Bellulia clara, Han & Kononenko, 2021

Han, Hui Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2021, Six new species of the genus Bellulia Fibiger, 2008 from China and Cambodia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Hypenodinae). Taxonomic study of Micronoctuini Contribution III, Zootaxa 4938 (1), pp. 117-130 : 120-122

Bellulia clara sp. n.

( Figs 3 , 19 )

Type material. Holotype: male, Cambodia, Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary , 7-8.ii.2015, Y.S. Bae et al., genit. prep. hhl-3728-1, coll. NEFU.

Diagnosis. Superficially B. clara is similar to B. kareni and B. tenebrosa ( Figs 1, 2 ), but can be distinguished by the narrower forewing (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa the forewing relatively broader); the basal line is distinct, slightly arched (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa it is rather indistinct, and weakly waved); the antemedial line is smoothly curved (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa it is waved); postmedial line is very narrow, with a small dark brown patch on the costal area (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa postmedial line has a large dot in the costal area); the subterminal line is thin (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa it is broad and more grainy in appearance); the hindwing is lighter than forewing (in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa it is darker than the forewing). In the male genitalia of B. clara ( Fig. 19 ) yuxta is larger than in B. tenebrosa and B. kareni ; the ventral part of the tegumen is fused to the fultura superior with a prominent log-like process on each side, left shorter than in B. kareni and B. tenebrosa and broader than in B. kareni .; in right valva, costal process (digitus) is thumb-shaped, prominently extending past the apex of valva (in B. kareni the digitus horn-shaped, protrudes from the medial part of the costa, and extends only slightly bryong the apex of the valva, in B. tenebrosa it is short and straight, cone-shaped, and does not beyong the apex of the valva). Aedeagus broader than in B. tenebrosa and B. kareni .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Wingspan 9 mm. Head and thorax yellowish grey, mixed with yellow on patagium, with light white scales on inner margin; abdomen yellowish grey, yellow on terminal part. Forewing light grey; basal line blackish brown, smoothly arched; antemedial line light greyish brown, smoothly curved; median line absent; postmedial line very thin, indistinct, with small dark-brown patch on costal area; subterminal line thin, pale greyish-brown, broad, incurved at R4 and M2; terminal line formed by small blackish-brown dots; fringe light yellowish-grey; basal area brown; subterminal line darker than ground colour; reniform white, small outlined with brown. Hindwing slightly paler than forewing; discal spot tinged with dark, indistinct; outer margin with angle in Cu+A1; fringe greyish-yellow.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ). Tegumen narrow, about 2.5 as long as vinculum; its ventral part fused to fultura superior with a prominent, stick shaped process on each side, slightly swollen and rounded apically, fused on both sides, left one shorter than right. Vinculum rather thicker than tegumen, V-shaped. Saccus short, V-shaped, and narrower than in B. tenebrosa and B. kareni . Juxta eye-shaped, sclerotized, with full circle on the left in the upper middle,. Valva broad, asymmetrical, left one narrower than right; sacculus slightly asymmetrical, left one narrower about 1/2 as long as valva, right one longer than left, both apically rounded; ampullae asymmetrical, right one larger than left, prominently curved ventrally, with heavily setae; process of costa thumb-shaped, weakly curved, extending beyong apex of valva. Aedeagus with coecum about 1/5 as long as aedeagus; in basal third straight and in apical two-thirds barely curved, gradually tapered backward, straight at apex, swollen at ductus ejaculatorius.

Female genitalia. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species name derives from the Latin “ clara ” (bright) and refers to the lighter colouration of the adult in the B. kareni species-group.

Distribution. Cambodia (Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary). The species was collected in the tropical rainforest zone.

Figures

FIGURES 1-8. Bellulia spp., adults. 1. B. kareni (after Fibiger 2008); 2. B. tenebrosa sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 3. B. clara sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 4. B. mariannae (after Fibiger 2008); 5. B. parabella (after Fibiger 2008); 6. B. hanae (after Fibiger 2008); 7. B. jiaxuanae sp. n., holotype, China; 8. B. bibella (after Fibiger et al. 2011).

FIGURES 17-22. Bellulia spp., male genitalia. 17. B. kareni (after Fibiger 2008); 18. B. tenebrosa sp. n., holotype, Cambodia, genit. prep. hhl-3720-1; 19. B. clara sp. n., holotype, Cambodia, genit. prep. hhl-3728-1; 20. B. parabella (after Fibiger 2008); 21. B. hanae (after Fibiger 2008); 22. B. jiaxuanae sp. n., holotype, China, genit. prep. hhl-3537-1.