Schoenobius scirpus, Chen & Wu, 2014

Chen, Fu-Qiang & Wu, Chun-Sheng, 2014, Taxonomic review of the subfamily Schoenobiinae (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) from China, Zoological Systematics 39 (2), pp. 163-208 : 182

Schoenobius scirpus sp. nov. ( Figs 63–64 , 73 , 82 )

Schoenobius forficellus Wang, 1980 . Economic Insect Fauna of China, 21: 57. (nec Thunberg, 1794) (part misidentification)

Diagnosis. This species is similar to S. gigantellus , but the forewing has an oblique fascia, which is absent in S. gigantellus ; in male genitalia, the uncus and the gnathos of this species are obviously shorter than those of S. gigantellus , and the subteguminal processes of these two species are obviously differently shaped.

Description. Wing span ♂ 25–29 mm, ♀ 30–38 mm. Head rufous; labial palpi porrect, rufous, 3 times as long as the diameter of compound eyes; maxillary palpi porrect, rufous, as long as the diameter of the compound eyes. Thorax and abdomen rufous, female with anal tuft yellow brown. Male with forewing rufous, two dark fuscous spots at both upper and lower angle of cell, a dark fuscous fascia from the nearby of apex to lower angle of cell, a blurry longitudinal rufous band from base to distal of cell; hindwing pale fuscous, without any fasciae. Female little paler than male in color.

Male genitalia. Uncus and gnathos strong, beak-like, apex pointed; gnathos as long as uncus; tegumen broad, with sclerotized dorsal ridge X-shaped; subteguminal process hook-like, weakly sclerotized; valva the same width from base to apex; juxta with apex elongated, little shorter than basal part; saccus round; coremata present; aedeagus slender, a slender irregular spine-like cornutus present.

Female genitalia. Anal papillae broad, covered with long setae; apophyses anterioris and posterioris well developed, about 1.5 times as long as anal papillae; ostium bursae broad, wrinkled; ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae; ductus seminalis below ostium bursae; corpus bursae round, membranous.

Biology. The species takes 6 generations per year in Guangxi Province. Larvae bore the stem of sedge, especially adlittoral sedge. Larvae live in single plant all their lives, and seldom transfer to another plant. Mature larvae pupate at the base of stem. Female lays eggs after mating, usually in mass. A female can lay 3– 807 eggs. The eggs are usually laid on the stem near water. It also can be laid on rice, water bamboo, and hyacinth besides sedge. The species usually hibernates by mature larvae in stem of sedge ( Wang, 1980).

Host plant. Scirpus grossus.

Holotype ♂, Guangxi, Yulin, 7 October 1973, deposited in IZCAS.

Paratypes. Guangxi, Yulin , 4♂, 12♀, 7 October 1973 ; Guangxi, Yulin , 6♀, 12 January 1974 ; Guangxi, Yulin , 10♂, 2♀, May 1974 ; Guangxi, Yulin , 1♂, July 1974 ; Guangxi, Rongxian , 1♂, 1♀, January 1975 ; all specimens deposited in IZCAS.

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Remarks. Wang (1980) wrongly recognized this species as Schoenobius forficellus (Thunberg) (now in Donacaula Meyrick, 1890 ). In his works, he treated the species as a variety of the real S. forficellus . The literal description from Wang should be S. scirpus and the color figure is the real S. forficellus . We recognized this species as new here since the female of this species has apex of forewing not sharply pointed as in S. forficellus .

Etymology. The name is corresponding to the genus name of the host plant.

Figures

Figs 57–64. Adults. 57. Scirpophaga incertulas, male. 58. S. incertulas, female. 59. S. whalleyi. 60. S. gotoi. 61–62. Schoenobius gigantellus. 63. Sc. scirpus sp.nov., male. 64. Sc. scirpus sp.nov., female.

Figs 73–80. Male genitalia. a. Aedeagus. 73. Schoenobius scirpus sp.nov. 74. Sc. sp. 75. Catagela adjurella. 76. C. rubelineola. 77. Niphadoses dengcaolites. 78. Patissa fulvosparsa. 79. P. minima. 80. P. tenuousa. Scale bars=1 mm.

Figs 81–86. Female genitalia. 81. Schoenobius gigantellus. 82. Sc. scirpus sp.nov. 83. Sc. dodatellus. 84. Sc. sp. 85. Catagela adjurella. 86. C. rubelineola. Scale bars=1mm.