Thliptoceras semicirculare Zhang

Zhang, Dandan, Xu, Jiawen & Li, Jinwei, 2014, Review of the genus Thliptoceras Warren, 1890 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Pyraustinae) from the Oriental region of China, Zootaxa 3796 (2), pp. 265-286 : 271-272

Thliptoceras semicirculare Zhang , sp. nov.

Figs. 2 , 9, 10, 20, 33, 41

DIagnosIs. Thliptoceras semicirculare is similar to T. buettikeri Munroe , but can be distinguished by the larger wing expanse (23–28 mm), a column-shaped uncus with its basal half not setose; a valva with a finger-shaped process on costa near apex followed by a much deeper semicircular excavation and a more sharply pointed apex; a relatively slender and long editum, sharply bent dorsad. The spinulose region in the ductus bursae is diagnostic for this species.

DescrIptIon. Head. Frons yellowish brown, with creamy white lateral bands. Vertex pale yellowish brown. Labial palpus exceeding head by about length of head, yellowish brown, contrastingly creamy white at base ventrally. Maxillary palpus yellowish brown, with apex creamy white. Basal scaling of proboscis creamy white. Antenna brown, with creamy white or pale yellow scales dorsally; male with scape slightly compressed, basal segments of flagellum greatly enlarged, dorsally excised and covered with scale-tuft extending basad from distal part of excision, followed by few weakly compressed segments, expanded and slightly curved. Thorax. Tegulae yellowish brown. Grey-yellow dorsally, paler ventrally. Legs grey-yellow dorsally, paler ventrally; hind tibia with inner mid-spur longer than other inner spurs and outer mid-spur minute in male, other outer spurs about 1/3 to 1/2 length of inner. Wing expanse 23–28 mm. Forewing greyish yellow, scattered with yellowish brown scales, much denser between base and antemedial line; markings brown; antemedial line fine, outwardly curved from 1/5 costa to 2/5 posterior margin, very weakly indented at 2A; cell with a minute orbicular stigma at 2/3 cell length; reniform stigma a short streak, outwardly oblique; postmedial line slightly dentate, from 3/4 costa arched to distal 1/3 CuA1, angled to middle of CuA2, then a sinuate line to 3/4 posterior margin; termen brown line; fringe with basal half alternating yellow and fuscous, distal half fuscous. Hindwing greyish yellow, scattered with orange scales, much denser on basal area and gradually decreasing to postmedial line; postmedial line faint, from M1 straight to behind CuA1 then bent basad and ending at anal fold, sometimes absent; termen and fringe as in forewing, but yellow at tornal region. Abdomen. Grey-yellow dorsally, paler ventrally. Male genitalia. Uncus column-shaped, wide only at base, parallel-sided, distal half setose dorsolaterally except apex. Valva very slender; costa strongly sclerotized, weakly concave, with a tapering finger-shaped process near apex, followed by a semicircular excavation and sharply pointed apex; ventral margin slightly sinuate; editum slender, long and sharply bent dorsad, apex inflated and sparsely setose; sacculus with a low, round process medially. Juxta a dorsally elongated rhomboid. Anellus a somewhat amorphous membrane. Aedeagus narrowest in middle, with spine-shaped cornuti of different length in several groups. Female genitalia. Ovipositor lobes flat, crescentic, densely setose. Apophyses anteriores almost 1.5 times length of apophyses posteriores. Antrum sclerotised, asymmetrical, a wide, laterally curved tube, narrowest 1/3 from ostium, densely spinulose, posterior part less sclerotised, collar-shaped. Ductus seminalis originating just anterior of antrum. Ductus bursae irregularly spiraled, length about 5 times diameter of corpus bursae, at 1/4 from corpus bursae with area of dense sclerotised spinules. Corpus bursae globular, signum small (less than half diameter of corpus bursae), angles bearing carina nearly right-angled and of the angles without carina one blunt, the other rounded; accessory bursae arising from posterior end of corpus bursae.

MaterIal examIned. Holotype: ♂, CHINA, Guangdong: Mt. Nankunshan (23°63'N, 113°89'E), Huizhou County, 16.VII.2003, coll. Zhang Dandan and Li Zhiqiang, genitalia slide No. ZDD03202; Paratypes: Guangdong: 1 ♂, Mt. Nankunshan (23°63'N, 113°89'E), Huizhou County, 16.VII.2003, coll. Zhang Dandan and Li Zhiqiang; 30 ♂, 3 ♀, Mt. Heishiding (23°27'N, 111°54'E), Fengkai County, 14–16.VI.2009, 1. VII., 13.VIII.2010, 1–2.V., 2– 3.VII., 2.VIII., 5.IX.2011, coll. Zhang Dandan and Tong Bo et. al., genitalia slide No. XJW12002, ZDD03312, ZDD10087, venation slide No. ZDD10086.

DIstrIbutIon. China (Guangdong).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin semicircularis = semicircular, referring to the dorsal valva margin with a semicircular excavation near its apex.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2 Head of Thliptoceras spp. 1. Conically projecting frons of T. gladiali s (image reversed). 2. Modified antenna of T. semicirculare.