Nemophora lutea Ko & Hirowatari, 2023

Ko, Jae-Ho, Yagi, Sadahisa & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2023, A new species of Nemophora from Korea (Lepidoptera, Adelidae, Adelinae), Zootaxa 5360 (1), pp. 127-136 : 128-135

Nemophora lutea Ko & Hirowatari , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–5 , 8 )

Type materials. Holotype:♁, KOREA, Seokjeong-ri, Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-gun , Jeollanam-do ( N 34˚28′13.7″, E 127˚09′04.3″), 02.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7080, in DASARI . Paratypes (3 ♁, 21 ♀): KOREA: 1 ♁, Is. Geogeum , Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-Gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚27′31.9″, E 127˚08′31.9″), 02.VI.2021 (Jung S.W., Kim W.H., Ko J.H., Lee J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7076, Sample ID for DNA analysis: SaY652, in ELKU ; 1 ♀, Is. Geogeum , Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-Gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚28′2.88″, E 127˚09′0.72″), 03.VI.2021 (Jung S.W., Kim W.H., Ko J.H., Lee J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7077, Sample ID for DNA analysis: SaY653, in ELKU ; 1 ♀, Daeheung-ri , Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚27′31.7″, E 127˚08′21.1″), 31.V.2022 (Ko J.H.), in DASARI ; 2 ♁, Yulchi-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚33′10.4″, E 127˚16′02.2″), 01.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7081, 7082, in DASARI ; 4 ♀, Seokjeong-ri , Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚28′13.7″, E 127˚09′04.3″), 02.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7095, 7096, 7097, in DASARI ; 2 ♀, Yullim-ri , Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚36′04.04″, E 127˚46′50.8″), 06.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7093, 7094, in DASARI ; 9 ♀, Yullim-ri , Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚36′04.04″, E 127˚46′50.8″), 07.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7084, 7085, 7086, 7087, 7088, 7089, 7090, 7091, 7092 in DASARI ; 1 ♀, Bangchuk-ri , Jeungdo-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 35˚01′08.5″, E 126˚08′06.1″), 13.VI.2022, (Ko J.H.), Genitalia slide no. INU-7083, in DASARI ; 1 ♀, Yonggok-ri , Jangdong-myeon, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚43′03.4″, E 126˚58′43.05″), 31.V.2023 (Bae Y.S., Kim H.U., Kim J.N., Choi S.H.), in NIBR ; 1 ♀, Haewon-ri , Songji-myeon, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea ( N 34˚24′19″, E 126˚33′06″), 02.VI.2023 (Cha Y.B., Park J.S.), in JNU ; 1 ♀, Gyorye-ri , Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, Korea ( N 33˚27′15″, E 126˚39′42″), 28.V.2023 (Ra D.K.), in JNU .

Diagnosis. Nemophora lutea sp. nov. is morphologically very similar to N. smaragdaspis but can be distinguished by the following characteristics: the deep orange median band on the forewing is nearly straight (irregular waved in N. smaragdaspis ) and broader than that of N. smaragdaspis ; the metallic white lines on the forewing are nearly straight (irregular waved in N. smaragdaspis ). The male genitalia of the new species closely resemble those of N. smaragdaspis from Nepal (illustrated by Kozlov 2023, Fig. 134), but can be distinguished by the following characteristics: the uncus is finger-shaped (dome-shaped in N. smaragdaspis ); the valva is narrower than that of N. smaragdaspis , the tip of the valva is not curved (weakly curved in N. smaragdaspis ), and the apical part of the phallus is angled at the tip (hooked at the tip in N. smaragdaspis ). Additionally, the male genitalia of the new species are similar to those of N. smaragdaspis from India (illustrated by Kozlov 2023, Fig. 163), but can be clearly distinguished by the following characteristics: the uncus is longer than that of N. smaragdaspis ; the valva is slenderer than that of N. smaragdaspis ; the width from the uncus to the posterior vinculum is narrower than that of N. smaragdaspis ; and the apical part of the phallus is twisted and strongly curved (not twisted and weakly curved in N. smaragdaspis ).

Description. Adult ( Figs. 1–3 , 8 ). Length of forewing 9–10 mm in male, 8–9 mm in female. Vertex and front covered with orange hairs. Antenna filiform, about three times the length of forewing, covered with black scales from scape to basal 1/ 6 in male, and almost same length of forewing, covered with black scales from scape to basal 2/ 3 in female. Labial and maxillary palpus porrect, covered with orange scales. Patagium and tegula metallic green. Ground color of forewing brown, with a metallic green basal area in both sexes; median band of forewing deep orange, edged with metallic white lines in both side; fringe brown. Ground color of hindwing light brown; fringe light brown. Abdomen slender, covered with brown scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ). Uncus short, rounded at apex. Tegumen dome-shaped. Transtilla narrowed, short, with a median prominent. Vinculum long, elongated, about four times length of valva. Valva nearly triangular, with setose. Phallus almost same length of vinculum, with a pair of strongly sinuate hooks near apex. Juxta spear-shaped, long axis of juxta about 2.5–3 times length of short axis.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Posterior and anterior apophyses almost same length with a nearly triangular sclerite and partly sclerotized near attachment point of guy wires. Ductus bursae membranous, approximately 1/3 length of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ovoid, membranous; signum absent.

Distribution. Korea (Goheung-gun, Yeosu-si, Sinan-gun, Jangheung-gun, Haenam-gun, Jeju-do).

Etymology. The specific name was derived from the Latin word lutea , which refers to the deep orange median band of the forewing in both sexes.

DNA analysis. The COI barcode sequences of male and female N. lutea sp. nov. were completely matched ( Fig. 9 ). The smallest interspecific uncorrected pairwise distance between N. lutea sp. nov. and other Nemophora spp. was 6.23 % of that of N. smaragdaspis from Japan (Sample ID/GenBank accession number: SaY441/ON256889). These distances were larger than threshold of the empirical interspecific distances (3% ( Hebert et al. 2003)).

Remarks. Regarding N. smaragdaspis, Kozlov (2023) noted that specimens from India and Nepal did not exhibit sexual dimorphism in the forewing pattern, which was observed in specimens from Japan (Hirowatari & Yamamoto 2004). Therefore, he considered that the specimens collected in Japan belonged, not to N. smaragdaspis , but to other undescribed species. Although we compared the COI barcode sequences of N. lutea sp. nov. with those of ‘ N. smaragdaspis ’ from Japan, further comparisons with the sequences of N. smaragdaspis from India are required. Kozlov (2023) pointed out that the taxonomic affinities of the two male specimens reported as N. smaragdaspis from Korea by Ji et al. (2018) remain uncertain. Indeed, these specimens have different markings from the specimens from India and Japan; therefore, further research is needed on these specimens.

During collection, the first author found that N. lutea sp. nov. appears on the leaves of Mallotus japonicus ( Euphorbiaceae ) at sunset or under cloudy weather conditions. Most individuals that appeared at sunset were females, and males were only found during the day or at night. Based on the collected samples, adults appear before the flowers of Mallotus japonicus bloom from May to June, and it is estimated that they inhabit this tree. Additionally, it is estimated to be widely distributed on southern beaches and islands where M. japonicus is present in Korea. Hirowatari et al. (2022) briefly reviewed the host plants (more precisely, “egg-laying plants” because the adelid moths lay their eggs on living plants, but their larvae feed on dead leaves) of ‘ N. smaragdaspis ’ from Japan and its related species, but M. japonicus was not known as a host plant. This plant may be used by N. lutea sp. nov. for egg laying; however, further research is required.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Head of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. 1a. Male. 1b. Female.

FIGURE 2. Lateral view of head of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. 2a. Male. 2b. Female.

FIGURE 3. Adults of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. 3a. Holotype, male (INU-7080). 3b. Paratype, male (INU-7076). 3c. Paratype, female (INU-7097).

FIGURE 4. Male genitalia of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. 4a. Holotype, INU-7080. 4b. Paratype, INU-7076.

FIGURE 5. Female genitalia of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. 5a. Paratype, INU-7077. 5b. Dorsal view of vestibulum, paratype, INU-7093. 5c–e. Separated parts, paratype, INU-7092 (c. eight sternum and anterior apophyses; d. posterior apophyses; e. complex in eight sternum).

FIGURE 9. Maximum likelihood tree based on the COI barcode sequences. Numbers associated with branches indicate bootstrap values higher than 50% (ML/MP).

FIGURES 6–8. 6a–b. Habitat of Nemophora lutea sp. nov. (a. Goheung-gun; b.Yeosu-si). 7a–b. Collected trees (a. Mallotus japonicas; b. buds of Mallotus japonicas). 8a–b. Nemophora lutea sp. nov. observed in the wild (a. male; b. female).