Ctenoceratoda cyanochrea, Varga & Gyulai & Ronkay & Ronkay, 2018

Varga, Zoltán, Gyulai, Péter, Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2018, Review Of The Species Groups Of The Genus Ctenoceratoda Varga, 1992 With Description Of Four New Species And A New Subspecies (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 64 (1), pp. 51-74 : 63-64

Ctenoceratoda cyanochrea sp. n.

( Figs 13–15 , 29 , 47, 48 , 59 )

Holotype: male, Mongolia, Khovd aimak, Mongolian Altay Mts, 1430 m, Mönkh Khayrkhan uul, 41 km N of Bulgan; N46°28’, E91°24’; 30.VI.2005, leg. T. Csővári (coll. G. Ronkay).

Paratypes. Mongolia. 4 males, with the same data (coll. T. Csővári, P. Gyulai, G. Ronkay & Z. Varga) ; 7 males, Khovd aimak, Dzhungarian Gobi , 81 km SW of Dzuyl, N45°45’, E93°15’, 29. VI.2005, leg. T. Csővári (coll. T. Csővári, G. Ronkay & HNHM) ; 4 specimens, Govi Altai aimak, Mongolian Altay Mts, Sutay uul, 16 km SE of Dzuyl, 46°11’N, 94°01’E; 2070 m, 28. VI.2005, leg. T. Csővári (coll. T. Csővári) ; 1 male, 1 female, Govi Altai aimak, Mogoin gol river, 1920 m, 15–18. VI.2004, leg. Saldaitis (coll. P. Gyulai & M. Dvořák) ; 3 males, Govi Altay Aimak, S. of Mongolian Altay, Mogoin gol river, 1920 m, 8–9.VII.2004, leg. Saldaitis (coll. P. Gyulai) ; 1 male, 1 female, Govi Altai aimak, Mongol Altay Mts , 16 km SE of Tonhil, N46°11,348, E94°00,955, 2032 m, 29.VII.2006, leg. leg. J. Babics, B. Benedek & A. Kun (colls P. Gyulai & G. Ronkay).

Slide Nos: RL 8645m, VZ 7439m, VZ 9490m (males), VZ9507f (female).

Diagnosis – The new species resembles externally certain members of the tancrei -group but has more vivid bluish-grey colouration and complete pattern. It appears as on average much larger than the former species (wingspan 39–42 mm) and usually somewhat larger than the externally also similar C. argyrea , occurring with them sympatrically.

Ctenoceratoda cyanochrea can be distinguished from C. argyrea by its less curved reniform stigma having relatively shorter acute whitish spot basally; stronger defined, ochreous orbicular stigma (it is obsolescent in C. argyrea ); longer, terminally acute claviform stigma; and the light ochreous, finely brownish defined (not whitish and diffuse) subterminal line.

The new species differs from the related C. tancrei and C. graeseri ( Fig. 16 ) by its smaller size and the bluish shaded grey ground colour while the larger relatives usually have ochreous-brownish forewings without any bluish hue.

In male genitalia, the most conspicuous character is the relatively large, not inflated rounded triangular “head” of the cucullus ( Figs 47, 48 ). Aedeagus and vesica is much larger than in the former species. Brush organ is well developed, opposed to the externally similar species of the C. khorgossi -group, e.g. C. scotosparsa and C. argyrea . Based on this character, this species cannot be mixed with either species of the C. sukharevae -group since latter never have any brush organ.

Distribution and bionomics. The type series of the new species was collected at lower altitudes of the Mongolian Altai Mts. Its flight period is the mid-summer.

Figures

Figs 9–16. Ctenoceratoda spp. 9–12 = C. scotosparsa, sp. n., Mongolia, Govi Altay aimak: 9–10 = paratype, male, 11–12 = paratype, female; 13–15 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., Mongolia, Khovd aimak: 13 = holotype, male, 14 = paratype, male, 15 = paratype, female; 16 = C. grae- seri (Püngeler, 1898), lectotype, male, “Asia centr. Ili geb.”

Figs 25–32. Ctenoceratoda spp. antennae. 25 = C. persephone sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 26 = C. khorgossi (Alphéraky, 1882), male, Kazakhstan, 27 = C. scotosparsa sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 28 = C. argyrea (Varga, 1992) holotype, male, Mongolia, 29 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 30 = C. tancrei (Graeser, 1892), male, Kazakhstan, 31 = C. mallopyga mallopyga sp. n., paratype, male, Pakistan, 32 = C. contempta (Püngeler, 1914), male, Kirghisia

Figs 47–52. Ctenoceratoda spp. male genitalia. 47–48 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., paratype, Mongolia, slide No.: RL8644; 49–50 = C. mallopyga mallopyga sp. n., paratype, Pakistan, slide No.: VZ9238; 51–52 = C. contempta (Püngeler, 1914), Semiretshye, slide No.: RL11754

Figs 59–61. Ctenoceratoda spp. female genitalia. 59 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., paratype, Mongolia, slide No.: VZ9507; 60 = C. mallopyga mallopyga sp. n., paratype, Pakistan, slide No.: VZ7487; 61 = C. mallopyga dyschroa sp. n., paratype, India Himachal Pradesh, slide No.: VZ7485