Arcilasisa sobria Walker, 1865

Chen, Enyong, Pan, Zhaohui, Volynkin, Anton V. & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2022, Redescription of the genus Arcilasisa Walker with notes on its taxonomic placement (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae), Zootaxa 5133 (1), pp. 143-150 : 145

Arcilasisa sobria Walker, 1865

(1–14)

Arcilasisa sobria Walker, 1865 , List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, 32: 470 (Type locality: [ India] “ South Hindostan ”).

Type material examined. Lectotype (hereby designated) ( Figs 1 , 9 ): male, “ Arcilasia sobria Walk Type 32-470” / “ Arcilacisa sobria ” / “ TYPE LEP.: No 1323 Arcilasisa sobria Walker HOPE DEPT.OXFORD” / “Slide AV6502 ♂ A. Volynkin ” ( OUMNH).

Additional material examined. Series of males from NE India (Darjeeling), Nepal and Afghanistan ( ZSM); 11 males, China, Xizang, Linzhi City, Bayi Town , 15.XI.2020, N29°40’1’’, E94°20′24″, 3000m, Pan Zhaohui and Chen Enyong leg. ; 1 female, China, Xizang, Linzhi City, Sejila Mountain , 15.XI.2021, N29°39'4.5'', E94°42'51.5'', 3903m, Chen Enyong and Yin Xiongyan leg., unique numbers: STS-32302–32305, STS-38558-38564, STS-39962, gen. preparations in glycerol by Chen Enyong ( TAAHU) .

Remarks. (1) In the original description, Walker (1865) did not mention a number of specimens therefore the existence of syntypes is possible. In order to stabilize the nomenclature, we hereby designate the specimen deposited in OUMNH ( Figs 1 , 9 ) as lectotype. (2) The type locality of the species provided by Walker (1865) as “South Hindostan” is doubtful since it inhabits high mountain regions and all the more recently collected Indian specimens originate from the Himalayan part of the country. (3) The male genital capsules of the specimens dissected display a variability in the length of the cucullus and the width of the digitus ( Figs 9–12 ) which was also seen in a number of Apamea species.

Diagnosis and description: see under the genus.

Distribution. The species is known from North and Northeast India (Uttarakhand, Sikkim, north of West Bengal), Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Southwest China (southern Xizang Province) ( Walker 1865; Hampson 1894, 1910; Hacker & Weigert 1990; Hacker & Peks 1992, 1996; Yoshimoto 1993; Hreblay et al. 1998; Bálint et al. 2014; Korb et al. 2017; Benedek et al. 2021).

Bionomics. In China, the male specimens were collected at high altitudes 3000m at a temperature reaching -3.094°C (the daily average temperature was 4.887°C) and an air humidity 23.66% ( Fig. 14 ), while the female specimen was collected at an altitude 3903m at a temperature reaching -5.612°C (the daily average temperature was 0.662°C) and an air humidity 64% ( Fig. 15 ). Adults are on wing from October to mid-November. The specimen from Nepal deposited in ZSM has the collecting date in May ( Fig. 3 ) which is doubtful and requires confirmation. The specimens collected by the Schäfer’s expedition in Sikkim ( India) in October 1938 have the notices on the labels concerning the temperature during the collecting: “bei minus 8 °C” and “bei minus 10–12 °C” ( Hreblay et al. 1998) .

The preimaginal stages and the food plants are unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 14. The habitat of Arcilasisa sobria: China, Xizang, Linzhi City, Bayi Town, N29°40'01'', E94°20'24'', 3000m, 15.XI.2020 (photo by Chen Enyong).

FIGURE 15. The habitat of Arcilasisa sobria: China, Xizang, Linzhi City, Sejila Mountain, N29°39'4.5'', E94°42'51.5'', 3903m, 15.XI.2021 (photo by Yin Xiongyan).

FIGURES 1–8. Arcilasisa sobria: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in OUMNH; 2–4 in ZSM; 5–8 in TAAHU.

FIGURES 9–11. Arcilasisa sobria: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 9 in OUMNH; 10 and 11 in TAAHU.