Mniotype ripa, Gyulai, Peter & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2016

Gyulai, Peter & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2016, A new Mniotype Franclemont (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) species from China, Zootaxa 4097 (4), pp. 594-600 : 594-596

Mniotype ripa sp. n. ( Figs 1, 2 , 7, 8 , 13 , 16)

Holotype: Male ( Fig. 1 ), China, West Sichuan, near Litang, 4000 m, N29°49.136′, E100°20.576′, 15.VI.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis; slide No. PGY 4379m (coll. PGM, later to be deposited in the HNHM)

Paratypes: 7 males, 16 females ( Fig. 2 ), with the same data as the holotype; 1 male, 3 females, the same locality as the holotype, but 18.VI.2015; 1 male the same locality as the holotype, but 20.VI.2015; 6 males, 2 females, China, West Sichuan, near Xinduqiao, 3611 m, N30°04.256′, E101°25.156′, 14.VI.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis; 1 male, 2 females, China, West Sichuan, Shaluli Shan, 40 km NW from Daocheng, 4050 m, N29°17.399′, E100°05.068′, 19.VI.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis; 1 male, China, West Sichuan, Shaluli Shan, 50 km N from Batang, near Rikeng lake, 3700–4100m, N30°25.371′, E099°24.371′, 17.VI.2015, leg. Floriani & Saldaitis; slide Nos PGY 4297m, PGY4380f (colls AFM, ASV & PGM).

Diagnosis. Mniotype ripa sp. n. ( Figs 1, 2 ) is an unmistakable species, unlike any taxa in the Blepharita-Mniotype- Polymixis-Mniopamea generic complex, thus it is easily distinguishable both by external and genitalia features. No greenish suffusion is detectable in the forewing of the new species, which is more or less typical in the Mniotype mucronata ( Moore, 1882) and Mniotype cyanochlora Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998 species groups. Externally, the most similar species is the Mniotype melanodonta ( Hampson, 1906) ( Fig. 3 ) from which the new species differs by smaller size (wingspan 30–35 mm, versus 40–45 mm), more variable forewings with much lighter basal and subterminal area, whitish filled transverse lines and by the whitish suffused hind wing, whereas those in the M. melanodonta are unicolorous dark brown. Further, somewhat similar species are the Polymixis remota ( Püngeler, 1900) ( Fig. 6 ) and Polymixis beata Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998 ( Fig. 5 ) species pair, from which M. ripa sp. n. differs by its significantly smaller size (wingspan 30–35 mm, versus 41–47 mm), more variable forewings with much darker middle area, much lighter basal and subterminal area, whitish filled transverse lines and reniform stigmata, and whitish suffused hind wing. New species also resembles somewhat to Mniopamea gandhara Hacker & Peks, 1992 ( Fig. 4 ) and Mniopamea cashmirensis Hacker & Peks, 1992 (Hacker & Peks 1992) , but it should not be confused, since the new species has more variable forewings with a much darker middle area, much lighter basal and subterminal area, whitish filled transverse lines and reniform stigmata, and whitish suffused hind wing with conspicuously more prominent cellular discal spot, while these are almost unicolorous brownish in the two Mniopamea species. Finally, it is worth to mention, that M. ripa sp. n. externally also similar to the taxa of the Apamea Ochsenheimer , subgenus Digitapamea Zilli, Varga, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2009, (i.e. A. (D.) concinna Leech, 1900 ) from which it can be distinguished by its somewhat stronger thorax and darker, brown thoracic pubescence, double black basal dash and whitish filled reniform stigmata in the forewing and more variable hind wing with more prominent cellular discal spot. The main distinctive key features of the male genitalia of M. ripa sp. n. ( Figs 7, 8 ) are in the uncus, clavus, aedeagus and in the configuration of the vesica; some of them are unique in the generic complex. The somewhat spatulate, distally broaden, apically evenly straight uncus provides a useful diagnostic character, resembling somewhat only that of Blepharita amica Treitschke ( Ronkay et al. 2001) ; thus M. ripa sp. n. can be separated from all the related taxa by this feature. Furthermore, the new species have the largest, foot shaped clavus in Mniotype (much larger than Mniotype draudti ( Boursin, 1953) ( Fig. 10 ); (it not exceeding dorsal margin in Polymixis ) and discoidal coecum penis, finely serrate, strongly sclerotized distal plate of aedeagus with eversible sclerotized carinal bar. The broadly tubular vesica lacks the large spines or cornuti field, being typical for most of the taxa of the generic complex, having only a few tiny fine subterminal spines. In the vesica configuration, it is surprisingly similar those of the M. melanodonta ( Fig. 9 ), having the fine subterminal cornuti field and somewhat to those in some of the Polymixis , e. g.: P. beata ( Fig. 11 ) and the additional members of the Polymixis magnirena ( Alphéraky, 1892) ( Saldaitis et al. 2015) species group; however in those species entirely lack the vesica spines or cornuti field, whereas in new species is present a few tiny subterminal spines. In the female genitalia M. ripa sp. n. ( Fig. 13 ) can be easily distinguished from the related taxa by the somewhat ∞-shaped, posteriorly very finely dentate anthrum, and short antrum- ostium complex; the broad, posteriorly strongly sclerotized, asymmetrically calycular, slightly folded ductus bursae; the structure of the somewhat ribbed evenly sclerotized plate in the junction of the slightly prominent and detached appendix bursae and the anterior section of ductus bursae and by the rather globular, membranous corpus bursae with two signae. In comparison the female genitalia of the new species with those of the externally somewhat similar species, the globular corpus bursae itself is a good key feature, since most of these taxa of the generic complex have saccate corpus bursae. In this feature, those of the M. melanodonta ( Fig. 14 ) is the most indistinct, indicating their relationship, although the new species has significantly smaller ostium and ductus bursae, more detached larger appendix bursae, with very different shaped, sclerotized plate in the junction outwards the anterior section of ductus bursae, two longer signae. The externally confusing certain species of the Apamea , subgenus Digitapamea ( Zilli et al. 2009) are very distinctive, however the female genitalia of the type species A. (D.) concinna ( Zilli et al. 2009) indicates some more or less shared features in the ductus bursae and appendix-corpus bursae complex with those of the M. ripa sp. n., which could have been the base of the failure taxonomic interpretation of A. (D.) concinna for a long time. However, the differences are clearly discernible in the different shaped antrum-ostium complex, the more prominent, larger appendix bursae, the very different shaped, sclerotized plate in the junction outwards the anterior section of ductus bursae and the two shorter signae in the new species. Both the male and female genitalia of the species of Mniopamea are very distinctive ( Figs 12 , 15 ).

Description ( Figs 1, 2 ). Wingspan 30–35 mm, length of forewing 14–16 mm. Antennae of both sexes are filiform, the frons and vertex pale ochre brown, the collar black outlined. The vesture of the body and the ground colour of the forewing greyish faint brown, however much darker brown in the middle area. The most remarkable external features of the new species are the forewing with pointed apex, the well discernible black double basal dash, the conspicuous black definition of the claviform stigma, being in connection both of the whitish-pale brown antemedial and postmedial transverse lines; the remarkable light brown orbicular spot and the whitish reniform stigma in the dark middle area. The hind wings whitish suffused; the prominent cellular dot, the medial line and the somewhat diffuse marginal area brown. The male genitalia ( Figs 7, 8 ) can be characterized by the somewhat spatulate, distally broaden, apically evenly straight uncus; small, acute subapical dorsal projection in the valva; densely setosed cucullus; large, foot shaped clavus, long, evenly thin, apically slender digitus, shield-like juxta, discoidal coecum penis, finely serrate, strongly sclerotized distal plate of aedeagus with eversible sclerotized carinal bar and broadly tubular vesica with a few tiny subterminal spines. The main recognizable features of the female genitalia ( Fig. 13 ) are the medially slightly depressed, somewhat ∞-shaped antrum- ostium complex with posteriorly very finely dentate anthrum; the broad, posteriorly strongly sclerotized, asymmetrically calycular, slightly folded ductus bursae; the broad, however only slightly prominent and detached appendix bursae, of which has a large, evenly sclerotized, in the junction somewhat ribbed plate, being confluent outwards the anterior section of ductus bursae and the rather globular, membranous corpus bursae with two signae.

Biology and distribution. Series of males and females were collected at ultraviolet light on 14–20 June, 2015 in remote parts of west China Sichuan Province near the Litang (Fig. 16) and Batang of the Shaluli Shan mountain range. The new species was collected at altitudes ranging from 3600 to 4100 meters in mountain mixed forests dominated by various conifer trees, bushes and rhododendron.

Etymology. The new species is named after Risto ( Ripa ) Haverinen ( Finland), for his merits in entomology.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Mniotype, Mniopamea, Polymixis ssp. adults. 1. M. ripa sp. n., male, holotype, China, W. Sichuan, Litang (PGM / HNHM); 2. M. ripa sp. n., female, paratype, China, W. Sichuan, Litang (PGM); 3. M. melanodonta, male, China, Shaanxi, Tsinling Mts (PGM); 4. M. gandhara, female, Pakistan, Karakoram, Naltar valley (PGM); 5. P. b e a t a, male, Tibet [China], S. W. Himalaya, Nyalam (PGM); 6. P. re m o t a, female, China, W. Sichuan, Daocheng (ASV).

FIGURES 7 – 9. Mniotype ssp. male genitalia. 7. M. ripa sp. n., male, holotype, China, W. Sichuan, prep. PGY 4379 m (PGM / HNHM); 8. M. ripa sp. n., male, paratype, China, W. Sichuan, prep. PGY 4297 m (PGM); 11. M. melanodonta, male, China, Shaanxi, prep. PGY 4404 m (PGM).

FIGURES 13 – 15. Mniotype, Mniopamea ssp. female genitalia. 13. M. ripa sp. n., female, paratype, China, W. Sichuan, prep. PGY 4380 f (PGM); 14. M. melanodonta, female, China, Shaanxi, prep. PGY 4403 f (PGM); 15. M. gandhara, female, Pakistan, Karakoram, prep. PGY 4401 f (PGM); Figure 16. China, West Sichuan, near Litang, the type locality of M. ripa sp. n.: 4000 m, N 29 ° 49.136 ′, E 100 ° 20.576 ′.

FIGURES 10 – 12. Mniotype, Polymixis, Mniopamea ssp. male genitalia. 10. M. draudti, male, China, Sichuan, prep. PGY 4035 m (PGM); 11. P. beata, male, Tibet [China], S. W. Himalaya, prep. PGY 1895 m (PGM); 12. M. cashmirensis, male, Pakistan, Karakoram, prep. PGY 4397 m (PGM).