Platyptilia duda, 2021

Ustjuzhanin, P. Ya., Kovtunovich, V. N., Saldaitis, A. & Streltzov, A. N., 2021, New species of plume moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from China, Sichuan Province, Russian Entomological Journal 30 (3), pp. 323-327 : 324-325

Platyptilia duda

Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich et Saldaitis, sp.n.

Figs 4–6 .

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype — ♂, ( ZISP, gen. pr. N 1954) China, W Sichuan, near Xinduqiao , h≈ 3640m, 30°04´S, 101°24´E, 28.vi.2009, J. Butvila & A. Saldaitis leg.

DESCRIPTION: External characters ( Fig. 4 ). Wingspan 18 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae light-grey. Labial palpi light-brown, long, straight, 1,5 times longer than longitudinal eye diameter, third segment apically acute. Antennae thin, dark-brown. Fore wings brown-grey, with alternating brown and white scales on costal edge, wing apically bluntly round- ed. Clearly expressed bright white band at cleft base on both lobes. Distally the same band poorly expressed. Costal triangle apically acute. At base of both lobes fringe dark-brown, on outer side of lobes — white. Fringe inside cleft white, only distally with brown hairs. Hind wings grey-yellow, unicolorous. Fringe on third lobe with individual patches of dark-brown hairs, without visible bundle of scales which is often observed in specimens of this genus. Legs light-grey with brown portions of scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Valves narrow, outer edge concave. Sacculus relatively narrow, basally noticeably wider than medially and distally. Uncus narrow, apically noticeably thicker. Anellus arms straight, narrow, short. Saccus with wide outer edge. Inner edge of saccus with narrow deep cut. Aedeagus medially curved almost at right angle. Basal process of aedeagus long, pressed to caecum.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. In the wings color and male genital structure, the new species resembles Platyptilia calodactyla (Denis et Schiffermüller, 1775) , from which it differs in the expressed white band at the cleft base on both lobes of the fore wings, and in the absence of the noticeable bundle of hairs in the fringe on the outer side of the third lobe of hind wings. In the male genitalia, the new species differs from P. calodactyla in the narrow deep cut on the inner side of the saccus and in the short and narrow anellus arms.

BIONOMICS. Single male was collected at light on 28.VI. 2009 in remote part of west China Sichuan province near Xinduqiao. The new species was collected at altitudes ranging 3600 meters in mountain mixed forests dominated by various conifer trees, bushes and rhododendron ( Fig. 6 ) .

ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named after our colleague Juozas Dûda (Joni kis, Lithuania), prominent Lithuanian collector and director of the World Insect Gallery.

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Figures

Figs 4–6. Platyptilia duda Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich et Saldaitis, sp.n.: 4 — habitus (holotype, ZISP); 5 — male genitalia (holotype, ZISP, gen.pr. Nr 1954); 6 — biotope, China, W Sichuan, near Xinduqiao, h≈3640m. Photo by A. Saldaitis. Рис. 4–6. Platyptilia duda Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich et Saldaitis, sp.n.: 4 — внешний вид (голотип, ZISP); 5 — гениталии самца (голотип, ZISP, gen.pr. Nr 1954); 6 — биотоп, Китай, З Сычуань, near Xinduqiao, h≈3640м. Фото А. Салдаитиса.