Eupithecia ursina, Mironov & Šumpich, 2022

Mironov, Vladimir & Šumpich, Jan, 2022, New species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China. Part VII, Zootaxa 5154 (3), pp. 289-304 : 294-295

Eupithecia ursina sp. n.

( Figs 12 , 26 , 33 )

Type material: Holotype, ♂, China, W. Sichuan, 25 km N. from Batang, H — 3100 m, dry valley, 30°12.049ʹ N, 099°14.078ʹ E, 19-20.ix.2017, leg. Saldaitis. Gen. prep. J. Procházka 20148, photo J. Šumpich 22006 ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. This species is externally similar to E. satyrata (Hübner, [1813]) . However, the male genitalia are distinguished by the absence of dentate cornuti on the vesica of the aedeagus and especially, by the different shape of the eighth sternite, which is more similar to that of E. sophia Butler, 1878 ( Mironov & Galsworthy 2014).

Description. Adult. ( Figs 12 , 26 ). Male. Wingspan 21 mm; fore wing 12 mm. Head and notum covered with brown and whitish scales. Fore wing with straight costal margin; ground colour brownish grey, transverse lines not well visible, but broadened at costa; subterminal line with white tornal spot; terminal line blackish, interrupted by vein ends; discal dot small, rounded, black. Hind wing ovoid, pale grey, with five conspicuous, evenly curved dark transverse lines and small, blackish, ovoid discal dots. Fringe chequered with pale and dark grey.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 33 ). Uncus stout, biapical. Valve shaped like an orange segment, unmodified, tapered distally; dorsal margin concave; ventral margin evenly curved; apex narrowly rounded; sacculus lightly sclerotized. Vinculum rather short, semicircular. Papillae on the anterior arms of the labides elongate, narrow, covered with short setae at apices. Aedeagus elongate, broadened to posterior end. Vesica multiply granulate, armed with one narrow, elongate, apically pointed cornutus, and one small, folded, irregular cornutus at ductus ejaculatorius base. Sternite A8 relatively short and broad, U-shaped, with two narrow, tapered and sclerotized apical rods connected by a narrow basal band.

Female. Unknown.

Bionomy. Host plant unknown. The holotype was collected by light in September at an elevation of 3100 m ( Fig. 49 ).

Distribution. China. Known from Sichuan province.

Note. We do not know to which group this species belongs.

Etymology. From Latin “ursina” – “bearish” in English.

Figures

FIGURES 8–15. Eupithecia adults, China (scale bar = 10 mm). 8–9. E. saldaitisi sp. n. 8. Holotype. 9. Paratype; 10. E. ludificata sp. n. (holotype); 11. E. butvilai sp. n. (holotype); 12. E. ursina sp. n. (holotype); 13. E. nesciaria sp. n. (holotype); 14. E. oxycedrata (Rambur, 1833); 15. E. phulchokiana Herbulot, 1984.

FIGURES 20–27. Heads of Eupithecia species, China, holotypes. 20. E. prochazkai sp. n.; 21. E. anickae sp. n.; 22. E. divertenta sp. n.; 23. E. saldaitisi sp. n.; 24. E. ludificata sp. n.; 25. E. butvilai sp. n.; 26. E. ursina sp. n.; 27. E. nesciaria sp. n.

FIGURES 32–36. Male genitalia and sternite A8 of Eupithecia species (scale bar = 1 mm; detail of uncus enlarged). 32. E. butvilai sp. n. (holotype); 33. E. ursina sp. n. (holotype); 34. E. nesciaria sp. n. (holotype); 35. E. matrona Mironov & Galsworthy, 2004. 36. E. pannosa Mironov & Galsworthy, 2008.

FIGURES 42–49. Habitats of newly described Eupithecia species, China. 42. Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, 9.iii.2019, locality of E. prochazkai sp. n.; 43. Yunnan, surroundings of Yongseng, 11.v.2018, locality of E. anickae sp. n.; 44. Sichuan, surroundings of Derge, 15.viii.2009, locality of E. divertenta sp. n.; 45. Gansu, near surroundings of Xiahe, 4.x.2013, locality of E. saldaitisi sp. n.; 46–47. Sichuan, surroundings of Maniganggo, 16.viii.2009, locality of E. ludificata sp. n. and E. nesciaria sp. n.; 48. Yunnan, surroundings of Gongshan, 2.vii.2008, locality of E. butvilai sp. n.; 49. Sichuan, surroundings of Batang, 19.ix.2019, locality of E. ursina sp. n.