Araeopteron flaccida Inoue, 1958

Fibiger, Michael & Kononenko, Vladimir, 2008, A revision of the subfamily Araeopteroninae Fibiger, 2005 in the Russian Far East and neighbouring countries with a description of four new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 1891, pp. 39-54 : 44-46

Araeopteron flaccida Inoue, 1958

( Fig. 19 )

Araeopteron flaccisa Inoue, 1958 , Tinea 4, 229, Pl. 32 fig. 1 (imago), fig. 3 (male genitalia), fig. 5 (wing venation). TL: Japan, Chigasaki, Kanagawa Pref. [BMNH, London].

Inoue, 1965: 81, Pl. 15, figs 2A, 2B (imago), text fig. 3 (male genitalia); Sugi, 1982, I: 807, II: 381, pl. 196, figs 72, 73 (imago); Poole, 1989: 115; Sohn et al., 2005: 223, fig. 4 (imago), figs 9, 9a (male genitalia); Kononenko & Han, 2007: 31, Pl. 4, fig. 1 (male genitalia).

Material examined. 1 male, Mt. Sanghwangbong, Wan-do I., 27.vii.2003 (S.S.Kim), genit. prep. SJC- 347. The single male specimen is known from South Korea.

Diagnosis. Most closely related to A. fragmenta , but differing by the smaller wingspan (9–10 mm), by the darker brown ground colour of both wings, postmedial line, some narrower white oblique bands, and by the lack of distinct black discal spots on both wings.

Description. Adult. Wingspan 9–9.5 mm. Antennae of both sexes filiform, without lamellae, with scales. Labial palpi upturned, 3rd segment 2.0 times as long as 2nd. Head small, eyes large. Head, patagia, tegulae, thorax, and ground colour of forewing bright dark brown; forewing and hindwing with oblique whitish or pale brown oblique band; forewing with dark-brown dots at costa; hindwing with blackish brown areas at both sides of white band; both wings without or with tiny indistinct discal spot. All crosslines present, often irregular or interrupted; terminal line prominently indicated by black interveinal spots, those of hindwing as unbroken line. Underside grey and white, reflecting upper side. Abdomen brown anteriorly, then black to brown and black at tip. Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ). Uncus relatively long and narrow, curved throughout, tapering distally, hooked apically; membranous part of valva broadest apically; sacculus relatively narrow throughout, though tip peculiarly upturned. Aedeagus relatively long, widest by coecum, tapered from there; vesica armed with tiny cornutus. Female genitalia. Not examined or illustrated.

Distribution. South Korea and Japan (Honshu and Shikoku). The species has been discovered and reported for continental Asia from South Korea by Sohn et al. (2005), who redescribed and illustrated the adult and male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 19. Araeopteron spp., male genitalia. 13: A. amoena, S. Korea, prep. 5119 NIAST, Suwon; 14: A. fragmenta, Japan, prep. 4842 O. Karsholt; 15: A. nebulosa, Russia, Primorye, prep. 5745 M. Fibiger; 16: A. makikoae, paratype, Russia, Primorye, prep. 5750 M. Fibiger; 17: A. ussurica Russia, Primorye, prep. 5747 M. Fibiger; 18: A. koreana, South Korea, prep. 5864 M. Fibiger; 19: A. flaccida, South Korea, prep. SJC- 244 - 1 Sohn.