Minigrapta Matov & Kononenko

V, Ато, 2012, A new genus and species of the tribe Apameini from the Russian Far East (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Xyleninae), Zootaxa 3590, pp. 16-22 : 17

Genus Minigrapta Matov & Kononenko , gen. n.

Type-species: Xanthograpta basinigra Sugi, 1982 , Moths of Japan 1: 822, 2: 384, pl. 198: 8 (Type-locality: Japan: Hokkaido, Tokachi, Taiki).

Diagnosis. The genus Minigrapta differs from Photedes (Figs. 17, 18, 27, 28) mainly in structures of male and female genitalia. Male genitalia: uncus thin, stick-like (weak, short, expanded in Photedes ); juxta large, vertical plate-like (small, shield-like in Photedes ); clavus not expressed (strong, various in shape in all species of Photedes ); valva strongly constricted apically, cucullus very small, trigonal (valva somewhat expanded apically, with rounded cucullus in Photedes ); vesica with thin, long spine-like cornutus (vesica with group of small cornuti in Photedes ). Female genitalia of Minigrapta gen. n. are variable in shape, but differ from Photedes by structure of antrum, which is consistently shallow and cup-like in Photedes .

Description. Adult ( Figs. 3–6 ). Small month, wingspan 17–20 mm. Head with rounded, bulging frons; antennae of both sexes simple, filiform; labial palps short, pressed, with 3rd segment small, half length of 2nd; ocelli present; head and thorax covered with broad flat black or brown scales; thoracic crests present, formed with wide black scales; eyes small, rounded; hindwing venation typical for trifinae Noctuidae (i.e. vein M2 missing); abdomen without coremata. Male genitalia (Figs. 15, 16). Uncus rather long and thin, two times as long as in Photedes , arched basally, pointed or slightly spatulate apically; tegumen broad, in M. minimoides sp. n. enlarged into large lateral lobes (peniculus); vinculum about two times longer than tegumen, with long V-like saccus; paratergal sclerites narrow, banded; juxta large, vertical plate-like, broader basally; valvae symmetrical, broader basally, constricted distally, in subapical third with parallel margins, apically with small trigonal cucullus covered with dense hairs; corona not expressed; clavus not expressed; costa rather strong; clasper positioned in distal third of valva, harpe completely reduced ( M. basinigra ), or small, vestigial ( M. minimoides ). Aedeagus straight, smoothly sclerotised, vesica with single thin apical cornutus or without cornuti. Female genitalia ( Figs. 24, 25 ). Papillae anales heavily sclerotised, pointed, in M. basinigra large, in M. minimoides relatively small, in both with sclerotised rods between ovipositor lobes; apophyses posteriores and anteriores thin, in M. basinigra rather long, in M. obsura relatively short, equal in length; antrum in M. basinigra small, eight segment with round deep cut; in M. minimoides antrum funnel-like; ductus rather long, medially extended in M. basinigra , but short in M. minimoides ; corpus bursae sack-like, membranous, in M. minimoides with prominent cervix.

Etymology. The generic name is formed by the combination of the family word “ mini ” (small) with “ grapta ” (drawn), the second part of the name Xanthograpta .

Notes. Sugi (1982) described Xanthograpta basinigra in the genus Xanthograpta (type-species Pyralis trilatalis Walker , [1866] 1865 [ India]), in the subfamily Acontiinae (sensu auctorum). Presently, the large heterogeneous assemblage Erastrianae (sensu Hampson 1910), referred to as the Acontiinae , has been divided into the subfamilies Acontiinae , Eustrotiinae , Boletobiinae, Aediinae, Metoponiinae and Sinocharinae; some generic complexes were transferred to the subfamily Xyleninae (tribes Elaphriini and Pseudeustrotiini) ( Speidel et al. 1996; Fibiger & Lafontaine 2005; Lafontaine & Fibiger 2006; Holloway 2011; Lafontaine & Schmidt 2010; Zahiri et al. 2011). However there remain many unassociated genera of former “ Acontiinae ” that require revison and placement. In the course of the revision of Acontiinae (sensu auctorum) we found that the species ‘ X ’. basinigra is not associated with any subfamily or tribe currently separated from “ Acontiinae ” but, judging from the structure of female genitalia, appears allied with the tribe Apameini of the subfamily Xyleninae . The examination of the photograph of imago and male genitalia of Xanthograpta trilatalis ( Figs. 1, 2 ) sent to us by M. Honey (NHM) revealed that ‘ X’. basinigra is not congeneric with the latter. Based on structures of the male genitalia of Xanthograpta trilatalis (presence of scaphium, lacking of paratergal sclerites, presence of strong transtilla, narrow sacculus, lacking of harpe and cucullus) we concluded that this species belongs to the subfamily Eustrotiinae , while male genitalia of ‘ X ’. basinigra presenting features of Xyleninae , Apameini ; the structure of female genitalia match well with apameine genera. We could not associate ‘ X ’. basinigra with any known Palaearctic and Nearctic (Lafontaine, pers. comm.) genera of Apameini . Here we describe a new genus Minigrapta gen. n. in the tribe Apameini . The new genus is closest to West Palaearcic apameine genus Photedes Lederer, 1857 (type-species Apamea captiuncula Treitschke, 1825 ). It includes two species, of which M. basinigra comb. n. externally resembling Ph. captiuncula ( Fig. 7 ), and M. minimoides sp. n. resembling Ph. minima (Haworth, 1809) ( Fig. 8 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Imagines and male genitalia. 1. Pyralis trilatalis, female, HT. North India (NHM); 2. Ditto, male genitalia, prep. NHM; 3. Minigrapta basinigra, male, Russia, Primorye; 4. Ditto, female; 5. M. minimoides, male, HT, Russia, Primorye, ZISP; 6. Ditto, female, PT, ZISP; 7. Photedes captiuncula, male, Denmark; 8. Ph. minima, male, Denmark.

FIGURES 24 – 32. Female genitalia. 13. Minigrapta basinigra, Russia, Primorye, genit. prep. 0020 AM, ZISP; 4. M. minimoides, Russia, Primorye, genit. prep. 0020 AM, ZISP; 15. Photedes captiuncula, Austria, genit. prep. 4924 MF, ZMCU; 16. Ph. minima, Denmark, genit. prep. 5054 MF, ZMCU.