Bryoleuca parva (Sugi, 1980)

An, Jeong-Seop, Choi, Sei-Woong & Ronkay, László, 2013, New Noctuidae (s. l.) species from the Korean fauna with description of a new species of Bryophila Treitschke, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae and Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3734 (3), pp. 345-361 : 348

Bryoleuca parva (Sugi, 1980)

(Plate 2, fig. 9; gen. fig. 4)

Bryophila parva Sugi, 1980 , Tyo to Ga 30 (3–4): 189, figs 4, 18. Type locality: Japan, Kagoshima Pref., Yakushima Island, Onoaida.

Records from Korea. 1 male, Prov. South Jeolla, Dongsouido island, Sinan-gun, 18 m, 125°52’E, 34°36’N, 26.vi.2009, leg. S.W. Choi (coll. MNU), slide No. RL 10668m; 1 male, Prov. South Jeolla, Wooido island, Sinangun, 11.viii.2006, leg. S.W. Choi (coll. MNU); 1 male, Prov. South Jeolla, Wooleedo island, Sinan-gun, 125°49’40”E, 34°36’11”N, 9.viii.2007, leg. J.S. An (coll. MNU).

Diagnosis. The species can be separated from the other externally similar Korean Bryoleuca species and from B. volodia sp. n. by its on average smaller size, paler ground colour with weaker defined crosslines, less distinct stigmata and paler hindwings. The first Korean occurrence of the taxon was reported by Park et al. (2008) and the specimen was also illustrated (2008: 30, fig. 5). The most typical autapomorphic feature of the male genitalia is the armature of the vesica. The basal and medial parts of the vesica are densely covered by fine spiculi (the other species have only weak scobination in these areas) and the terminal cornutus is almost fully reduced, only a minute spine is present close to ductus ejaculatorius (Sugi 1980 and gen. fig. 4); all other members of the species-group have well-developed, spine-like or finely dentate-serrate cornutus (gen. figs 1–3, 5). The clasping apparatus also shows clearly recognisable differences in comparison with the other related taxa, like the remarkably shorter uncus or the broadly rounded juxta, and the entire genital capsule is considerably smaller than those of the related species.

Distribution. The species was previously known only from Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Chikuzen- Okinoshima, Danjo Islands, Yakushima, Amami-oshima, Okinawa Is., Kerama Islands) (Eda & Yanagita 2011) and the island Chuja-do from Korea (Park et al. 2008); the new records originate from other small islands close to the southern coast of the Korean peninsula.

Bryoleuca volodia An, Choi & Ronkay, sp. n. (Plate 2, figs 10–11; gen. figs 5–6)

Type material. Holotype: male, Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai, Sa Pa, Frontier Satellite Camp, 1690 m, 24-25.viii.1998, leg. A. Kun, slide No. RL 7245m (coll. HNHM). Paratypes. Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai: 1 male, 1 female, Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai, Fansipan Mts, 4 km SW Cat Cat, 14.v.1998, leg. Frontier staff; slide No. RL6437f; 1 male, Sa Pa, Frontier Satellite Camp, 1690 m, 24-25.viii.1998, leg. A. Kun (coll. HNHM).

Diagnosis. The new species differs externally from the most similar B. granitalis (Plate 1, figs 6–7) by its narrower forewings, much broader basal and very narrow median areas, prominently angular upper curve of postmedial line running very close to reniform stigma and the lower edge of cell and the narrower, more quadrangular reniform stigma. The male genitalia of the members of the species-group have the same ground plan, with often small specific differences. Bryoleuca volodia differs rather conspicuously from its close relatives B. granitalis and B. albimixta by the much longer, apically acute and finely serrate cornutus of the vesica; another, smaller but easily recognisable differences are the distally narrower valvae, the evenly rounded ventral plate of the juxta and the proportionally shorter and thicker ampullae (gen. figs 2, 3 and 5). Interestingly, the pointed cornutus and the shorter ampulla are shared features with the externally less similar B. orthogramma (gen. figs 4 and 5) but the cornutus of the new species has considerably longer, wedge-shaped apical part covered by minute teeth, the ampulla is thicker and curved, the uncus is broadened distally, the juxta is smaller and rounded, and the distal half of the valva is shorter and slenderer than B. orthogramma . Comparing the female genitalia of the related species, B. volodia can be distinguished from B. granitalis , B. albimixta and B. orthogramma by the much stronger sclerotised and more quadrangular antrum and the cristate-ribbed, stronger sclerotised appendix bursae (gen. fig. 6; see also Kononenko & Han 2007: 390, plate 248, figs 5–7; and Fibiger et al. 2009: 449, fig. 332).

Distribution. The species is known from the medium-high forest regions of the Fansipan Mts., Northern Vietnam. It apparently has two generations, judging from the collecting data of the four known specimens (mid- May and end of August).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Vladimir (“ Volodia ”) Stepanovich Kononenko, an expert on the Asiatic Noctuidae fauna.