Chytonix nemperssoni, Kovács, Sándor Tibor & Ronkay, László, 2018

Kovács, Sándor Tibor & Ronkay, László, 2018, A Revision Of The Chytonix Perssoni Berio, 1973 Species Complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Condicinae) With An Annotated List Of Eurasiatic Taxa, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 64 (2), pp. 143-160 : 150-153

Chytonix nemperssoni sp. n.

( Figs 4–6, 11, 15, 19–23)

Holotype – Male, Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai, Fan-si-pan Mts, Frontier Satellite Camp FTO, 22°16’86.6”N, 103°16’81.7”E, 1890 m, 11–13.VIII.1998, leg. A. Kun; slide No.: KST 453m (coll. HNHM).

Paratypes – Vietnam. 1 female, Prov. Lao Cai, Fansipan Mts , 1900 m, 14 km NW Sa Pa, 103°46,06’E, 22°20,9’N, 29–30.VIII.1998, leg. A. Kun, slide No.: KST445 f; 1 male, Prov. Lao Cai, Sa Pa district, Fansipan Mts , Frontier Satellite Camp , 22°19’17.7”N, 103°47’30.9”E, 2240 m, 18–22.VIII.1998, leg. A. Kun, slide No.: KST 390m; 1 male, Prov. Lao Cai, Sa Pa district, Fansipan Mts , Frontier Satellite Camp , 22°20’48,1”N, 103°47’45.2”E, 1690 m, 24–25. VIII.1998, leg. A. Kun, slide No.: KST 573m (coll. HNHM) . Burma [ Myanmar]. 1 male, Kam- baiti, 7000 feet, 11.IV.1934, leg. Malaise, slide No.: RL 11892m, NRS-TOBI 1985; 1 female, Kambaiti , 7000 feet, 21.IV., leg. Malaise, slide No.: RL11893 f, NRS-TOBI 1986 (paratypes of C. perssoni ; coll. NRM Stockholm). Laos. 20 males, 5 females, Prov. Xiang Khouang, Phou Samsoun , 10 km E of Ban Peun, 2016 m, 19°8.717’N, 103°46.811’E, 15.II.2012, leg. L. Perego- vits & A. Szappanos, coll. No. Lao 2012PL_20, slide Nos: KST462 , KST464 (males) , KST467 , KST468 (females) ; 2 males, 1 female; Prov. Xiang Khouang, Phou Samsoun , 11 km E of Ban Peun, 2030 m, 19°8.169’N, 103°47.122’E, 16.II.2012, leg. L. Peregovits & A. Szappanos, coll. No. Lao 2012PL_21 ; 5 males, 2 females, Prov. Xiang Khouang, Phou Samsoun , 12 km E of Ban Peun, 2100 m, 19°8.984’N, 103°47.484’E, 17.II.2012, leg. L. Peregovits & A. Szappanos, coll. No. Lao 2012PL_22, slide Nos: KST463 , KST465 (males) , KST466 (female) (coll. L. Pere- govits) . Thailand. 1 male, Prov. Nan, 30 km E Pua, National Park , 1700 m, 14–15.IX.1999, leg. A. Szabó & Z. Czere, slide No.: GB 5773m (coll. G. Behounek).

Diagnosis – Chytonix nemperssoni is somewhat brighter in colouration than its sister species, C. perssoni . The forewings of the new species are slightly paler than those of C. perssoni , with fine dark irroration in the cell, the basal field is somewhat paler and the subapical costal dark patch is usually a finer, more blackish dot; otherwise the two species are very similar externally. The measures of the two species are identical, with the wingspan 28– 30 m.

The male genitalia of the new species ( Figs 4–6) differ conspicuously from those of C. perssoni ( Figs 1–3) in all mentionable parts of the clasping ap- paratus and the aedeagus with vesica. The uncus of C. nemperssoni is medially broadened, eagle-bill-like, the tegumen has large, broad and quadrangular penicular lobes. The valva is long and slender, distally curved, with a long cu- cullus covered densely with strong coronal setae. The harpe is small, narrow pyramidal, and the digitus is large, flattened and more or less quadrangular with a pointed dorsal process anteriorly.

The aedeagus of C. nemperssoni is slender, tubular with densely spinose surface of carina forming a spinose collar at distal end of aedeagus, ventral carinal bar strongly sclerotised and cuneate. The vesica is entirely tubular, tapering distally, basal third covered with medium-long and acute, spiniform cornuti.

The female genitalia of C. nemperssoni ( Fig. 11) are characterised by the broad but short, rather membranous antrum and the sclerotised, flattenedtubular ductus bursae. The ostial ring is incomplete, appearing as a short ventral bar, and the postvaginal plate is weak, inconspicuous.

Chytonix perssoni , in comparison, has dark forewings, less contrasting irrorations in the cell, darker basal field, subapical patch obscured. The uncus is slenderer in its medial section; the tegumen does not have large, broad and quadrangular penicular lobes. The valva is shorter, wider, distally less curved, with a shorter cucullus, the harpe is broader pyramidal, and the digi- tus is large, with characteristic serrate-crenellate apical section. The aedeagus is distally thickened, the carina is heavily sclerotised, possessing a very long, cuneate ventro-medial process and two short, rather tooth- or thorn-like lateral extensions. The vesica has broad, inflated, more or less globular basal section and strongly tapering distal part; the entire vesica is membranous, without cornuti. The female genitalia ( Fig. 10) are characterised by the fine elliptical-rounded sclerotised ostial ring, the heavily sclerotised, obliquely funnel-like and on the internal surface densely scobinate-dentate antrum, and the relatively short and weakly sclerotised, partly scobinate ductus bursae.

Distribution – The new species is known from northern Indochina ( Myanmar, Laos, Northern Thailand and Northern Vietnam). Chytonix nemperssoni inhabits the higher forest regions, between 1800–2300 m altitudes. The species is supposedly bivoltine; the adults of the spring generation are on the wing in February–April, the summer generation was found in August–September.

Etymology – The name “nemperssoni” is composed from the name of the sister-spe- cies of the new taxon (“perssoni”) and the Hungarian word “nem” which means “not”. Thus, the name of the new species means “not perssoni”.