Lecithocera chersitis Meyrick, 1918

Oku, Johei, Sakamaki, Yositaka & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the genus Lecithocera (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) from Japan, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4996 (3), pp. 540-554 : 542

Lecithocera chersitis Meyrick, 1918

[Japanese name: Ookiiro-hosoba-higenaga-kibaga]

( Figs 1a–b , 2a , 3a , 4a , 5a )

Lecithocera chersitis Meyrick, 1918: 106 ; Clarke, 1965: 116; Gozmány, 1978: 107; Park & Lee, 1999: 120; Park & Oku, 2006: 176; Sakamaki, 2013: 221; Park et al., 2020: 394.

Type locality: Port Lazaref (=Wonsan), N. Korea , Type specimen in NHMUK .

Diagnosis. The species can be superficially distinguished from its allies by its large wingspan, forewing with an oblong spot at end of the cell, and hindwing with long hair-pencils on the upper surface at the base in the male. It is similar to L. pelomorpha Meyrick, 1931 but it is smaller than the latter. The male genitalia are also similar, but it can be distinguished by the following combination: costal bar slightly angled; cephalic side of the juxta sharply pointed; the aedeagus with conic apical processes at on both lateral sides, median plates of cornuti consisting of three short triangular sclerites, and connected with a conical spine-like plate basally. The female genitalia are separable by the horizontally elliptical signum.

Description. See Park & Oku (2006) for detailed description of the adults and genitalia.

Specimens examined. JAPAN, [Shikoku]: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Matsuyama Castle area, Matsuyama City, Ehime Pref., 14.vi.2016, J. Oku leg. (1 ♂ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 6, 1 ♀ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 7) in ELKU ; 2 ♀, same locality, 7.vii.2016, J. Oku leg. (1 ♀ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 16, wing. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 16-2) in ELKU ; 1 ♂ 1♀, same locality, 7.vii.2016, J. Oku leg., in KGU ; 1 ♂, same locality, 23.ix.2016, J. Oku leg. (1 ♂ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 17) in ELKU . [ Kyushu ] : 1 ♀, Nobu, Tsushima City, Nagasaki Pref., Tsushima Island , 14.vi.2018, T. Terada et al. leg. (1 ♀ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 87) in ELKU ; 2 ♀, Kamisushima, Ushibuka City , Kumamoto Pref., 29.vi.2001, I. Ohshima leg., in HUM ; 1 ♀, Taka-toge, Tarumizu City, Kagoshima Pref., 13.ix.2017, J. Oku leg. (1 ♀ Gen. sl. no. Lecithocera No. 50) in ELKU .

Distribution. Japan: Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima Island; North & South Korea.

Biology. Adults fly in early and mid-summer, and early fall.

Remarks. In Japanese specimens, the species has two color forms: the light-yellow form and the brownishorange form.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult specimens of Lecithocera spp. 1a, L. chersitis, male (light yellow form); 1b, ditto, female (brownish orange form); 1c, L. daebuensis, male; 1d, L. duplicata, male; 1e, ditto, male; 1f, L. fascimaculata sp. nov., male; 1g, L. fuscialaris sp. nov., female; 1h, L. tridentata, male. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Wing venation of Lecithocera spp. 2a, L. chersitis; 2b, L. daebuensis; 2c, L. duplicata; 2d, L. fascimaculata sp. nov.; 2e, L. fuscialaris sp. nov.; 2f, L. tridentata; 2g, ditto. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of Lecithocera spp. 3a, L. chersitis; 3b, L. daebuensis; 3c, L. duplicata; 3d, L. fascimaculata sp. nov.; 3e, L. fuscialaris sp. nov.; 3f, L. tridentata. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Male 7th sternite of Lecithocera spp. 4a, L. chersitis; 4b, L. daebuensis; 4c, L. duplicata; 4d, L. fascimaculata sp. nov.; 4e, L. fuscialaris sp. nov.; 4f, L. tridentata. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Female genitalia of Lecithocera spp. 5a, L. chersitis; 5b, L. fascimaculata sp. nov.; 5c, L. fuscialaris sp. nov.; 5d, L. tridentata. Scale bar: 1 mm.