Stericta digitata, Rong & Li, 2017

Rong, Hua & Li, Houhun, 2017, Taxonomic study of the genus Stericta Lederer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae) from China, Zoological Systematics 42 (4), pp. 463-475 : 465-467

Stericta digitata sp. nov. ( Figs 3 , 11 , 19 )

Diagnosis. This species is similar to S. asopialis in the forewing having a white rectangular patch in the median area. It can be distinguished from the latter by the uncus expanded medially, and the valva without a harpe in the middle ( Fig. 11 ). In S. asopialis , the uncus is expanded distally, and the valva has a harpe bearing two long spines ( Fig. 13 ).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Wingspan 16.0–18.0mm. Head grayish white. Male labial palpus with first segment grayish white on basal half, black on distal half, about 1/3 length of second, thicker than second; second segment white, mixed with grayish black scales, reaching vertex apically; third segment white, mixed with gray and black scales, tapering, slightly shorter than second; female labial palpus slightly thinner than male. Maxillary palpus short, brush-like, upturned, white mixed with gray. Antenna yellowish brown, with black annulations on dorsal surface, in male with short pale gray cilia ventrally; scape extension slender, apically exceeding metathorax, thickening from base to tip, reddish brown mixed with grayish black scales, with long grayish black and reddish brown hairs distally and ventrally. Thorax and tegula reddish brown mixed with white scales, or reddish brown mixed with black scales. Forewing with basal 1/4 black, somewhat forming a black patch, mixed with reddish brown and black scales, with a longitudinal erect black tuft at base of cell; median area with a white rectangular patch, its inner margin straight, outer margin sinuate, anterior margin with a grayish green rectangular patch along costa; distal area grayish green, mixed with black scales; antemedian line absent; postmedian line black, extending from anterior 1/4 of outer margin of median white rectangular patch to dorsum before tornus, sinuate and arched outward medially; discal and discocellular spots black, each with erect tuft, discocellular spot just below grayish green rectangular costal patch; terminal line grayish white, with evenly spaced black rectangular spots along its inner side, interrupted with grayish green on veins; cilia grayish green. Hindwing gray, darkening from base to apex; postmedian line grayish white, ill-defined, arched outward between M 1 and 1A, with a black spot at distal 1/4 of CuA 2; cilia grayish black. Legs yellowish white, femora and tibiae with black scales; tarsi black, fore and mid tarsi with each tarsomere white at apex. Abdomen white mixed with black scales on ventral surface; dorsal surface with 1st segment white mixed with black scales, 2nd to 5th segments white, 6th to 8th segments yellow diffused with black scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 11 ). Uncus subrectangular, slightly expanded medially, obtuse on posterior margin, covered with dense short hairs. Gnathos joined from middle, hooked distally. Valva subparallel, length about 1.5 times of width, obtuse terminally, covered with long hairs distally; costa about 2/3 length of dorsal margin of valva; sacculus weakly sclerotized, ill-defined. Saccus triangular. Juxta subtrapezoidal, with two short thumbed processes posteriorly. Aedeagus curved medially, distal half with dense denticles; without cornutus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 19 ). Papillae anales triangular, covered with dense long hairs. Eighth sternite subrectangular, membranous medially, with sparse setae posteriorly. Apophyses anteriores slightly shorter than apophyses posteriores, curved inward at basal 1/6 by 150°; apophyses posteriores curved inward at basal 1/3 by 120°. Ductus bursae membranous, with a wide weakly sclerotized ring at basal 1/4. Corpus bursae ovate, slightly shorter than ductus bursae; signum small and round.

Material examined. China. Holotype ♂, Shuiman Village (18°53′N, 109°40′E; elev. 766 m), Wuzhishan , Hainan, 5 July 2015, coll. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li, Mengting Chen , slide No. RH 15466. Paratypes (25♂, 8♀). Hainan: 7♂, 5–8 July 2015 , other same data as holotype, slide No. RH 15148 ♂; 1♀, Shuiman Village, Wuzhishan (elev. 700 m), 19 June 2013, coll. Yinghui Sun, Wei Guan, Tengteng Liu , slide No. RH 15498 ♀; 1♀, Wuzhishan Nature Reserves (elev. 742 m), 18 May 2015, coll. Peixin Cong, Wei Guan, Sha Hu , slide No. RH 15497 ♀; 5♂, 4♀, Wuzhishan Nature Reserves (elev. 738 m), 27–30 July 2016, coll. Xia Bai, Shuonan Qian, Wanding Qi , slide Nos. RH 16159 ♂, RH16160 ♀; 1♂, Hongkan, Yinggeling Nature Reserves (elev. 954 m), 4 September 2013, coll. Weicai Xie ; 1♂, Hongkan, Yinggeling (elev. 508 m), 16 June 2015, coll. Peixin Cong, Wei Guan, Sha Hu ; 2♂, Hongkan, Yinggeling (elev. 540 m), 25–26 July 2015, coll. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li, Mengting Chen , slide No. RH 15467 ♂. Zhejiang: 2♂, 1♀, Huangtanyu, Mt. Jiulong (elev. 467 m), 3–9 July 2013, coll. Aihui Yin, Xiuchun Wang , slide Nos. RH 16065 ♂, RH16066 ♀; 1♂, 1♀, Neijiujian, Mt. Jiulong (elev. 430 m), 7 July 2013, coll. Aihui Yin, Xiuchun Wang ; 1♂, Jiufu Village, Mt. Longtang (elev. 20m), 26 July 2014, coll. Aihui Yin, Xuemei Hu, Qingyun Wang ; 3♂, Shimendong , Qingtian County (elev. 102 m), 19–21 August 2016, coll. Qingyun Wang, Meiqing Yang, Ping Liu ; 1♂, Linkeng Village , Yongjia County (elev. 387 m), 27 August 2016, coll. Qingyun Wang, Meiqing Yang, Ping Liu.

Distribution. China (Hainan, Zhejiang).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin digitatus, meaning digitate, referring to the short thumbed posterior processes of the juxta in the male genitalia.

Figures

Figures 3–10. Adults of Stericta spp. 3. S. digitata sp. nov., paratype, male. 4. S. corollina sp. nov., paratype, male. 5. S. asopialis, male. 6. S. hoenei, male. 7. S. sinuosa, female. 8. S. kogii, male. 9. S. flavopuncta, male, from Yunnan. 10. S. flavopuncta, male, from Sichuan. Scale bars=2.0mm.

Figures 11–18. Male genitalia of Stericta spp. 11. S. digitata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. RH15466. 12. S. corollina sp. nov., holotype, slide No. RH15475. 13. S. asopialis, slide No. RH15479. 14. S. hoenei, slide No. RH16143. 15. S. sinuosa, slide No. RH16143. 16. S. kogii, slide No. RH16146. 17. S. flavopuncta from Guangxi, slide No. RH15199. 18. S. flavopuncta from Sichuan, slide No. RH15484. Scale bars=0.5mm.

Figures 19–25. Female genitalia of Stericta spp. 19. S. digitata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. RH16066. 20. S. corollina sp. nov., paratype, slide No. RH15476. 21. S. asopialis, slide No. RH15196. 22. S. hoenei, slide No. RH16144. 23. S. sinuosa, slide No. RH16154. 24. S. kogii, slide No. RH16112. 25. S. flavopuncta, slide No. RH15200. Scale bars=0.5mm.