Polia atrax vargai, Gyulai & Saldaitis, 2017

Gyulai, Péter & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2017, Three new taxa of Noctuidae from China (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Zootaxa 4311 (2), pp. 292-300 : 296-300

Polia atrax vargai , ssp. nov . ( Figs. 9–10 , 19 )

Holotype: Male ( Fig. 9 ) China, Gansu SW, S. from Lanchou, Xinglongshan Mt. , near Agan vill., 2240 m, N35°51.200′, E103°51.296′, 8.vii. 2010, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis, slide No. PGY 4631m (coll. PGM, later will be deposited in the HNHM)

Paratypes: 4 males ( Fig. 10 ), same data as the holotype, (coll. AFM, MDS).

Diagnosis. Polia atrax vargai ( Figs. 9, 10 ) can be separated from the nominotypical subspecies ( Figs. 11, 12 ) by its significantly lighter, fawn coloured – pale hazel brown or pale grayish body vesture and forewing ground colour, somewhere with reddish brown suffusion; the light brown, brown, somewhere reddish brown, contrasting forewing pattern and the lighter hindwings. In the nominotypical subspecies, the body vesture and forewing ground colour and the forewing pattern conspicuously darker, dark brown (in the more than eighty years old holotype ( Fig. 11 ) light greyish brown), thus forewing seems to be more homogenous, the forewing pattern less contrasting, the cross lines hardly discernible. The comparison of the male genitalia of the two subspecies ( Figs. 19 & 20, 21 ) indicates some slight, however well recognizable differences, which provide enough evidence to the authors to describe here the new taxa on subspecific level. The P. atrax vargai have much larger tuft appendage on the basal part of the left saccular extension (which is triangle in the P. atrax atrax ), weaker, shorter right saccular extension, longer cucullus ”neck” and smaller cucullus; the terminal cornuti field in the vesica is somewhat longer.

The female is unknown.

Description ( Figs. 9, 10 ) Wingspan 46–52 mm, length of forewing 22–25 mm. Antennae brown, filiform, finely ciliated. Vesture of the thorax hazel brown, or grayish hairs brown tipped, while of the abdomen somewhat lighter. The forewing elongated with pointed apex. Ground colour fawn coloured–pale hazel brown, somewhere reddish brown suffused, or pale grey. The wings pattern conspicuous, light brown, brown, somewhere reddish brown. The transversal lines well discernible, particularly the double, zigzagged basal and antemedial lines, while the postmedial line simple, arched, crenellated; the subterminal line brown, zigzagged, with 4–5 brown small arrowhead–like patches on the inner side; the terminal line black, fine, slightly wavy, with some black dots inward. Hindwings pale brown coloured, with broad but diffuse darker marginal field; the cellular discal spot is a fine, curved brown line. The most remarkable features of the new subspecies in the male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ) are as follows: the rather short and almost evenly thin uncus; slightly developed, elongated tegumen; dorsally tapering, elongated juxta, U–shaped vinculum; short, thin, finger–like, somewhat evenly curved harpe on a broad, somewhat bifurcate base; almost evenly broad valve, distally with a narrow “neck”, joining with the triangular strongly haired cucullus, with slight corona and a single cornutus in the ventral angle. The most conspicuous features are the long, asymmetric saccular extensions, with long, strong hairs terminally and large conical tuft on the left side, while the asymmetric smaller tufts of which the right one is much more developed, are situated on the medial part of the sacculus. The sclerotized aedeagus evenly ventrally curved, with thorn–like strongly sclerotized carinal plate; vesica membranous, ample, distally tubular, dorsally recurved with a large, prominent, conical medial and a less conspicuous subbasal diverticulum and a long terminal cornuti field; almost oppositely, an elongated, thin sclerotized field may be present, which absents in the holotype.

Biology and distribution. Five males were collected at ultraviolet light during a single night on 8 July, 2010 in remote part of central China, Gansu Province near the Agan. New subspecies was collected at altitude ranging 2200 meters in very dry, narrow and stony river without water valley rarely covered by mixed bushes.

Etymology. The new subspecies is dedicated to Professor Zoltán Varga, expert of the Palaearctic Noctuidae , author of numerous new taxa.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Polia spp., males, adults. 9. P. atrax vargai. HT, China, Gansu, PGY 4631 m (PGM / HNHM); 10. P. atrax vargai, PT, China, Gansu, (MDS); 11. P. atrax atrax, HT, China, N. Yunnan, VZ 8945 m (ZFMK); 12. P. atrax atrax, China, N. Yunnan, PGY 4444 m (PGM).

FIGURES 19 – 21. Polia atrax male genitalia. 19. P. atrax vargai, HT, China, Gansu, PGY 4631 m (PGM / HNHM); 20. P. atrax atrax, HT, China, N. Yunnan, VZ 8945 m (ZFMK); 21. P. atrax atrax, China, N. Yunnan, PGY 4444 m (PGM).