Meganola canaliculata Cha & Bae, 2021

Cha, Yeong-Bin, László, Gyula M., Bayarsaikhan, Ulziijargal, Ko, Jae-Ho, Lee, Tak-Gi, Jang, Chang-Moon, Kim, Hanul, Kim, Jeong-Nam & Bae, Yang-Seop, 2021, Two new species and a new record of the genus Meganola Dyar, 1898 (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae) from Laos, Zootaxa 5032 (3), pp. 423-430 : 425-426

Meganola canaliculata Cha & Bae , sp. n.

( Figures 3, 4 , 8, 9 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Xiengkhouang Province , Ban Tha (N18°27'23.76'', E103°03'05.15'', Alt.: 470m), 25. VII. 2018 (Bae Y.S., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G., Jang C.M., Bayarsaikhan U.), genitalia slide No. INU-11979 (INU).

Paratypes. (8♂) Laos, 7♂ , Laos, Xiengkhouang Province , Ban Tha (N19°43'28.92'', E103°35'26.02'', Alt.: 1,245m), 01. IX. 2018 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G., Cha Y.B., Jang C.M.), genitalia slide Nos. INU-9459, 9460, 9461, 9463, 9465, 9468, 9470; 1♂ , Laos, Xiengkhouang Province , Ban Tha (N19°43'31.40'', E103°35'22.73'', Alt.: 1,212m), 02. IX. 2018 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G., Cha Y.B., Jang C.M.), genitalia slide No. INU-9467 (INU) .

Diagnosis. Meganola canaliculata sp. n. is confusingly similar to all other species of the M. strigivena speciesgroup, the reliable identification requires the examination of the copulatory organ. Based on the configuration of the male genitalia, the new species is a sister species of M. zirkalmashka László, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2014 known from East Nepal and India-Sikkim. The two species have a nearly identical configuration of the clasping apparatus, but M. canaliculata sp. n. has a somewhat shorter basal lobe of valva and noticeably longer and thinner, evenly curved, and more pointed harpe, which is upcurved basally and straight or even slightly S-curved distally in M. zirkalmashka . The configuration of the aedeagus of the two species is nearly identical, the only noticeable difference is the slightly longer cornutus of the vesica in the new species compared to its congener. The female is unknown.

Description. Adult ( Figures 3, 4 ). Length of forewing 7–9 mm in males. Male antenna bipectinate. Frons and vertex irrorated with fuscous green scales. Patagium and tegula ( Figures 3b, 4b ) with a fuscous green circular patch. Labial palpi porrect. Ground color of forewing bright gray; antemedial line curved; medial line semi-circular in costal, strongly zig-zagged in the dorsal area; postmedial line broadly curved in costal half, following the arch of medial line, pointed inwards medially, arched in dorsal third; subterminal line wavy, interrupted; terminal line fine, continuous; cilia gray, chequered with black. Ground color of hindwing pale brownish-gray, with dark discal spot and fine terminal line. Male genitalia ( Figures 8a, 9a ). Uncus medium long, tapering, apically pointed; subscaphial process short and narrow, with small, densely setose rounded tip. Tegumen simple, narrow. Costal margin of valva sclerotized, slightly concave, somewhat bulged subbasal; apical section of valva moderately dilated, apex rounded; basal lobe present, short and broad; harpe conspicuously long, thin, evenly curved, pointing posteriorly, very finely dentate subapically, pointed apically. Juxta narrow, somewhat V-shaped, antero-laterally pointed, strongly sclerotized. Sacculus slender, width approximately same as subbasal area of valva costal margin. Saccus long, elongate Vshaped.Aedeagus tubular, relatively long, slender, carina process pointed, spine-like; vesica with one robust, basally broad, apically pointed, slightly curved spine-like cornutus. Eighth tergite ( Figures 8b, 9b ) with triangular medial plate with concave margins, anteriorly with two short, curved, apically pointed processes; 8 th sternite ( Figures 8b, 9b ) with two weakly sclerotized triangular posterior plates. Female unknown.

Distribution. Laos (Xiengkhouang Province).

Remark. The fuscous green circular mark on the patagium and tegula tells apart Meganola canaliculata sp. n. from the sympatrically occurring Meganola phuana sp. n. However, this character is only recognizable in freshly hatched, intact specimens. In all other cases, reliable identification requires the dissection of the genitalia. This species was collected from the lowland to the mid montane zone ( Figure 11 ).

Etymology. The new species is named based on the botanic Latin word, canaliculatus. It means long and concave, to resemble a gutter or channel. This species is characteristic of long and concave harpe.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Habitat of Meganola spp. in Laos, the entrance of Ban Tha (Xiengkhouang Prov.), near the three-way intersection.

FIGURES 1–5. Adults of Meganola spp. 1a. Meganola phuana sp. n., male (holotype, INU-9479). 1b. ditto, thorax. 2a. ditto, male (paratype, INU-9478). 2b. ditto, thorax. 3a. Meganola canaliculata sp. n., male (holotype, INU-11979). 3b. ditto, thorax. 4a. ditto, male (paratype, INU-9468). 4b. ditto, thorax. 5a. M. tetrodon, (INU-9466). 5b. ditto, thorax.

FIGURES 6–10. Male genitalia and 8th segments of Meganola spp. 6. Meganola phuana sp. n., male (holotype, INU-9479).7. ditto (paratype, INU-9478). 8. M. canaliculata sp. n., male (holotype, INU-11979). 9. ditto (paratype, INU-9468). 10. M. tetrodon, male (INU-9466).