous-brownish suffusion in the inner parts of the forewing running from the basal area to the inner half of the marginal field (with some reddish hue only at the lower part of the basal area and along the subterminal line), the narrower reniform stigma with fine whitish line at middle (while the regular white line along the outer edge of the stigma and the characteristic two white dots at lower edge are missing), and the diluted (ochreous-whitish) inner area of the hindwing with well-developed discal spot on the underside. The marginal area of the hindwing has rather pale greyish-brown suffusion, with small darker grey patches at tornal area, covering also the fringes. The sympatrically occurring populations of P. (A.) mortua are usually dimorphic, having either dark brown to blackish-brown forewings with only weak reddish-brownish hue or with intensely red-brownish suffusion (the form described as adustaeoides ), but this reddish suffusion is less extensive than in P. (A.) posterodiluta , the reniform stigma is larger, with the typical whitish markings at outer edge, and the male hindwing is more evenly greyish-brown suffused, with much smaller discal spot. Female unknown.

The male genitalia are essentially similar to those of P. (A.) mortua but the sclerotised medial extension of valvae is less falcate, evenly broad, except the finely tapering and terminally pointed distal quarter. This process is medially narrower and distally dilated, apically rounded in all four subspecies of P. (A.) mortua . In addition, the clavi are broader and more evenly rounded, and the juxta is smaller and thinner than in different subspecies of P. (A.) mortua .

Distribution.

SE Tibetan. The species is known from the type-locality only; the holotype specimen was collected in a high altitude forest region in the midsummer period.