Nosophora insignis ( Butler, 1881 )

Matsui, Yuki, Kohama, Sari & Naka, Hideshi, 2024, Remarkable sexual dimorphism found in Nosophora insignis (Butler) (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Spilomelinae), Zootaxa 5458 (1), pp. 73-82 : 75-79

Nosophora insignis ( Butler, 1881)

Japanese name: kiboshi-nomeiga

Figs. 1A–1F , 2A, 2B , 3A, 3B , 4A, 4B , 5A, 5B

Botyodes insignis Butler, 1881: 587 . Type locality: Japan, Tokyo [Tokei].

Notarcha insignis : Mutuura, 1957: 138, pl. 24 fig. 721.

Analthes insignis : Inoue, 1982: 1: 337; 2: 232, 454, pl. 39, fig. 28; Sasaki and Yamanaka, 2013: 79, 443.

Analthes sp. : Inoue, 1982: 1: 337; 2: 232, 454, pl. 39, fig. 29; Sasaki and Yamanaka, 2013: 79, 443.

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be distinguished from other Nosophora species by the elongated forewing with dark brown ground color and two yellow trapezoid spots on the discal cell. The female resembles to N. euryterminalis in the wing maculation, but the hindwing with a thick yellow band along with postmedial line in this species, while it is a yellow dotted line in N. euryterminalis . In the female genitalia, the antrum narrow and slightly expanded anteriorly, and the corpus bursae lacks signa in this species, while the antrum wide and narrowed anteriorly, and the corpus bursae with two, small and rounded signa in N. euryterminalis .

Redescription. Male ( Fig. 2A ). Head. Frons smooth, yellow. Vertex with yellow hairs. Labial palpus slightly upturned, approximately 1.5 times longer than diameter of compound eye; first segment pale yellow, second and third segments yellow. Proboscis covered with yellow scales basally. Antennae dark brown, approximately 4/5 as long as forewing length; flagellum filiform with golden cilia ventrally; scape yellow. Thorax. Dark brown dorsally, white ventrally. Legs. Pale yellow, foretarsus with a dark brown band medially. Wings. Forewing length 13–17 mm. Forewing dark brown, elongated, termen strongly oblique; discal cell with two yellow trapezoid spots, their anterior margins connected to a costal yellow area. Hindwing dark brown, basal half of costa to discal cell tinged with white. Cilia concolorous with ground color for both wings. Wing venation (n = 2) ( Fig. 3A ). Forewing Sc and R 1 separate; R 2 adjacent to R 3 + R 4 at basal 2/3; R 3 stalked with R 4 at 4/5 distance from discal cell; R 5 separate, parallel to R 3 + R 4; M 1 separate; M 2, M 3 and CuA 1 close basally, then diverging; CuA 2 distant from CuA 1; 1A+2A slightly sinuate just before tornus; 3A completely looped, with a short spur from outer angle. Hindwing Sc+R 1 and Rs stalked at 2/3 from wing base; M 1 and Rs stalked basally; M 2, M 3 and CuA 1 close basally, then diverging; closing vein strongly oblique; CuA 2 distant from CuA 1; CuP complete; 1A+2A strongly marked; 3A complete, sinuate from basal 1/3 to tornus. Abdomen. Dorsal side dark brown, posterior margin of each segment yellow. Ventral side pale yellow with dark brown scales on both sides. Tympanal organs ( Fig. 4A ) with strongly protruded fornix tympani beyond venula prima; venula secundae absent. Anterior edge of third sternite with a broad, membranous fold, each side protruded anteriorly as triangular lobes ( Fig. 4A ). Sclerotization of eighth sternite wide longitudinal strip, concave at anterior margin medially ( Fig. 4B ). Sclerotization of eighth tergite similar to sternite 8, but anterior margin more strongly concaved ( Fig. 4B ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 5A ) (n = 6). Uncus conical, apex blunt, with dense, long, and unsplited setae dorsally. Tuba analis elongated, apex beyond valva apex. Tegumen broad; parateguminal sclerite [sensu Solis et al. (2020)] present, connected at the anterior end of tegumen, its anterior end with long, filiform hairpencils. Gnathos a transvers band. Valvae slender, costal and ventral margins straight and parallel, apex rounded; fibula small square plate, located on the centre of valva, pointed towards the valva base; sacculus weakly developed, dorsal margin extended to 1/2 of valva. Transtilla triangular, weakly connected medially. Juxta shield-shaped, dorsal margin concaved medially. Saccus membranous, bulb-shaped, length longer than width. Phallus cylindrical, slightly swollen posteriorly; vesica densely covered with microspines, with a cluster of several spine-shaped cornuti and a rod-shaped cornutus.

Female ( Fig. 2B ). Head. Frons smooth, pale yellow. Vertex with yellow hairs. Labial palpus same as the male, but slightly thicker. Antennae dark brown, approximately 3/4 as long as forewing length; scape yellow. Thorax. Patagium yellow, both sides margined with dark brown. Tegula yellow, posterior margin with a broad dark brown band. Ventral side white. Legs. Pale yellow, foretarsus with a blurred brown band medially. Wings. Forewing length 12–17 mm. Forewing pale yellow; costa tinged with dark brown; antemedial line dark brown, excurved; antemedial spot dark brown, small and rounded; discoidal spot dark brown, meets to postmedial line at posterior end of cell; postmedial line dark brown, strongly excurved between veins M 1 and CuA 2; submarginal area broadly dark brown with a large yellow patch between veins R 3 and M 1, four small linear yellow patches from veins M 1 to CuA 1, and two wedge-shaped yellow patches from vein CuA 1 to dorsum on the outside of postmedial line; cilia dark brown except yellow tornus. Hindwing pale yellow; antemedial line thick dark brown band, originated from anterior margin of discal cell, disappeared around vein 3A; postmedial line dark brown, strongly excurved between veins M 2 and Cu 2; submarginal area dark brown with a thick yellow band along with postmedial line; cilia dark brown, pale yellow between veins CuA 2 and CuP, and from 1A+2A to dorsum. Wing venation (n = 2) ( Fig. 3B ). Same as that of male, with two frenulum bristles. Abdomen. Dorsal side dark brown, posterior margin of each segment broadly pale yellow. Ventral side light brown, posterior margin of each segment dark brown. Tympanal organs and third sternite as in that of male. Female genitalia ( Fig. 5B ) (n = 5). Papillae anales narrow, setose. Posterior apophyses short, triangularly expanded at base. Anterior apophyses approximately 1.5 times longer than posterior apophyses, swollen at middle. Antrum slightly expanded anteriorly, with two longitudinal sclerotizations laterally. Ductus bursae approximately 1.0 to 1.2 times longer than corpus bursae, densely granulate, slightly coiled near antrum. Corpus bursae membranous, usually eggplant-shaped; signa absent.

Material examined. Japan: [Tokyo To] 2♂ 1♀, Mt. Takaosan, Hachioji City , 13 Aug. 1933, collector unknown ( NSMT) ; 1♂, same locality, 16 Aug. 1939, H. Inoue leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂, same locality, 22 Aug. 1950, T. Haruta leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂, Meguro , 28 July 1948, collector unknown ( NSMT) ; 2♀, Kiyose , 12 Aug. 1956, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, same locality, 21 Aug. 1956, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, same locality, 15 June 1957, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, same locality, 22 Aug. 1957, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 2♀, same locality, 15 June 1958, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 2♂ 1♀, same locality, 14 June 1959, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂ 1♀, same locality, 11–12 Sep. 1959, T. Ebato leg. ( NSMT) . [Yamanashi Pref.] 2♂, Minobu , 20 June 1992, Y. Kishida leg. ( NSMT) . [Shizuoka Pref.] 1♂, Shirasuka, Kosai City , 20 Aug. 1996, S. Iwasaki leg. ( NSMT) . [Aichi Pref.] 1♀, Kuraga-Ike, Toyota City , 23 Aug. 1999 M. Yamamoto leg. ( NSMT) gen. slide no. AS-2435. [Mie Pref.] 1♂, Miyagawa dam, Odai Town , 3 Sep. 2009, M. Owada and H. Endo leg. ( NSMT) . [Ohsaka Fu] 1♂, Ibaraki, 6 Aug. 1983, Y. Kishida leg. ( NSMT) . [Wakayama Pref.] 1♀, Osugi-dani, Mts. Oto, Simokawa , 23 Sep. 1973, collector unknown ( NSMT) ; 1♂ 1♀, same locality, 23 June 1975, collector unknown ( NSMT) , gen. slide no. YM759 ; 2♂ 2♀, same locality, 5 July 1975, collector unknown ( NSMT) ; 1♂ 1♀, same locality, 4 Aug. 1976, collector unknown ( NSMT) ; 3♂, same locality, 1–4 July 1977, M. Owada and Y. Nishi leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂, Shimomukawa, Kanaya Town , 7 July1977, M. Yamamoto leg. ( NSMT) . [Tottori Pref.] 1♂, Wakabadai-kita, Tottori City , 6 June 2012, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♂, same locality, 26 July 2012, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, same locality, 10 Aug. 2012, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, same locality, 31 July 2013, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♂, same locality, 9 Aug. 2013, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, same locality, 6 Aug. 2013, Y. Matsui leg., gen. slide no. YM0339 ; 1♀, same locality, 14 June 2014, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♂, same locality, 15 Sep. 2017, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, Kaizôji, Tottori City , 15 Sep. 2015, Y. Matsui leg. ; 4♂ 5♀, Fukui, Tottori City , 14–27 Oct. 2022 (F 1 emerged), Y. Matsui leg., gen. slide no. YM0460 (♂), YM0461 (♀) ; 1♂, Sôrokubara, Tottori City , 6 June 2012, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, Azô, Tottori City , 16 Aug. 2017, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, Megano, Yazu Town , 15 June 2016, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♀, Moroga, Wakasa Town , 18 Aug. 2013, Y. Matsui leg. ; 1♂, same locality, 19 Aug. 2020, Y. Matsui leg. [Hiroshima Pref.] 1♂, Mt. Noroyama, Fukutomi Town, Higashihiroshima City , 24 June 2012, M. Owada and H. Endo leg. ( NSMT) . [Yamaguchi Pref.] 1♀, Akiyoshidai, Mine City , 29 Aug. 2017, Y. Matsui leg. [Fukuoka Pref.] 1♂, Hikosan, Soeda, Tagawa , 25 June 2014, S. Yagi leg. ( ELKU) ; 1♀, ditto, 25 July 2014, ditto ( ELKU) ; 1♂ 2♀, ditto, 28–29 Aug. 2014, ditto, gen. slide no. YM760 (♂) ( ELKU) ; [Nagasaki Pref.] 2♂, Mt. Yamadayama, Kamiagata Town , I. Tsushima, 11 June 2005, M. Owada leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, same locality, 19–20 June 2009, M. Furukawa leg. ( NSMT) ; 2♂ 2♀, same locality, 27 June 2011, M. Owada leg. ( NSMT) . [Kagoshima Pref.] 1♂ 1♀, Siratani, Miyanoura, I. Yakushima , 18–20 June 1993, M. Owada leg. ( NSMT) ; 2♂, Nagata , I. Yakushima, 3 Oct. 2006, M. Owada and T. Furukawa leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂, Kinsakubaru, Naze City, I. Amamioshima , 11 Oct. 1988, M. Owada leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♂, Chinase, Naze City, I. Amamioshima , 24 Apr. 2009, M. Owada leg. ( NSMT) . [Okinawa Pref.] 1♀, Mt. Terukubi-yama, Kunigami-son, I. Okinawajima , 10 Aug. 1980, R. Sato leg. ( NSMT) ; 2♂ 2♀, Okuni-Bashi, Hiji, Kunigami Village , I. Okinawajima, 9 May 2000, M. Yamamoto leg. ( NSMT) gen. slide no. YM0462 (♂), YM758 (♂), AS-2469 (♀) ; 1♀, Okuni-rindo, Kunigami Village , I. Okinawajima, 26 May 2000, A. Sasaki leg. ( NSMT) gen. slide no. AS-2484; 1♂, same data as for preceding ; 1♀, same locality, 2 June 2003, A. Sasaki leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, Aha, Kunigami Village , 6–8 June 2008, M. Owada, M. Kimura, Y. Kishida and H. Kobayashi leg. ( NSMT) ; 1♀, Miyagi, Higashi Village , I. Okinawajima, 28 June 2003, M. Kimura leg. ( NSMT) .

Distribution. China, Taiwan ( Sasaki & Yamanaka 2013); Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima Is., Yakushima Is., Amamioshima Is., Okinawajima Is.) (this study). Sasaki & Yamanaka (2013) recorded “ Nosophora sp. ” from Ishigakijima Is. and Iriomotejima Is., Japan, but did not record N. insignis from those islands. In our examination, we did not find neither females nor males of N. insignis from those islands. We thus excluded those islands from the distribution of this species.

Host plant. Quercus glauca , Q. serrata ( Fagaceae ).

Biology. In the mainlands of Japan (Honshu), adults are assumed to be bivoltine. In the Ryukyu Islands, the occurrence seems to be three or more generations annually. Both male and female adults are collected by lighttrapping. Females showed a calling behavior (released sex pheromone) about six hours after the onset of scotophase under laboratory conditions (25 ± 2℃, 14L10D), although the copulation was not observed.

The biology of the immature stage is as mentioned above. The larva almost yellowish green, cranium and thoracic brownish orange, thoracic margined black on both sides, dorsal sides of T2, T3, and A8 with rounded black dots on both sides ( Figs 1A, 1B ). The pupa reddish brown dorsally, light yellow ventrally ( Figs 1D–1F ), forewing color changes to that of each male and female adult on the day before emergence.

Remarks. Sasaki & Yamanaka (2013) illustrated a “male” specimen of “ Nosophora sp. ” and a “female” specimen of N. insignis , but both are considered errors.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The larval and pupal stages of N. insignis. A: a third instar larva, dorsal view; B: a last instar larva, dorsal view; C: pupal cell; D: a pupa, dorsal view; E: a pupa, lateral view; F: a pupa, ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Adults of N. insignis, dorsal view. A: male; B: female [“Nosophora sp.” of Inoue (1982)].

FIGURE 3. Wing venations of N. insignis. A: male; B: female.

FIGURE 4. Abdominal structure of N. insignis. A: male tympanal organs; B: male eighth sternite and tergite (slide no. YM758). Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Genitalia of N. insignis. A: male genitalia (slide no. YM758); B: female genitalia (slide no. YM761). Scale bars: A=1.0 mm, B=2.0mm.