Stericta sinuosa Moore, 1888

Rong, Hua & Li, Houhun, 2017, Taxonomic study of the genus Stericta Lederer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae) from China, Zoological Systematics 42 (4), pp. 463-475 : 470-471

Stericta sinuosa Moore, 1888 ( Figs 7 , 15 , 23 )

Scopocera sinuosa Moore, 1888: 203 . TL: India (Darjiling).

Stericta sinuosa (Moore) : Hampson, 1896: 122.

Diagnosis. Adult ( Fig. 7 ). Wingspan 27.0–28.0 mm. Stericta sinuosa is characterized superficially by the same colored forewings and the hindwings covered with black and yellowish long white scale hairs; in the male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ) by the trifurcate distal process of the gnathos, the lateral lobes of the juxta joined distally, and the sacculus with a large knife-shaped process at dorsal 1/3; and in the female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ) by the semicircular papillae anales.

Material examined. China. Guangxi: 1♂ , Yangmeiao, Rongshui County, Liuzhou (elev. 1240 m), 27 July 2015, coll. Meiqing Yang, Ga-Eun Lee, slide No. RH 15528 ♂ . Hainan: 1♀ , Mt. Diaoluo (elev. 940m), 31 May 2007, coll. Zhiwei Zhang, Weichun Li; 1♀ , Diaoluoshan Nature Reserves (elev. 922 m), 27 May 2015, coll. Peixin Cong, Wei Guan, Sha Hu; 1♀ , Wuzhishan Nature Reserves (elev. 738m), 4 July 2015, coll. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li, Mengting Chen, slide No. RH 15340 ♀ ; 1♀ , Wuzhishan Nature Reserves (elev. 738m), 27 July 2016, coll. Xia Bai, Shuonan Qian, Wanding Qi, slide No. RH 16154 ♀ .

Distribution. China (Fujian, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan), India, Bhutan.

Remarks. Stericta sinuosa is different from its congeners in both superficial and genitalia characters. It is closer to members of the genus Lista Walker, 1859 by having similar long scale hairs in the both wings. But in S. sinuosa , wings are dim in color, and tibiae of mid legs have no hairs on outside; in Lista , wings are bright in color, and tibiae of mid legs bear hairs on outside. The assignment of S. sinuosa needs further study.

Figures

Figures 3–10. Adults of Stericta spp. 3. S. digitata sp. nov., paratype, male. 4. S. corollina sp. nov., paratype, male. 5. S. asopialis, male. 6. S. hoenei, male. 7. S. sinuosa, female. 8. S. kogii, male. 9. S. flavopuncta, male, from Yunnan. 10. S. flavopuncta, male, from Sichuan. Scale bars=2.0mm.

Figures 11–18. Male genitalia of Stericta spp. 11. S. digitata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. RH15466. 12. S. corollina sp. nov., holotype, slide No. RH15475. 13. S. asopialis, slide No. RH15479. 14. S. hoenei, slide No. RH16143. 15. S. sinuosa, slide No. RH16143. 16. S. kogii, slide No. RH16146. 17. S. flavopuncta from Guangxi, slide No. RH15199. 18. S. flavopuncta from Sichuan, slide No. RH15484. Scale bars=0.5mm.

Figures 19–25. Female genitalia of Stericta spp. 19. S. digitata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. RH16066. 20. S. corollina sp. nov., paratype, slide No. RH15476. 21. S. asopialis, slide No. RH15196. 22. S. hoenei, slide No. RH16144. 23. S. sinuosa, slide No. RH16154. 24. S. kogii, slide No. RH16112. 25. S. flavopuncta, slide No. RH15200. Scale bars=0.5mm.