Diarsia griseocilia, Gyulai & Saldaitis, 2019

Gyulai, Peter & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2019, Notes on the genus Diarsia with the description of seven new species from China (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 22, pp. 128-151 : 148-149

Diarsia griseocilia sp. n.

( Figs 33–35 , 65 –67)

Type material. Holotype: male ( Fig. 33 ), China, N Yunnan, road Dali / Yongping H – 2330 m, N25°29’29”, E99°38’38”, 11–12.V.2017, Butvila & Saldaitis leg, slide: GYP 4997, (coll. PGM, later to be deposited in the HNHM).

Paratypes: 4 males with the same data as holotype. (colls AFM & ASV), slides GYP 4942, GYP 4995 (males) .

Diagnosis. The new species ( Figs 33–35 ) is the member of the erubescens group. Surprisingly, the male genitalia of D. griseocilia is apparently corresponding in most sections to those of the Diarsia rubicilia (Moore, 1967) ( Figs 36, 37 ) and Diarsia luteosuffusa Gyulai, Ronkay, Ronkay & Saldaitis, 2013 ( Fig. 38 ), although these are very dissimilar in the ground colour and forewing pattern. The separation of the new species from the two relatives is very easy, since the new species has grey coloured forewings, whereas those are red, orange–red (in one of them yellow suffused) in the two congeners. Additionally, the cilia of the forewings is unicolorous grey, of the hindwings pale ochre in the D. griseocilia , while orange – red in all the four wings of the two congeners. The new species is somewhat larger (32–35 mm, versus 28–32 mm). In the male genitalia, the key features comparing the new species ( Figs 65 –67) to D. rubicilia (Fig. 68) and D. luteosuffusa (Fig. 69) are in the shape and size of uncus, juxta, harpe and ampulla. D. griseocilia has longer, rather thin, not spatulate uncus (while this is somewhat spatulate in the two relative species), apically with some strong spines; more or less shorter ampulla, remarkably weaker, slightly falcate harpe, differently shaped juxta, in which the two dorsal extensions somewhat shorter and rather parallel, forming a broad U– shape; while these are diverging, forming V–shape in the two congeners. Female genitalia. Female is unknown.

Description. A medium sized species, wingspan 32–35 mm. Antennae of males are thin, filiform. Ground colour of head and thorax vesture and of the forewings is unicolorous slate grey, only in the subapex visible a diffuse, darker patch. The wing pattern is also greyish, but well discernible, since the ante– and postmedial lines are defined by double, dark brown, fine lines; the former one somewhat zigzag, the latter one finely wavy; the subterminal line simple, but conspicuous, slightly wavy. Orbicular and reniform stigmata are grey, finely outlined. Hindwings are light greyish brown with pale ochre shade, somewhat darker suffused in the diffuse marginal area; discal spot conspicuous, dark brown. The cilia of the forewings is unicolorous grey, while pale ochre in the hindwings. Male genitalia. The main characters of D. griseocilia ( Figs 65 –67) are included: rather long, distally slightly broaden uncus, apically with some strong spines; juxta with two dorsal, more or less parallel bilateral extensions, forming a broad U–shape; laterally erected short ampulla, slightly falciform, distally tapering harpe; ventro–laterally broaden, convex valva with somewhat detached small cucullus with slender neck; slightly curved aedeagus and ample vesica with a strongly sclerotized, serrate–dentate appendage of the carina extending onto the basal section of the vesica, which bears a large spiculiform field basally–subbasally and a large, long, finger–like diverticulum, terminated with a large structure of bunches of fine spiculi.

Biology and distribution. Five males were collected at ultraviolet light during single rainy night at mid of May, 2017 in a Yongping County in southwestern Yunnan Province’s Qingshuilang Shan mountain range. The new species was collected at altitudes of approximately 2300 meters in scarce mountain mixed forest, in between small agriculture fields, dominated by various deciduous trees, bamboo and bushes .

Etymology. The new species is named after the grey cilia of forewings.

Figures

Figures 33–40. Diarsia spp. adults. 33. D. griseocilia sp. n., holotype, male, China, N Yunnan (PGM); 34. D. griseocilia sp. n., paratype, male, China, N. Yunnan (ASV); 35. D. griseocilia sp. n., paratype, male, China, N Yunnan (ASV); 36. D. rubicilia, syntype, male, India, Darjiling (NHMUK); 37. D. rubicilia, male, Nepal, Kanchenjunga (PGM); 38. D. luteosuffusa, holotype, male, China, Shaanxi (PGM); 39. D. variolosus sp. n., holotype, male, China, Sichuan (PGM); 40. D. variolosus sp. n., paratype, male, China, Sichuan (PGM).

Figures 63-66. Diarsia spp. male genitalia. 63. D. zillii sp.n., holotype, China, Sichuan, GYP 2385 (PGM); 64. D. griseithorax Nepal, Kanchenjunga, slide Hreblay, 12374 (PGM); 65. D. griseocilia sp. n., holotype, China, N Yunnan GYP 4997 (PGM); 66. D. griseocilia sp. n., paratype, China, N Yunnan GYP 4942 (ASV).