Stericta corollina, 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 : 467-469

Stericta corollina sp. nov. ( Figs 4 , 12 , 20 )

Diagnosis. This species is similar to S. asopialis in the forewing pattern. It can be distinguished from the latter by the uncus slightly wider on basal half, the valva with a small longitudinal flake-shaped harpe at base, and the aedeagus with a bunch of spine-shaped cornuti ( Fig. 12 ). In S. asopialis , the uncus is slightly wider distally, the valva has a narrow harpe bearing two long spines in the middle, and the aedeagus has a nail-shaped cornutus ( Fig. 13 ).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 4 ). Wingspan 16.0–18.0 mm. Head grayish white, mixed with black scales. Male labial palpus grayish white, mixed with black scales; first segment grayish white on basal half, grayish black on distal half, about 1/3 length of second, thicker than second; second segment reaching vertex apically; third segment tapering, about 1/2 length of second; female labial palpus with first segment white on basal half, black on distal half, about 1/3 length of second; second segment black, mixed with white scales, reaching vertex apically; third segment white basally and distally, black medially, about 1/2 length of second. Male maxillary palpus long brush-like, pale yellow; female maxillary palpus short, compressed, black. Antenna dark gray on basal half, brownish yellow on distal half, with black annulations on dorsal surface; scape extension apically exceeding metathorax, thickening from base to tip, grayish black, with grayish black scale hairs ventrally and distally. Thorax and tegula black. Forewing with basal 1/4 black, somewhat forming a black patch; median area white, with a black inverted trapezoidal patch on costa; distal 1/4 grayish black; antemedian line absent; postmedian line black, extending from middle of R 5 below costal margin obliquely outward, arched outward between M 1 and CuA 2, then inward to dorsum before tornus, edged with white along its outer margin; discal spot indistinct, merged with basal patch; discocellular spot black, with black fan-shaped erect tuft, just below black inverted trapezoidal costal patch; terminal line gray, with evenly spaced obscure black spots along its inner side. Hindwing with basal half white, distal half gray; postmedian line grayish white, edged with black along its inner margin; cilia of both wings gray. Legs white on inner side; black mixed with white scales on outside; fore and mid tarsi with each tarsomere white at apex. Abdomen white on dorsal surface, white mixed with black scales on ventral surface, black terminally.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 12 ). Uncus rectangular, straight on posterior margin, covered with dense setae of varying length dorsally, basal half slightly wider. Gnathos joined from middle, ovate, hooked distally. Valva with basal 3/4 almost uniform in width; distal 1/4 slightly upturned, narrowed to obtuse apex, covered with dense hairs of varying length; costa about 3/4 length of dorsal margin of valva; sacculus weakly sclerotized, about 1/4 length of ventral margin of valva; harpe a small longitudinal flake-shaped process, covered with sparse hairs. Saccus triangular. Juxta U-shaped; lateral lobes narrowed from base to apex. Aedeagus stout, length approximately 2.5 times of width, approximately 4/5 length of valva; cornuti consisting of a bunch of spines.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 20 ). Papillae anales triangular, covered with dense hairs of varying length. Eighth sternite rectangular, with sparse long hairs posteriorly. Apophyses anteriores and posteriores both expanded triangularly near base, apophyses anteriores slightly thicker and shorter than apophyses posteriores. Ductus bursae thick, membranous, weakly sclerotized in distal 1/3, with a wide weakly sclerotized ring at basal 1/3. Corpus bursae subrounded, about 1/2 length of ductus bursae; signum ovate, with four teeth forming a crown on posterior margin.

Material examined. China. Holotype ♂, Yajia Hydropower Station (19°05′N, 109°06′E; elev. 261 m), Bawangling , Hainan, 21 July 2015, coll. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li, Mengting Chen , slide No. RH 15475. Paratypes (3♂, 5♀). Hainan: 2♂, 3♀, 19–22 July 2015 , other data the same as holotype, slide No. RH 15476 ♀; 1♂, Bawangling (elev. 169 m), 10 May 2013, coll. Xiaohua Chen , slide No. RH 16328 ♂; 1♀, Bawangling Nature Reserves (elev. 161 m), 11 July 2015, coll. Peixin Cong, Linjie Liu, Sha Hu , slide No. RH 15506 ♀; 1♀, Lizu Hall, Shuiman, Wuzhishan (elev. 766 m), 5 July 2015, coll. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li, Mengting Chen.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin, corollinus, meaning crown-shaped, referring to the signum with four sclerotized teeth forming a crown on the posterior margin in the female 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.