Psyche yeongwolensis Byun and Roh, 2015

Roh, Seung Jin, Banasiak, Grzegorz & Byun, Bong-Kyu, 2015, A new and an unrecorded species of the family Psychidae (Lepidoptera) from Korea, with an annotated catalogue, Journal of Natural History 50, pp. 669-680 : 675-678

Psyche yeongwolensis Byun and Roh sp. nov.

( Figures 2A–K , 3B )

Type

Holotype: 1♂, Yeongwol, GW, 10 April 2008, U.H. Heo, genitalia slide no. EHNU-5006-coll. SELHNU.

Diagnosis

This species is similar to P. casta ( Pallas, 1767) superficially, but can be distinguished by the narrow form of saccus of the genitalia and the thin and curved shape of aedeagus, which branches nearly into vertex part. Also this species can be readily differentiated by the forewing, slightly broad blackish-brown wings with nearly rectangular shape.

Description

Adult ( Figure 2A–E ). Wingspan 13 mm; length of head and thorax combined 2.5 mm; length of abdomen 3.2 mm (intersegmental membranes not expanded); lateral length of male genitalia 1.1 mm ( Figure 2K ); length of aedeagus 0.6 mm. Coloration and vestiture: sclerites on head and thorax dark brown. Head covered dark-brownish short hairs dorsally and anteriorly, longish dark-brown hairs posterior to antennal sockets. Thoracic notum densely covered with shiny blackish-brown hairs. Upperside of wings: ground colour dark brownish, between veins and termen margin short erect reddish brown scales; generally covered scales without transparent part; scales ( Figure 2C–D ) slightly broad and evenly widened apically, with weakly truncate apical margin usually produced into 3–4 weak rounded laciniation. Hindwing evenly covered with dark-brown scales, basal part covered with light-brown scales; scales rather slender and evenly widened apically, with rounded stumpy shape. Underside of wings usually covered with dark-brown scales and hairs; forewing covered with similar scales as on upperside; hindwing also covered scales similar to upperside. Structure: Head nearly 1/2 as wide as thorax; compound eyes black, elliptical form in lateral aspect, 0.12 times as wide as head width including eyes in dorsal aspect; anterior tentorial pits more invisible; mouthparts reduced to small labial sclerite bearing light-brown hairs basally. Ocelli absent. Antenna slightly widened medially due to somewhat longer pectinations on middle, basal flagellomeres 17 segmented and bipectinated, length of this antenna roughly 2.7 mm, flagellomeres covered with dark-brownish scales, anterior pectinations longer than posterior ones; bearing long sensory hairs ventrally ( Figure 2B ).

Forewing ( Figure 3B ) short and broad, nearly rectangular in shape; costa nearly straight, then gently arched beyond 3/4, apex obtuse and posterior margin gently arched, termen almost 1/2 as long as costa, slightly curved. All veins present; median cell slightly longer than 0.7 times as long as wing, narrow on basal 1/2, then much widened distally, anterodistal and posterodistal corner obtuse; R 1 originated at distal 1/4 of costa; R 2 arising slightly proximal to anterodistal corner of cell; R 3, R 4 and R 5 stalked beyond half; M 1 close to posterodistal corner; distal margin of median cell rather slightly concave; M 2 +M 3 arising with short stalk from posterodistal corner of median cell; CuA 1 slightly closer to posterodistal corner than CuA 2; 1A, 2A united and stalked of anal angle. Hindwing subtriangular, costa slightly arched; all veins present; median cell slightly longer than 1/2 length of hindwing, very symmetrical, gradually dilating apically, posterior portion of the cell longer than anterior portion; stem of M simple in median cell; R 1 arising from distal apex of anterior margin of median cell, Rs ending at wing apex; M 1 arising from distal margin of median cell; M 2 and M 3 arising at posterodistal corner of cell; CuA 1 arising from posterodistal corner; stalk of CuA 2 arising at axillary area. Legs smoothly covered with scales. Abdomen covered with broad scales.

Male genitalia ( Figure 2F–K ). In lateral aspect, dorsum slightly curved dorsally at the middle; saccus 3/4 as long as height of ring; valva measured from its ventroproximal corner to apex of ampulia 1.5 times as long as height of ring, and 6 times as long as wide; ampulla 0.6 times as long as valva, basally 3/5 as wide as valva, softly club-shaped apically; process of harpe 0.5 times as long as ampulla, slightly longer than thick apically; aedeagus 1.6 times as long as height of ring, 10 times as long as thick. In ventral aspect, uncus not represented; gnathos absent; apex of tegument gentle; valva narrow, proximal part of costa expanded inwardly and two parts close to each other looking like transtilla, apical part of valva consists of a dorsal digitate, numerous roundly ended and erect hairs; juxta absent; saccus elongated, narrow basally; aedeagus long, slightly bent from basally, as long as 1/2 length of aedeagus.

Host plant

The larvae of the species were collected on Disporum viridescens (Maxim.) Nakai. (Liliaceae) in Jangleung, Yeongweol. However, the host plant needs confirmation in the future.

Distribution

Korea.

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the type locality of the new species.

Figures

Figure 2. Psyche yeongwolensis sp. nov., male. (A) adult; (B) antenna; dorsal view; (C) scales, upperside of forewing; (D) ditto, upperside of hindwing; (E) head, frontal view; (F) right valva; (G) anellus, dorsal view; (H) genitalia, dorsal view; (I) close-up of saccus; (J) dorsum, ventral view; (K) genitalia, lateral view. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Wing venation. (A) Proutia maculatella Saigusa et Sugimoto; (B) Psyche yeongwolensis sp. nov.