Diarsia sciurus, 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 : 145-147

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.37828/em.2019.22.10
publication LSID	urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DCE06D38-9F41-4F84-8200-D9EC92966367
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/88CFD445-1003-40F4-84FB-37F5C2C13637
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:88CFD445-1003-40F4-84FB-37F5C2C13637
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Diarsia sciurus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Diarsia sciurus sp. n.

( Figs 25–29 View Figures 25–32 , 59– 61 View Figures 58-62 , 78 View Figures 78-80 )

Type material. Holotype: male ( Fig. 25 View Figures 25–32 ) China, Sichuan, road Yaan / Kangding, Erlang Shan Mt. , H – 2161 m, N29°51’, E102°18’, 12.VII.2009, I.–A. Floriani & Saldaitis leg, slide: GYP 2389, (coll. PGM, later to be deposited in the HNHM). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: 1 male, with the same data as holotype, (coll AFM) GoogleMaps ; 19 males, China, W Sichuan, Yaan/Kangding, Erlang Shan Mt., H – 2000 m, N29°87’340, E102°30’970, 27. VI .2019, Butvila & Saldaitis leg, (colls AFM, ASV & PGM); 14 males, 2 females, with the same data, but 8. VI .2019, Butvila & Saldaitis leg, (colls AFM, ASV & PGM), slides GYP 2384 (male), GYP 5054 (male), GYP 5056 (male), GYP 5055 (female),

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to some species of the chalcea species group, particularly to the D. mandarinella ( Figs 21, 22 View Figures 17–24 ) and D. dichroa ( Figs 23, 24 View Figures 17–24 ),, however, in the male genitalia capsule shows closer affinities to the D. gozmanyi Varga et Ronkay, 2007 ( Fig. 30 View Figures 25–32 ) and in some features also to those of the D. griseithorax Warren, 1912 ( Fig. 32 View Figures 25–32 ), which is a member of the basistriga–cerastioides–tincta species group ( Varga et Ronkay, 2007). It is remarkably dissimilar from all but one of the resembling/close relative species by the unicolorous reddish–brown ground colour with darker red–brown suffusion and the strongly defined ante– and postmedial lines in the forewing pattern, in which the antemedial lines are slightly zigzag, encircling the orbicular spots on the inner edge and converging toward the middle of the inner costa. In the male genitalia, the structure ( Figs 59–61 View Figures 58-62 ), reveals a mixture of those of the D. gozmanyi ( Fig. 62 View Figures 58-62 ), D. dichroa ( Fig. 58 View Figures 54-58 ), and D. griseithorax ( Fig. 64 View Figures 63-66 ); in its most features is similar to those of the first two species, while the shape and size of the juxta and the clasper–like extension of the harpe, are resembling to the third one. Diarsia sciurus can be ditinguished from the D. gozmanyi by the longer uncus and ampulla; distally less extended harpe; much smaller, lower juxta, with less deep dorsal medial incision and shorter, but broader dorsal extensions; broader, but in the ventral–medial section less extended, rounded valvae; large, strongly sclerotized trapezoid plate of the aedeagus carina, extending onto the subbasal section of the vesica and the absence of the subterminal diverticulum. It differs from the D. dichroa , by the longer uncus, much smaller, lower juxta; shorter ampulla, the presence of a small clasper–like extension of the ampulla and the large, strongly sclerotized trapezoid plate of the aedeagus carina, extending onto the subbasal section of the vesica; finally the absence of the subterminal diverticulum; from those of the D. griseithorax , by the much shorter ampulla and clasper, the presence of the strong, broad sclerotization and large thorn–like process of the ventral side of aedeagus, the strongly sclerotized trapezoid plate of the aedeagus carina, extending onto the subbasal section of the vesica, finally the very distinctive vesica configuration. In the female genitalia, the new species ( Fig. 78 View Figures 78-80 ) can be easily distinguished from the close relative congeners by the shape of the corpus bursae; it has the most elongated saccate corpus bursae, with two long and one short signa. Additionally, from the most similar D. dichroa it differs in the configuration of the strongly sclerotized antrum, since the large, bilateral symmetrical lobi lack the recurved appendages and the flap–like antero–medial appendage also absent; (the female of the D. gozmanyi is unknown).

Description. Wingspan 29–34 mm. Antennae are thin, filiform, palpi dark brown, terminally pale–ochre, or whitish; frons pale red–brown. Ground colour of the head and thorax vesture and of the forewings is red– brown, with darker red–brown suffusion in the forewings in most of the specimens. The wing pattern is defined with blackish or dark brown. The basal– and antemedial lines are slightly zigzag, forming a half circle on the inner edge of the orbicular spots and converging toward the middle of the inner costa; the postmedial lines arched and crenated, subterminal lines conjectural. The orbicular and reniform stigmata are typical, however not conspicuous, due to the absence of the outlines and the ground colour of them, which is only slightly lighter than those of the forewings. Hindwings are brown, or dark brown, discal spots darker brown, the cilia is pale pinkish. Male genitalia. The main features of D. sciurus ( Figs 59 – 61 View Figures 58-62 ) are the followings: rather long, almost evenly slender, terminally tapering uncus; falcate, distally thin and short harpe with a slight, clasper–like process; short and thin, terminally slightly curved ampulla; shield–like, low juxta with dorsal appendage, which is divided to two flap–like extensions by a medial incision; ventro– medially broaden, rounded valvae with somewhat detached large, hairy, distally elongated, terminally tapering cucullus and corona, with numerous thin setae; strongly curved aedeagus, with strong, broad sclerotization and large thorn–like process of the ventral side, continuing in a strongly sclerotized trapezoid plate of the aedeagus carina, extending onto the subbasal section of the vesica, ending in a small ventral plate with a few slight spikes; medially ample vesica, with a large medial configuration of dense setae and the presence of a ventral, scythe–like, strongly sclerotized bar. Female genitalia. The main characters ( Fig. 78 View Figures 78-80 ) are the setose, elongate papillae anales, tiny apophyses anteriores and long apophyses posteriores; strongly sclerotized, antrum with large, bilateral symmetrical lobi; the absence of the antero–medial appendage; large, long, anteriorly ribbed, posteriorly extending and slightly sclerotized ductus bursae; not detached appendix bursae and elongated corpus bursae with two longitudinal and a short signa.

Biology and distribution. The new species is known only from the Erlang Shan Mountains at the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau in the Chinese Sichuan province. Series of males and two females were collected at ultraviolet light at altitude ranging 2100 m, in June and July. The new species was collected in virgin mixed forest habitat dominated by various broad–leaved trees such as oaks ( Quercus dentata Thunberg , Quercus glauca Thunberg ), poplars ( Populus cathayana Rehder , Populus simonii Carrière ), elm ( Ulmus parvifolia Jacquin ), rhododendrons ( Rhododendron brachycarpum G. Don , Rhododendron dauricum Linnaeus ), and bamboos ( Phyllostachys ssp., Borinda ssp., Fargesia spp. ).

Etymology. The Latin “sciurus ” means squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), indicating the similar red–brown forewings of this new species.