Micrarctia kautti, Saldaitis, Aidas & Pekarsky, Oleg, 2015

Saldaitis, Aidas & Pekarsky, Oleg, 2015, A new species Micrarctia kautti (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae) from West China, Zootaxa 3955 (2), pp. 291-294 : 291-293

Micrarctia kautti sp. n.

( Figs 1, 3 , 4 )

Type material. Holotype: male ( Fig. 1 ), China, Sichuan, Dafengding Mts, 50 km N Meigu, 3100 m, 14–16.VIII.2007, S. Murzin leg., (Slide No. OP 2835m) preserved in ASV collection, later to be deposited in the WIGJ.

Paratypes: 24 males ( Fig. 3 ), with the same data as the holotype in the KNE and PKT collections; 1 male, China, S Sichuan, pass 30 km SW Mianning, 3000-3400m, 11–13.VIII.2007, S. Murzin leg., in RMB collection.

Diagnosis. M. kautti is a relative of M. trigona ( Fig. 2 ) but can be distinguished from it by both external and genital features. Externally the new species is characterized by two yellow long forewing longitudinal stripes extending from the base towards the outer margin, and pure pale yellow hind wings which are almost without dark markings except occasionally for short, narrow dark grey radial stripes and double apical and tornal dark dots may be present. The forewings of M. kautti are significantly larger (wingspan 37–41 mm, (n–26)) with less rounded apex and more oblique termen, compared to M. trigona (wingspan 27–32 mm, (n–12)) which has deep yellow forewing pattern elements and orange yellow hindwings with four wide dark radial stripes (sometimes the entire wing is unicolorously darkened). The male genitalia of the new species ( Fig. 4 ) are distinguished by the narrow uncus and the rounded apex of its crab clawlike valva with large, rather slender saccular lobe, whereas M. trigona ( Fig. 4 ) is characterized by its significantly wider based uncus, and the longer, narrower valva with a pointed tip and broader, more lobate sacculus.

The forewings pattern of M. kautti resembles that of Fangarctia zhongtiao (Fang et Cao, 1984) but the latter species belongs to another subtribe, Spilosomatina, and its genitalia differ significantly from those of Micrarctia Seitz species. Micrarctia male genitalia structure the most similar to related monotypical genus Hyperborea Grum – Grshimailo, [1900] 1899, but H. czekanowskii Grum – Grshimailo, [1900] 1899 differ significantly from Micrarctia species.

Description. Wingspan 37–41 mm (holotype 40 mm). Head and frons brown with red lateral margins; collar red, yellow at base; thorax black, tegulae yellow at base and brown in upper part; abdomen black with narrow red transversal bands; forewing ground color brown; subcostal longitudinal stripe running from base towards apex, with small subapical dent, axial longitudinal stripe joined with tornal streak; inner margin also yellow; cilia as ground color. Hindwings yellow, short narrow greyish radial stripes, sometimes with small brown-grey patches on tornus and lower part of termen; cilia as ground color. Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ) Uncus subconical; tegumen large, wide; juxta with bird’s mouth cleft on posterior margin; valva short and wide, reaching middle of tegumen with large rounded saccular lobe. Aedeagus thick, short, slightly curved; vesica globular with scobinated medial section; subbasal diverticulum long, relatively tubular, scobinated. Female unknown.

Biology and distribution. All twenty-six known males were collected at ultraviolet light (pers. comm. S. Murzin) which contrasts with M. trigona , males which are active during the day and haven’t been attracted to lights at night. M. kautti was collected from 11–16 August, 2007 in southwestern China's Sichuan province in the Dafengding Mountains near Mianning on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. The males were collected at altitudes ranging from 3000 to 3400 meters in mountain mixed forests dominated by various conifer trees, bushes and rhododendron.

Etymology: The new species is named after prominent German Arctiidae specialist Peter Kautt (Tübingen, Germany).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Micrarctia spp. adults. 1. M. kautti sp. n., male, holotype, China, Sichuan (ASV); 2. M. trigona male, China, Sichuan (ASV); 3. M. kautti sp. n., males, paratypes, China, Sichuan (PKT).

FIGURES 4 – 5. Micrarctia spp. male genitalia. 4. M. kautti sp. n., holotype, prep. OP 2835 m; 5. M. trigona prep. OP 2836 m.