Xenophysa poecilogramma Varga, 1985

Varga, Zoltán, 2011, Revision of the genus Xenophysa Boursin, 1969 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3094, pp. 1-29 : 8

Xenophysa poecilogramma Varga, 1985

Xenophysa poecilogramma Varga, 1985 , Zeitschrift der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer Entomologen 37 (1–2): 26.

Type material. Holotype: female, Afghanistan, S. of Khinjan, Salang-pass, N-slope, 2100 m, 9.VII. 1969, leg. Vartian (coll. Vartian, NHMW). Slide 9820 Ronkay Paratypes: 6 Ƥ from the same locality and data (5 Ƥ in coll. Vartian, NHMW, 1Ƥ in coll. Varga); 2 Ƥ, Afghanistan, Paghman Mts., 30 km NW of Kabul, 2500 m, 19.–31. V. 1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian; 1 Ƥ from the same locality, 27. VII. 1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian; 3 Ƥ from the same locality, 26. VIII. 1965, leg. Vartian; 2 Ƥ, Afghanistan centr., Band-i-Amir, 3000 m, 31.VII.-1. VIII. 1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian (coll. Vartian, NHMW); 1 Ƥ, Afghanistan, Hindukush Mts, Anjuman-valley, 2800–4250 m, 18.–23. VII. 1969, leg. D. Müting (coll. HNHM).

Other material. 11 Ƥ, Afghanistan, N-Salang, 2600 m, 6–9. 07. 1976, leg. Reshöft (coll. G. Ronkay and coll. Varga); 3 Ƥ, Afghanistan, Salang N, 2700 m, 3–6.VII.1975, Thomas leg.; 5 Ƥ Afghanistan, Badakhshan, Anjuman Pass, 3000 m, 10.07.1963, Omoto leg.; 3 Ƥ, Afghanistan, Badakhshan, Val Panjshir sup. 7–8.07.1963, Omoto leg.; 1 Ƥ, Tadjikistan, W Pamirs, Chorog, Botanical garden, 22.07.1972, Weidenhoffer leg. (all in ZSM). 1 Ƥ, NE- Afghanistan, Badakhshan, Wakhan-valley, Kotal-e-Zardeu, 3000 m, 29. VI. 1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann (coll. LMK); 1 Ƥ, NE-Afghanistan, Prov.Badakhshan, reg. Darwaz, vic. Kwahan, 3200 m, 12–13. VII. 1972 (coll.Nr.329, coll.C. Naumann, Bonn, now in LMK); 1 Ƥ from the same region but from Pari Kham, 2700 m, 28. VII. 1972 (coll. Nr. 351, coll. C. Naumann, Bonn, now in LMK). 3 Ƥ, Tadjikistan, E. Pamirs, Iskashimsky Mts, leg. Lukhtanov (coll. Gyulai); 9 3, 17 Ƥ, Pakistan N, Hindukush Mts, Shandur pass, 3300–3700 m, 26– 27.06.2000, leg. G. Ronkay & Z. Varga (coll. Gyulai, G. Ronkay and Z. Varga). Genital slides: Ƥ Ronkay 9820 (Holotype); 3 Varga 7765, 7939, 7951, Ronkay 9797, 9798, 9799, 9804; Ƥ Varga 1294, 4734, 4812, 7419, 7923, 7924, 7928, 7945, 7946, 7747, 7765, 7963, Ƥ: Ronkay 900, 1494, 9796.

Redescription. Xenophysa poecilogramma is the largest species of the genus (length of forewing 14–18 mm, expanse 30–39 mm) with rather contrasting colouration. Body and forewings light brownish grey, irrorated. Collar and tegulae rounded with light, ivory-coloured scales. Forewings extremely elongate, acute apically. Maculation whitish with dark grey intermaculation, reniform macula filled with grey. Orbicular spot narrow quadrangular, whitish, nearly without darker scales. with well-marked dark brownish-grey arrowheads on the inner margin of the subterminal line. Hind wings light fuscous grey. Sexes are similar (Plate 4, Figs. 21–22). Xenophysa poecilogramma shows the most external similarity with X. pseudopoecila sp. n. described below. The most important differential external characters of X. poecilogramma are: the extremely narrow, oblique quadrangular orbicular spot, and the nearly unicolorous, only basally lighter hind wing ( X. pseudopoecila has a more rounded orbicular spot with greyish filling and lighter submarginal stripe on the hind wings, see below). Male genitalia: characterised by the thick uncus with a rather short, rounded bilateral hook, with very short bilateral extensions at base of uncus and with small, rounded lobes of tegumen. Juxta broad, rhombic with a sclerotised dorsal extension. Valva with dentate dorsal extension, short digitus and spiny pseudopollex. Aedeagus slender, very long, with moderately bulbous ampulla; vesica with huge subbasal diverticulum (Plate 8, Figs. 41a, b; 42a, b). Female genitalia: generally heavily sclerotised with deep and narrow V-shaped incision of antrum, bilateral arms of antrum firmly attached with a heavily sclerotised “knob” to the sclerotised ring of the 9th abdominal segment; ductus bursae relatively long and heavily sclerotised with a transversal suture, bursa small, elliptic, without signa. Papillae anales weakly sclerotised, triangular with fine, relatively short setae (Plate 13, Figs 58–59).