Gracilisinensis vaiva Gyulai & Saldaitis, 2017

Gyulai, Péter, Saldaitis, Aidas & Vaitonis, Gintas, 2017, A new genus of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) from China with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 4353 (2), pp. 393-398 : 396-398

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.2.12
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:795A2001-4374-44F5-B731-28DDA7C5C062
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6020943
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AA8794-FF95-FF8C-7DCE-C434FE46FE9C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Gracilisinensis vaiva Gyulai & Saldaitis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Gracilisinensis vaiva Gyulai & Saldaitis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 View FIGURES 1–6 , 7, 8 12 View FIGURES7–11 View FIGURES 12–14 )

Holotype: Male ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–6 ), China, W. Sichuan, road Yaan / Kangding , Erlang Shan Mt. , H- 2161 m, N29°87’340”,

E102°30’970”, 20.viii.2014, Floriani & Saldaitis leg., slide No. PGY 4048m (coll. PGM). Paratypes: 6 males ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 1–6 ), 2 females, same data ; 1 male, 14 females, same data, but 11–12.ix.2017, Saldaitis leg. ;

1 male, China, W. Sichuan, near Ba Mei , 3500m, N30°28’ 693”, E101°38’ 866”, 22.viii.2014, Floriani & Saldaitis leg. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, China, W. Sichuan, road Jiuzhaigou / Songpan , H- 2900 m, N29°87’340”, E102°30’ 970”, 27.viii.2014, Floriani & Saldaitis leg. ; 1 male, 1 female ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–6 ), China, W. Sichuan, Meng Bi Shan Mts., near Meng Bi Shan pass, 3500m, N31°42’ 968”, E102°16’ 795”, 20.ix.2011, Floriani leg GoogleMaps . 3 males, 1 female, China, N. Sichuan, near Barkam, Zhe Gu Shan pass, 3300m, N31°55’ 625”, E102°39’ 290”, 21.ix.2011, Floriani leg. GoogleMaps ; 1 male, China, N. Sichuan, near Chuan Zhu Si , H- 3100m, N35°57’ 714”, E103°41’ 912”, 25.ix.2011, Floriani leg. GoogleMaps ; slide Nos PGY 3033m, PGY4049f (colls AFM, ASV & PGM) .

Diagnosis. ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–6 ) Gracilisinensis vaiva sp. nov. is easily distinguishable from its northern sister species G. moha sp. nov. both by external characters and genitalia features. G. vaiva has more variegated forewing, lighter marginal field, with less prominent orbicular and reniform stigmata, and strictly arched postmedial line (not almost straight as in the sister species G. moha ), much conspicuous blackish patch in the forewing termen, white colouration in the basal part of the subterminal line and conspicuously broader bipectinated antennae in the males. In the male genitalia it is very distinctive by the basally significantly weaker, however distally conspicuously broader valvae, the larger juxta and carinal plate of the aedeagus.

Description. A detailed description is given under the description of the new genus.

Distribution. The new species is known from the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau in China's Sichuan province west and north parts.

Ecology. The new species was collected in virgin mixed forest habitats dominated by various broad-leaved trees such as oaks ( Quercus dentata , Q. glauca ), poplars ( Populus cathayana , P. simonii ), elm ( Ulmus parvifolia ), rhododendrons ( Rhododendron brachycarpum , R. dauricum ), and bamboos ( Phyllostachys ssp., Borinda ssp., Fargesia spp.).

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Vaiva Merkytė (Vilnius, Lithuania), for her deep understanding and support of the entomological activities of the second author. The additional etymological aspect is related to the old Lithuanian mythology where “ vaiva ” was the goddess who makes the rainbow, referring to shiny, with many colours wing pattern of this new species.