Xenophysa Boursin, 1969

Varga, Zoltán, 2011, Revision of the genus Xenophysa Boursin, 1969 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3094, pp. 1-29 : 1-3

Genus Xenophysa Boursin, 1969

Xenophysa Boursin, 1969 , Entomops 2: 221. Type species: Agrotis junctimacula Christoph, 1887 , Mémoires sur les Lépidoptères, rédigés par N.M. Romanoff 3: 67, pl. 3, fig. 11. Type locality: [ Persia] “Shakuh”.

The genus Xenophysa was erected (1969, Entomops 2:221) for four species. Agrotis junctimacula Christoph, 1887 (Mém. Rom. 111: 67, pl. 3) was designated as type species of the new genus. Agrotis cacumena Brandt, 1938 (Entom. Rundschau 55: 502, fig. 96–98) and two newly described species, X. xenogramma (l.c.: 223, figs. 14, 16) and X. monastica (l.c.: 224, figs. 15, 17) were also associated with the genus. Xenophysa species seem to be gener-ally—with the exception of the unique species X. paradoxa Varga, 1989 )—rather uniform both in external characters and male genitalia. Xenophysa belongs to the 7th generic group of the Xestiina subtribus of Noctuini ( Lafontaine 1998) based on the following male genital characters: (i) Cucullus and corona reduced; (ii) valve with small subapical digitus; (iii) vesica simple without sclerotised structures; (iv) antrum and ductus bursae strongly sclerotised. Xenophysa species mostly can be compared with some smaller Xestia -related genera such as Estimata Kozhantschikow, 1928 (Rev. russ. ent. 22: 94), Erebophasma Boursin, 1963 (Forsch. Ber. Land. Nordrhein-Westphalen 1170: 73) and Spinipalpa Alpheraky, 1892 (Horae Soc. ent. ross. 26: 444). Species of these latter genera, however, have most often flightless females. Oppositely, the females of Xenophysa are fully winged and able to fly, being also strongly attracted by light.

Xenophysa imagines are medium sized noctuid moths (wing expanse: 25–39 mm), with elongate forewing with acute apex. The antennae are extremely long, in males finely bipectinated and ciliated, in females filiform and finely ciliated. The legs are also remarkably long. Colouration is mostly simple, often irrorated, brownish-greyish with well-marked pattern. Maculation is generally whitish-ochreous or ivory, orbicular spot narrow, obliquely quadrangular, often connected with the inner lobe of the reniform macula (see the name “ junctimacula ”). Claviform spot is generally elongate radially. Inner side of the subterminal line is often bordered by arrowhead spots. Underside of wings with faint markings, shiny.

The male genitalia show some very peculiar, supposedly autapomorphic characters. Uncus is long and straight, “anchor-shaped” with apical bilateral hook. Tegumen is broadly triangular, often with cross-shaped bilateral extensions and bilateral lobes with finely dentate surface. Valva is nearly triangular with hump-like or acute costal extension and short, rounded or spatulate digitus. Cucullus and corona are completely reduced, sacculus is simple without extension. Harpe and ampulla also are completely reduced. Aedeagus is simple, carina has in some species a sclerotised ventral knob. Vesica is projecting dorsally or dorso-laterally, without sclerotised structures but with a long, recurved subbasal diverticulum.

Female genitalia were not described and illustrated by Boursin. They show, however, several remarkable characters. The tergite and sternite of the 9th segment are forming a sclerotised ring and the strongly sclerotised bilateral arms of the antrum are firmly attached to them. Antrum has a U- or V-shaped incision which corresponds with the thicker or slender shape of the aedeagus. Ductus bursae is strongly sclerotised and has a transversal suture, bursa is small, elliptic, without signa. Papillae anales are weakly sclerotised with very fine, long setae.

The genus has a limited range of distribution with several isolated occurrences in the arid high mountains of Western and Central Asia (from eastern Turkey to northern Mongolia). Most species occur in the Hindukush and Tien-Shan mountain systems at high elevations. They are usually associated with xerophytic (thorny cushion) high mountain vegetation. The flying period of moths is mostly the first part of summer (from mid-June to mid-July) but there are some few specimens also from early September.

Paraxenophysa Varga, new subgenus

Type species: Xenophysa paradoxa Varga, 1989 , Zeitschrift der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer Entomologen 41 (1–2): 6. (by monotypy)

The subgenus is established for a single species with rather isolated position within the genus which is only known in two males from a single locality of the Darwaz mountain system in northeastern Afghanistan (“prov. Badakhshan, vic.Kwahan, Kotal-e-Kamkhäz, N-Seite, 3200 m ”).

Description. Medium sized moths (exp.: 34–34.5 mm). Female unknown. Male antennae finely pectinated and ciliated. Contrasting to other Xenophysa species, they do not reach the 2/3 of the forewings. Forewings acute apically but broader and shorter than in other Xenophysa species. Reniform and orbicular spots regular, not connected. Claviform spot faint, marked with a longitudinal wash. Arrowheads short, slightly marked (Plate 5, Fig. 30). Male genitalia: Uncus strong, anchor-shaped but without cross-like transversal extensions, tegumen rounded triangular without bilateral lobes, valva elongate with spine-shaped acute costal extension and elongate elliptic digitus. Basis of the reduced harpe present. Juxta rounded, triangular. Transtilla unusually strongly sclerotised. Aedeagus slender, elongate, vesica upturned dorsally with a small, rounded subbasal diverticulum only (Plate 6, Figs. 31a,b). Female genitalia unknown.

Diagnosis. The subgenus can be separated from the rest of species of the genus Xenophysa by the following characters: Antennae do not reach the 2/3 of the length of forewing, maculation of forewing is more regular, reniform and orbicular spots are disconnected. Uncus does not have any cross-like transversal extensions, tegumen is also regular, without bilateral lobes. Valva has large, acute triangular costal extension and tongue-shaped, elongate digitus. Transtilla is more strongly sclerotised than in other Xenophysa spp. Vesica shows a simple “xestioid” shape, it is upturned dorsally and has a small subbasal diverticulum only (other Xenophysa spp. have a huge, saccate subbasal diverticulum). The subgenus is represented by the single species Xenophysa paradoxa Varga, 1989 .

This species shows mostly the xestioid characters of genus. It shares, however, some important synapomorphies with other Xenophysa species, as the anchor-shaped uncus, the costal extension and small, elliptic digitus. Thus, it would be unjustified to erect a monotypic genus for this species.