Syzeuxis heteromeces Prout, 1926

Li, Jing, Xue, Dayong, Han, Hongxiang & Galsworthy, Anthony C., 2012, Taxonomic review of Syzeuxis Hampson, 1895, with a discussion of biogeographical aspects (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), Zootaxa 3357, pp. 1-24 : 13

Syzeuxis heteromeces Prout, 1926

Figs 9 , 21 , 33 , 40

Syzeuxis heteromeces Prout, 1926b , Mem. Dep. Agric. India (Ent.), 9 (8): 253. Holotype 3, India: Turzum Tea Estate, Nagrispur, near Darjiling. (BMNH)

Syzeuxis miniocalaria Xue, 1999 , in Xue & Zhu, Fauna Sinica: Insecta, 15: 193, fig. 198, pl.4: 3. Holotype 3, China: Yunnan, Tengchong, Heinitang. (IZCAS) Syn. nov.

Syzeuxis miniocalaria Xue, 2000 , Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 25 (1): 85, figs 3c, 5c.

Materials Examined. INDIA: 13, Holotype, Turzum Tea Estate, Nagrispur, no date, coll. O. Linlyrea, Geometridae Genitalia slide no. 20325 ( BMNH); 1Ƥ, Khasis, nat. coll., ex Oberthür coll., Brit. Mus. 1927-3 ( BMNH); 1Ƥ, Sylhet, H.M.Parish, 1910-62, Geometridae Genitalia slide no. 24012 ( BMNH). CHINA: 13, Holotype of S. miniocalaria Xue , Yunnan: Tengchong, Heinitang, 1930 m, 28–30 May 1992, coll. Xue Dayong, slide no. L-2273 ( IZCAS).

Description. Antennae in male bipectinate with tip ciliate, female unknown. Labial palpus strongly roughscaled, about extending 1/3 beyond frons. Vertex yellowish brown. Thorax and abdomen with dorsal side yellowish white to yellowish brown. Wing pattern. Forewing length: 3 8 mm; Ƥ 10 mm. Forewing pale yellowish brown, streaks black brown, hindwing slightly paler. Forewing with apex rounded and outer margin slightly protruding at middle. Forewing with a small black patch at wing base; antemedial and postmedial lines indistinct but broad, grey, forming large oblong black patches on costa; another small black patch present near apex; terminal line black, discontinuous. Hindwing with postmedial line thin at upper half and then suddenly broadened to inner margin; terminal line black brown between veins; discal spot tiny, grey brown. Male hindwing without basal lobe. Fringes of forewing black brown between vein M1–M3 and between CuA1 and vein 2A, yellowish white on other parts; yellowish white on hindwing, and black-brown under CuA1. Underside: forewing paler than upperside; with diffuse dense grey brown speckles from lower margin of cell to CuA2; postmedial line dark grey-brown, straight and broad, not reaching inner margin; with dark grey brown discal spot. Forewing with a single areole. Male genitalia. Uncus large and broad, slightly concave, posterior half with lateral margins strongly curved inwards towards a narrow apical section, expanded at tip. Gnathos with median process as in S. tessellifimbria . Valva membranous, small, with apex narrow; costa without process. Juxta developed, a large sclerotized rounded plate. Aedeagus narrow, with a blunt sclerotized posterior process, bearing a spinose tuft. Female genitalia. Ductus bursae short and membranous, without antrum or any sclerotized area. Corpus bursae oval, circled with a series of weakly sclerotized folds above middle.

Diagnosis. S. heteromeces is similar to S. nigrinotata in its small size and X-shaped hindwing postmedial line. But it differs in the presence of an areole on the forewing, which is absent in S. nigrinotata . In the male genitalia, the shape of the uncus of S. heteromeces , broadened and oval on basal two-thirds, and then suddenly narrowed at top one-fourth, is distinctly different from other species.

Distribution. China (Yunnan), India (Northeast).

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 13. Adults. 2. Syzeuxis trinotaria (Moore), female; 3. S. tessellifimbria Prout, holotype, female; 4. S. seminanis Prout, holotype, male; 5. S. extritonaria Xue, holotype, male; 6. S. neotritonaria Xue, holotype, male; 7. S. magnidica Prout, lectotype, male; 8. S. subfasciaria (Wehrli), paralectotype, male; 9. S. heteromeces Prout, holotype, male; 10. S. furcalineas sp. nov., holotype, male; 11. S. nigrinotata (Warren), lectotype, male; 12. S. pavonata sp. nov., holotype, male; 13. S. calamisteria Xue, holotype, female. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 20 – 25. Male genitalia. 20. Syzeuxis subfasciaria (Wehrli); 21. S. heteromeces Prout; 22. S. furcalineas sp. nov.; 23. S. nigrinotata (Warren); 24. S. pavonata sp. nov.; 25. S. calamisteria Xue. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 26 – 37. Aedeagus. 26. Syzeuxis trinotaria (Moore); 27. S. tessellifimbria Prout; 28. S. seminanis Prout; 29. S. extritonaria Xue; 30. S. neotritonaria Xue; 31. S. magnidica Prout; 32. S. subfasciaria (Wehrli); 33. S. heteromeces Prout; 34. S. furcalineas sp. nov.; 35. S. nigrinotata (Warren); 36. S. pavonata sp. nov.; 37. S. calamisteria Xue. Scale bar = 1 mm (except scale bar = 0.5 mm for fig. 35.)

FIGURES 38 – 42. Female genitalia. 38. Syzeuxis tessellifimbria Prout; 39. S. magnidica Prout; 40. S. heteromeces Prout; 41. S. nigrinotata (Warren); 42. S. calamisteria Xue. Scale bar = 1 mm.