Palaeamathes serrulata Gyulai, Ronkay & Saldaitis, 2011

Gyulai, P., Ronkay, L. & Saldaitis, A., 2011, New Noctuidae species from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea), Zootaxa 2896 (1), pp. 46-52 : 47-48

Palaeamathes serrulata Gyulai, Ronkay & Saldaitis , sp. n.

( Figs 3, 4 , 12–14 )

Type material. Holotype: Male , China, W-Sichuan, Litang env., 4000 m, 29.50°N, 100.21°E, 16. vii. 2009, leg. I. & A. Floriani & A. Saldaitis; coll. P. Gyulai (Miskolc). Slide No. GYP 2435m

Paratypes: 2 males, 2 females, with the same data; slide Nos GYP 2398m, GYP2482 f. The paratypes are deposited in the collections of ASF, GYP, GBG / ZSM and NRCV .

Diagnosis and description. Forewing length 16.5–18.0 mm. External morphological features and genitalia place the new species closest to Palaeamathes harpegnoma (Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998) . Despite similarities in forewing ground colour (brown, brown-red) with the single worn P. harpegnoma specimen, P. serrulata can be distinguished by having more elongated forewings, an antemedial crossline that is not oblique and a narrower reniform stigmata that has a conspicuously different shape forming a lying V-form pointing toward the basal part of forewing. In the male genitalia of the new species the cucullus is slighter longer, the apical process of the bifurcated harpe is longer, and the medial incision of the juxta is smaller. The vesica has two tiny wide-based cornuti situated in close proximity subbasally, while in P. harpegnoma the smaller cornutus is distally positioned. Distinguishing female genitalia characters, in comparison with the other known Palaeagrotis , are as follows: ostium bursae is wide calycular, with a small posterio-medial incision on the outer belt-like sclerotised lamella; the wall of ductus bursae has a visible characteristic, longitudinal tongue-like sclerotised lamella; the appendix bursae is basally broad and the corpus bursae is sac-like.

Distribution and biology. Only known from the Litang area of China's Sichuan province on the east part of the Tibetan plateau. All specimens were collected in mid July at an altitude 4000 m. Both males and females are attracted to light but appear to have a local distribution as P. serrulata was discovered in one small valley near Litang. The new species was uncommon in the alpine grasslands zone where it flies with other rare high altitude moths such as the arctiids Platarctia souliei (Oberthür, 1911) and Murzinowatsonia x-album (Oberthür, 1911).

Etymology. The name refers to the serrated distal part of the harpe.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Adults: 1. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 2. Cerastis aspira sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 3. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 4. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 5. Hada antonraui sp. n. holotype, male, China, West Sichuan. 6. Hada antonraui sp. n. paratype, female, China, West Sichuan. 7. Lacanobia (Dianobia) kitokia sp. n. holotype, male, China, Sichuan. 8. Lacanobia (Dianobia) kitokia sp. n. paratype, female, China, Yunnan.

FIGURES 9–14. Genitalia: 9. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, genitalic armature. 10. Cerastis aspira sp. n. holotype, male, aedeagus. 11. Cerastis aspira sp. n. paratype, female, ovipositor. 12. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. paratype, female, ovipositor. 13. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, genitalic armature. 14. Palaeamathes serrulata sp. n. holotype, male, aedeagus.