Micardia pulcherrima ( Moore, 1867 )

Chen, Fuqiang & Xue, Dayong, 2012, A review of Micardia Butler, 1878 from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Eustrotiinae, Zootaxa 3417, pp. 45-52 : 46-47

Micardia pulcherrima ( Moore, 1867)

Figs. 1–3 , 10, 11

Leucania pulcherrima Moore, 1867 , Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1867: 48, pl.6, fig.7. Type locality: [ India]: [West Bengal], Darjeeling. [BMNH].

Eustrotia pulcherrima: Hampson, 1910 , Cat. Lep. Phal. Br. Mus., 10: 574; Chen, 1982, Icon. Het. Sin., 3: 331 (part). Micardia pulcherrima: Warren, 1913 , in Seitz, Macrolepid. World, 11: 291, pl. 26 l; Chen, 1999, Fauna Sinica, 16: 912 (part).

Diagnosis. Externally, the species is close to M. argentata but differs by having the white stripe on forewing. The white stripe of M. pulcherrima is present on ventral margin of discal cell, while it covered most area of the cell in M. argentata . In the male genitalia, M. pulcherrima is closely allied to M. pallens sp. nov. and M. minuta sp. nov. It differs from those species by an additional acute hook present on the tip of uncus; the valva has a finger-like harpe at the middle of costa and a tuberculiform process at the basal 1/4 of the sacculus.

Material Examined. INDIA: Darjeeling, from Moore’s collection, 13 (Holotype) ( BMNH, photograph examined). CHINA, Tibet: Gyirong, 2800m, 18.VII.1975, coll. Wang Ziqing, 13 (Slide No.: Noct-00275); Cona, Mama, 2800, 6.VII.1974, coll. Huang Fusheng, 13 (Slide No.: Noct-00273) ( IZCAS).

Distribution. China (Tibet), India, Bhutan.

Remarks. Two males, genitalia slides number Noct-00275 (Gyirong, Tibet) ( Figs. 2 , 10 ) and Noct-00273 (Cona, Tibet) ( Figs. 3 , 11 ), are examined. The specimen Noct-00273, in which the forewing is worn, looks slightly different from Noct-00275. In male genitalia, the right valva of Noct-00273 has the outer margin of apex slightly arc-shaped incurved, rather than smoothly straight in Noct-00275. We also compared both specimens to the holotype photos of M. pulcherrima ( Fig. 1 ). There is only slight variation among them. Both specimens are from adjacent locations to the type locality of M. pulcherrima (Darjeeling, India). Consequently, both specimens should belong to M. pulcherrima .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Adults. 1 – 3. Micardia pulcherrima. 1, male, holotype (BMNH); 2, male (Gyirong, Tibet); 3, male (Cona, Tibet). 4 – 5. M. pallens sp. nov. 4, male, holotype; 5, female, paratype. 6, M. distincta sp. nov., male, holotype. 7, M. minuta sp. nov., male, holotype. 8, M. munda, male, holotype (BMNH). 9, M. argentata, male, holotype (BMNH). Scales: 1 cm.

FIGURES 10 – 18. Genitalia and sternite. 10 – 14. male genitalia. 10, Micardia pulcherrima (Noct- 00275); 11, M. pulcherrima (Noct- 00273); 12, M. pallens sp. nov. (Noct- 00271); 13, M. distincta sp. nov. (Noct- 00272); 14, M. minuta sp. nov. (Noct- 00274). 15 – 16. female genitalia. 15, M. pallens sp. nov. (Noct- 00277); 16, M. munda (Noct- 00276). 17 – 18. eighth abdominal sternite of female. 17, M. pallens sp. nov. (Noct- 00277); 18, M. munda (Noct- 00276). Scales: 1 mm.