Phragmataecia monika Yakovlev & Saldaitis

Ivinskis, Povilas, Rimsaite, Jolanta, Saldaitis, Aidas & Yakovlev, Roman, 2012, Description of two new species of Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from China, ZooKeys 192, pp. 35-49 : 35-36

Phragmataecia monika Yakovlev & Saldaitis sp. n. Figs 1-4

Holotype.

male (Fig. 1), China, Qin Liang Feng m.800 Zhejiang prov. [province] 29-30.V.2010 A. Floriani (slide No.JB1620), (deposited in ZSSM/MWM).

Diagnosis.

Externallythe new speciesis most similar to sibling species Phragmataecia cinnamomea Wileman, 1911, Phragmataecia hummeli Bryk, 1942and to Phragmataecia fusca Wileman, 1911. Phragmataecia cinnamomea differs by having a yellow-brown body and wings, veins covered with dark brown scales in the postmedian forewing and dark brown dots in the terminal area (Fig. 5) and male genitalia valvae which widen to the apical part (Fig. 6). Phragmataecia hummeli has a grey-brownbody and unicolor wing pattern with forewings lighter brown and hindwings grey brown (Fig. 7). Its male genitalia differ by the pointed shape of the valvae, the rounded and very wide saccus and straight aedeagus (Fig. 8). Phragmataecia fusca has a dark yellow-brown body (Fig. 9), forewings dark brown in postmedian part, and reddish-brown hindwings. Its male genitalia valvae are rounded at the apical part (Fig. 10).

Description.

Male (Fig. 1): Forewing length of holotype 14 mm, wingspan 31 mm. Antennae one-third the length of forewing; last third strongly bipectinate with very short triangular pecten. Ground color of forewings blackish brown; median part of wing from base to inner edge yellow brown extending to j-shaped wing edge; cilia yellow mixed with brown scales; hindwing unicolor yellow, cilia greyish brown; dorsal forewing dark brown, anal edge grey; dorsal hindwing dark brown, costal area black brown. Head, thorax blackish brown.

Male genitalia

(Figs 2, 3): Uncus wide, strong narrowing to acute tip; valvae almost the same width as length, flat tips with long blunt outgrowths at base; tegumen wide in medial part with plunging wide neckline; saccus long, narrow, rounded; juxta wide with a pair of lateral processes; aedeagus longer than valva, thin, curved and at the tip twice wider than base.

Female genitalia.

Unknown.

Bionomics and distribution.

Known only from the Qin Liang Feng Shan mountains in Zhejiang province of eastern China (Fig. 4), Phragmataecia monika is likely endemic to East China. The single male specimen was attracted to light in late May at an altitude of 800m in mountainous virgin mixed forest habitat dominated by various broad-leaved trees such as oak Quercus dentata, Quercus glauca , poplar Populus cathayana , Populus simonii , elm Ulmus parvifolia , rhododendron Rhododendron brachycarpum , Rhododendron dauricum , and bamboo Phyllostachys spp., Borinda spp., Fargesia spp. Suspected host plantsare Phragmites spp.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Monika Rimsaite, daughter of the second author.

Key to species Phragmataecia related to Phragmataecia monika based on external characters

Key to species Phragmataecia related to Phragmataecia monika based on male genitalia