Organopoda megiste, Cui & Xue & Jiang, 2019

Cui, Le, Xue, Dayong & Jiang, Nan, 2019, A review of Organopoda Hampson, 1893 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4651 (3), pp. 434-444 : 441-443

Organopoda megiste sp. nov.

Figs 9 , 16 , 23

Type material. Holotype, ♂, CHINA: Sichuan: Emei Shan, Qingyin’ge , 800–1000 m, 20.IV.1957, coll. Zhu Fux- ing (slide no. 3455) . Paratypes: Jiangxi: 1♀, Jiulian Shan, 9. VI.1975, coll. Zhang Baolin. Guangdong: 1♀, Shix- ing, Chebaling , 330 m, 1–2. VIII.2013, coll. Yang Chao (slide no. 3458). Guangxi: 2♂, Jinxiu, Shengtang Shan , 900–1900 m, 28–29. VI.2000, coll. Li Wenzhu; 1♀, Jinxiu, Linhai Shanzhuang , 1000 m, 2. VII.2000, coll. Li Wen- zhu; 2♂, Jinxiu, Luoxiang , 200–450 m, 15.V.1999, 30.VI.2000, coll. Han Hongxiang & Li Wenzhu ; 1♀, Jinxiu, Huawang Shanzhuang , 550 m, 13.IV.2002, coll. Hao Shulian & Xue Huaijun (slide no. 4573) . Sichuan: 10♂ 1♀, same as holotype, 16–29.IV.1957, 29.VI.1957, coll. Zhu Fuxing et al. All in IZCAS.

Description. Head. Antennae weakly serrate in male and filiform in female, shaft scattered with short cilia; dorsal side covered with white scales at base. Frons deep reddish, not protruding. Labial palpi reddish brown on dorsal side and pale yellow on ventral, third segment slightly extended, about two thirds length of second segment, extending beyond frons. Vertex pale white.

Thorax. Patagia deep greyish brown. Tegulae and thorax greyish brown. Forewing length: male 12–17 mm, female 13–15 mm. Forewing with costa slightly protruding outwards. Wing colour deep yellowish brown. Forewing with antemedial line black, composed of three black spots; discal spot black, broad, and ringed with white scales centrally, very large and almost rounded; medial line brown, and indistinct; postmedial line forming black spots on veins, weakly connected, the spot near terminal margin largest; terminal line composed of black spots between veins; fringes deep yellowish brown. Hindwing with discal spot slightly smaller than that of forewing and other transverse lines similar to those of forewing. Underside. Colour paler reddish brown; discal spots of both wings more distinct than those of upperside, others similar to those of upperside.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 16 ). Uncus with apical half dilated with two processes on ventral side and covered with long bristles. Gnathos sheet-like and rolling inwards. Valva broad, with a narrow and almost rounded apex; costa without process; a small ridge weakly raised near basal part, close to costal margin and covered with long bristles; sacculus with an arched process at base, covered with short bristles on terminal margin. Saccus small. Aedeagus narrow and acute at apex with a small spur subapically.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ). Lamella postvaginalis broad and heart-shaped. Lamella antevaginalis with a pair of small oval depressions on sides. Ostium small and sclerotized. Ductus bursae narrow and membranous, with a strongly sclerotized hood-like structure associated with ostium. Corpus bursae large, long and elliptical; signum oval, concave on posterior margin, covered with spurs on surface. Sternite 7 sclerotized with three scabrous oval protrusions.

Diagnosis. The species is characterized by the large, black discal spots on both wings; the postmedial line of each wing forms a large black spot near the anal margin. In the male genitalia, the gnathos is sheet-like and rolling inwards; the costa of the valva has no process; the aedeagus is narrow. In the female genitalia, the lamella postvaginalis is large and heart-shaped; three protrusions are present on the female sternite 7.

Distribution. China (Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan).

Etymology. The species is named on the basis of the Greek word “ megistos ”, which refers to the large discal spots on both two wings.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Male Adults of Organopoda. 1. O. carnearia (Walker, 1861), Tibet; 2. O. acutula sp. nov., holotype, Gansu; 3. O. annulifera (Butler, 1889), Sichuan; 4. O. deltaformis sp. nov., holotype, Hainan; 5–7. O. atrisparsaria Wehrli, 1924. 5. Sichuan; 6. Zhejiang; 7. Chongqing; 8. O. brevipalpis Prout, 1926, Sichuan; 9. O. megiste sp. nov., holotype, Sichuan. Scale bar=1 cm.

FIGURES 16–17. FIGURE 16. Male genitalia of O. megiste sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar = 1 mm. FIGURE 17. Male hind leg of O. atrisparsaria Wehrli, 1924. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 18–23. Female genitalia of Organopoda. 18. O. carnearia (Walker, 1861); 19. O. acutula sp. nov., paratype; 20. O. deltaformis sp. nov., paratype; 21. O. atrisparsaria Wehrli, 1924; 22. O. brevipalpis Prout, 1926; 23. O. megiste sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar = 1 mm.