Disparia kobayashii, Wu, Shipher, 2015

Wu, Shipher, 2015, Elucidating taxonomic problems of the genus Disparia Nagano, 1916 of Taiwan and its neighboring areas, with description of one new species (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae), Zootaxa 3918 (2), pp. 209-223 : 221-222

Disparia kobayashii sp. nov.

( Figs 35, 36 , 46 , 55 , 56, 68, 75)

Disparia diluta variegate: Chang, 1989: 245 , nec Wileman, 1910.

Pseudofentonia (Mimus) nigrofasciata: Fu & Tzuoo, 2004: 111 , pl. 51: 6, nec Wileman, 1910.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, TAIWAN, Miaoli County, Guanwu, 2000 m, 30-VII-2011, leg. S. Wu & W. C. Chang, TFRI 138597 (coll. TFRI) ( Fig. 35 ); paratypes: 1♂, same locality, 29-V-2011, leg. S. Wu & W. C. Chang; 1♂, Nantou County, Meifeng, 2100 m, 29-V-2012, leg. S. Wu & W. C. Chang (coll. TFRI); 1♂, same collecting locality, 29-VI-1984, leg. B. S. Chang; 1♀, same locality, 22-VII-1984, B. S. Chang leg.; 1♀, same locality, 13–14- VIII-1991, leg. C. S. Lin (coll TFRI); 1♂, same locality, 27–30-IV-1999, leg. Mey & Ebert ( ZMHU); 1♀, Nantou County, Anmashan, 2600 m, 24-VII-1998, leg. C. M. Fu; 1♂, 25-VII-2001, leg. C. M. Fu (coll. NMNS); 1♂, Taitung County, 5 km NW of Lirao, 120’59”E, 23’13”N, 1760 m, 28-V-1995, leg. M. Hreblay & P. Steger (coll. CAS).

Taxonomic notes. The new species is similar to Disparia dua ( Schintlmeister, 1997) ( Fig. 34 ) ( Vietnam and southern China) but shows also close affinity to D. tiga ( Schintlmeister, 1997) ( Fig. 33 ) ( Myanmar, Vietnam and southern China) based on male genitalia. Schintlmeister (2008) placed D. dua and D. tiga into different subgenera of Disparia based on phallus shape. However, judging by collective evidences of wing patterns, male genitalia and 8th abdominal sternum, the mentioned three species may represent a distinctive species group in this genus and the phallus shape can not be used alone to assess the subgeneric grouping.

Diagnosis. This new species is an insular sister species of D. tiga ( Schintlmeister, 1997) judging by the male genitalia (see the preceding taxonomic notes). It can be distinguished from D. tiga by: its distinctively smaller size (45–47 mm rather than 59–61 mm in males); the terminal part of anterior apodeme of 8th sternum incised posteriorly rather than flat; the uncus base being wider basally and tapered gradually toward apex rather than uncus base being moderate, incised at ¼ part from base; the distal part of valva being truncate rather than rounded, the apex process being triangular rather than papillate-like; the anterior part of phallus being shorter rather than longer; spinose cornuti arising from vesica base to diverticulum rather than restricted to diverticulum; the apex of phallus process being acute rather than pyramidal-like.

Description. Wingspan 45–47 mm in male (n= 5); 47–58 mm in female (n= 3).

Head. Male. Antenna bipectinate until ½ part from base in male, filiform in female.

Thorax. Thoracic segments ashy grey, medial part fuscous. Forewing ground color ashy grey tinged with ochreous; basal fascia grey; antemedial line dark grey, wave-like; postmedial line fuscous, lunulate between R stalk and M3 vein, indistinct in m3 cell, representing as grey and gradually extending distally from CuA1 vein to tornus; submarginal line dark grey, lunulate; marginal scales mosaic with dark grey and ashy grey. Hindwing ochreous, marginal region much darker; marginal scales ashy grey.

Abdomen. Abdominal 1st to 6th segments dark ochreous, remaining part grey. Male 8th sternum (Fig. 68) sclerotized; two sclerotized process extended posteriorly with apex narrowed, sharp; one medial apodeme extending forwards, gradually narrowed with flat terminal part incised posteriorly.

Male genitalia ( Figs 55 ). Uncus stout, widest at base and tapered gradually toward apex, bifurcate at ¾ part from base to apex. Socii tube-like, long, curved at ⅓ part at base, apex truncate; tegumen short; vinculum short, straight; saccus smoothly U-shaped; juxta ladder-like, widest at base. Valva relatively short, widest at medial part, distal part truncate, sclerotized with triangular costal apex process. Phallus moderate long, anterior part wider, one sclerotized process arising 60 degrees of angle to phallus, stout, long, curved at ½ part from base, apex acute with several strong ridges; vesica tube-like with spinose cornuti arising from basal part to median diverticulum.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 75 ). Ovipositor lobe membranous with short hair-like setae; apophysis anterioris short; apophysis posterioris long; ductus bursae short, sclerotized with basal part stronger; corpus bursae membranous, small with one lip-like signum ventrally.

Distribution and bionomics. This species, endemic to Taiwan, is distributed in mid-elevation (1760–2600 m) primary forest of Taiwan. It is presumably univoltine, adults occuring from May to July. The closely related species, D. dua and D tiga , are flying from February to September and from March to July, ( Schintlmeister, 2008), and are inferred to have more than two generations in one year.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Dr. Hideki Kobayashi, who is one of the greatest experts of the eastern Asiatic Notodontidae .

Figures

FIGURE 33 – 40. Disparia species. 33. Pseudofentonia (Dymantis) tiga Schintlmeister, 1997, male, paratype, N. Vietnam; 34. Pseudofentonia (Disparia) dua Schintlmeister, 1997, male, paratype; 35. D. kobayashii sp. nov., holotype, Taiwan; 36. D. kobayashii sp. nov., female, paratype, Taiwan; 37. Heterocampa maculata Moore, 1879, male, holotype, NE India; 38. ditto, labels; 39. D. maculata (Moore, 1879), Taiwan; 40. ditto, female, Taiwan. Bar scale = 10 mm. Courtesy of specimens: BMNH (33, 34, 37, 38), TFRI (35, 39, 40), NMNS (36). Photo by Shipher Wu (33 – 36, 39, 40), Chia-Hsuan Wei (37, 38).

FIGURE 41 – 46. Male antenna of Disparia species from Taiwan. 41. Fentonia nigrofasciata Wileman, 1910, holotype; 42. D. nigrofasciata (Wileman, 1910); 43. D. wilemani Matsumura, 1925 stat. rev.; 44. D. diuta variegata (Wileman, 1910); 45. D. maculata (Moore, 1879); 46. D. kobayashii sp. nov., paratype. Bar scale = 10 mm. Courtesy of specimens: BMNH (41); TFRI (42 – 46). Photo by Shipher Wu.

FIGURE 47 – 58. Male genitalia of Disparia species. 47. D. diluta diluta (Hampson, 1910), NE India; 48. ditto, Myanmar; 49. D. diluta sumatrana Schintlmeister, 2007, Sumatra; 50. D. diuta variegata (Wileman, 1910), Taiwan; 51. ditto, S. Japan; 52. ditto, S. China; 53. D. wilemani Matsumura, 1925 stat. rev.; 54. ditto, melanic form, Taiwan; 55. D. kobayashii sp. nov., holotype, Taiwan; 56. ditto, paratype, Taiwan; 57. D. maculata (Moore, 1879), Taiwan; 58. D. nigrofasciata (Wileman, 1910), Taiwan. Courtesy of specimens: NSMT (47 – 49, 51 – 52); TFRI (50, 53 – 58). Photo by Shipher Wu.

FIGURE 69 – 75. Female genitalia of Disparia species. 69. D. diluta diluta (Hampson, 1910), NE India; 70. D. diluta sumatrana Schintlmeister, 2007, Sumatra; 71. D. diuta variegata (Wileman, 1910), Taiwan; 72. D. nigrofasciata (Wileman, 1910), Taiwan; 73. D. maculata (Moore, 1879), Taiwan; 74. D. wilemani Matsumura, 1925 stat. rev., Taiwan; 75. D. kobayashii sp. nov., paratype, Taiwan. Bar scale = 1 mm. Courtesy of specimens: NSMT (69, 70); TFRI (71 – 75). Photo by Shipher Wu.