Belciana

Behounek, G., Han, H. L. & Kononenko, V. S., 2015, A revision of the genus Belciana Walker, 1862 with description of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Pantheinae) from East and South East Asia. Revision of Pantheinae, contribution XII, Zootaxa 4027 (3), pp. 341-365 : 352-353

Belciana sp. ( China, Shaanxi)

( Figs 23 , 51 )

Material examined. CHINA: 1 female, Prov. Shaanxi, Tsinling Mts., South Taibanshan, Houzhenzi, 1600 m, 33°35′ N, 107°49′ E, 15.vi.-15.x.1999, leg. local collector, slide RL10996, coll. GR.

Diagnosis. Adult ( Fig. 23 ). Wingspan 42 mm. Externally this unknown species is similar to B. taiwani sp. n., but differs by bigger size, more plain salad-green colouration of forewing, more developed whitish elements and more sharp dark elements of wing pattern and less expressed medial shadow. By the structure of female genitalia, particularly by shape of antrum and antevaginal plate, shape of sclerotisation in joining of ductus with corpus bursae the species is close to B. hemodi . Female genitalia ( Fig. 51 ). Ovipositor quadrangular; apophyses anteriors and posteriors ones moderate long and equal in length, rather strong; antrum much longer than in B. hemodi , conical, with distinct elongate narrow lateral lobes and antevaginal plate about half length of the antrum; ductus bursae longer and narrower than in B. hemodi ; laterally slightly scletotised; the area in joining of ductus with corpus bursae laterally sclerotised from left side; corpus bursae in caudal part and appendix bursae ribbed and slightly sclerotised; bursa sacculate in shape. Male unknown.

Distribution and bionomics. China (Prov. Shaanxi, Tsiling Mts.). The species was collected in the montane forest at elevation 1600 m.

Note. Althouth the species substantively differs by female genitalia from its allies, we cannot describe it before collecting more material sufficient for description.

Belciana pinratanai sp. n. ( Figs 24–26 , 40 , 51 )

References. Kononenko & Pinratana 2013: 277, Pl. 37:18 ( Belciana sp. unident).

Type material. Holotype. THAILAND: female, Prov. Petchabun, Nam Nao National Park, 700 m, 16°44′.531′ N, 101°26,176′ E, T. Ihle leg, 8-12.v.2010, slide GB12177, DNA barcode specimen ID: BC ZSM Lep. 65176, coll. AB, later will be deposited in ZSM. Paratypes. 1 female, Prov. Sakhon Nakhon, Phu Pan, 320-420 m, 17°05.767′ N, 103°59.907′ E, T. Ihle T. leg., 8-12.v.2010, slide GB8300, coll. GB/ ZSM, Germany. 1 female, Thailand, Nan, Nan, 25 km SE Nan: Waldrand [forest fringe], 350m, 21.v.2012, 18.654 N, 100.951 E, leg. et coll. Ch. Wieser ( DNA barcode specimen ID: KLM Lep 00999), 2 males, Thailand, Lamp[ang], Muban Phichai, 18°18,15′ N, 99°31,06′ E, 4.iii.2014, 25.v.2015, leg. et coll. MJP, slide MJP 687.

Note. The species has been barcoded under the ID-numbers BC ZSM Lep 65176 ( ZSM) and KLM Lep 0 0 999 (Ch. Wieser). Molecular distance based on the Kimura two-parameter model for COI DNA barcodes between nearest B. pinratanai and B. hreblayi is 5,77% %; the distance between B. pinratanai and B. hemodi is 6,42%.

Diagnosis. B. pinratanai sp. n. is close to B. hemodi , but differs externally by larger size, smaller medial mark in the costal area, more expressed white elements of wing pattern, not interrupted, distinct subterminal line, darker subterminal-terminal fields; presence of thin, blackish medial and antemedial lines in male; hindwing with more distinct subterminal band, medial line and discal spot. In the male genitalia it differs from B. hemodi and also from species of biformis group by thinner uncus, curved by right angle in the apical thirs; narrower valva with acute apical angle and broad, plate-like harpe (much larger than in B. hemodi ) with thin spine-like apical extension. The female genitalia of B. pinratanai sp. n. differs from those of B. hemodi by more elongated, trapezoid antrum, by shape of sclerotised patch of corpus bursae in joining with ductus and by ovoid shape of corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Figs 24–26 ). Wingspan 43 mm. Externally similar to B. hemodi . Head, thorax and forewing bluish-green, patagia blackish-brown. Ground colour of forewing pale bluish-green, wing pattern presented by blackish-brown and whitish elements. Subbasal field half-filled with blackish brown, outlined with whitish line; antemedial line whitish, distinct, with intrusion of black scales; orbicular stigma expressed as white spot, reniform as black vertical streak encircled with white; medial mark in costal area very small; medial line whitish with blackish scales, connected with costal mark, or blackish, surrounded with white; postmedial line blackish, thin, diffused, surrounded with white; subterminal line black, uninterrupted, outlined inwardly with white; subapical-apical mark broad, brown with blackish apical dash; subtornal-tornal mark wide, brown; green parts in subterminal field darker than ground colour, with blackish-brown dusting; terminal line as row of interrupted blackish streaks; cilia brown with dark bluish-green marks opposite veins. In male the wing pattern somewhat more contrast, with distinct thin blackish medial and antemedial lines. The hindwing dull greyish-brown around terminal margin, forming distinct terminal band, pale yellowish-grey towards base and along anal margin, with distinct diffused medial line and traceable discal spot.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 40 ). Uncus slender, curved at right angle in apical third, apically abrupt, with strong hook-like spur on the top; tegumen broad, without peniculus; juxta shield-like, narrower apically; paratergal sclerits band-like; valva much narrower than in other congeners, constricted apically, with acute apex moderate sclerotised; the base of sacculus membranous, bearing broad hairy coremata with gland on outer surface; sacculus moderate, rounded; harpe moderate short, flattened, quadrangular plate-like, stronger sclerotised along dorsal side, bearing apical spine-like spur. Aedeagus broad, carina as two bands, extended apically, bearing patch of small spines; with vesica globular basally, bearing two subbasal diverticula armed with two patches of moderate cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 51 ). In the female genitalia antrum trapezoid, with two lateral rollers; antevaginal plate not split, trapezoid in shape, somewhat larger than in than in B. hemodi . Ovipositor quadrangular; apophyses anteriores and posteriores ones moderate; posterior ones somewhat shorter, rather strong; antrum trapezoid, with not split antevaginal plate; ductus bursae short, membranous; corpus bursae elongated, with strongly sclerotised comb-like slightly ribbed patch near junction with ductus bursae and small lateral extension; corpus bursae ovoid.

Etymology. The species name is dedicated to the famous Thailand Lepidoptera collector Bro. Amnuay Pinratana.

Distribution and bionomics. Thailand (Prov. Lampang, Prov. Petchabun, Prov. Sakhon Nakhon). The species was collected in the primary and secondary tropical forest at elevation 320–700 m in March and May.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 24. Belciana spp., adults. 17. B. prasina, male, North Vietnam (AB / ZSM); 18. B. bicolor, male, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4177 (ZSM); 19. B. bicolor, male, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4176 (ZSM); 20. B. bicolor, male, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4223 (ZSM); 21. B. hemodi, male, Myanmar, slide GB 12171 (AB / ZSM); 23. B. hemodi, female, Laos, slide GB 12169 (AB / ZSM); 23. B. sp., China, Shaanxi, RL 10996; 24. B. pinratanai, sp. n., female, holotype, Thailand, slide GB 12177 (AB / ZMS).

FIGURES 46 – 52. Belciana spp., female genitalia. 46. B. sp., Indonesia, Lombok I., slide GB 7362 (GB); 47. B. pratti, Papua New Guinea, slide GB 7700 (GB); 48. B. prasina, Sumatra, slide GB 7708 (GB). 49. B. bicolor, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4227 (ZSM); 50. B. hemodi, Laos, slide GB 12169 (GB); 51. B. sp., China, Shaanxi, slide RL 10996 (GR); 52. B. pinratanai sp. n., holotype, Thailand, slide GB 12177 (AB / ZSM); 53. B. scorpio, Thailand, slide GB 8252 (GB). Most distinctive characters are marked by lines.

FIGURES 38 – 40. Belciana spp., male genitalia. 38. B. bicolor, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4177 (ZSM); 39. B. hemodi, Laos, slide GB 7412 (GB); 40. B. pinratanai sp. n., paratype, Thailand, slide MJP 707 (MJP). Most distinctive characters are marked by lines.