Flavala Behounek, Han & Kononenko, 2012

Behounek, G., Han, H. L. & V. S. Kononenko, 2012, Two new genera and three new species of the Pantheinae from East Asia and China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). Contribution to revision of Pantheinae VIII, Zootaxa 3587, pp. 78-88 : 79

Genus Flavala Behounek, Han & Kononenko , gen. n.

Type species: Acronycta flavala Moore, 1867 , Proceedings of Zoological Society of London, 1867: 46. Type-locality: [ India or Bangladesh], Bengalia , Type (s) in BMNH, London. Designated here .

Diagnosis. The new genus differs from Anacronicta by wing pattern which is rather uniform in Anacronicta usually without terminal band on hindwing ( Figs. 1, 2). In the male genitalia it differs from Anacronicta ( Fig. 13) by short beak-like uncus (long, wide, belt-like in Anacronicta ); apically tapered shape of valva (broad, lobe-like in Anacronicta ); medial position of harpe (subapical in Anacronicta ); shape of juxta and vinculum; bulbous shape of vesica and its arming with subapical dense patch of small cornuti (in Anacronicta vesica with 2 – 4 finger-like membranous extensions (diverticula) armed with patches of moderate needle-like cornuti. The female genitalia differ from Anacronicta ( Fig. 17) by wide ovipositor, tube-like structure of antrum and shape of corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 3 – 6). Frons bulged, eyes rounded, covered with sparse hairs; ocelli present; antennae of male filiform, sparsely ciliated; proboscis well developed, short; labial palps moderate, presses, extended to frons; 3 rd segment of palps small, about three times smaller than 2 nd; hindwing venation with M2 well developed, arising from the lower angle of discal cell. Male genitalia ( Figs. 14 – 16). Uncus rather short, extended medially, apically beak-like; tegumen almost equal to vinculum, with broad lateral lobes; paratergal sclerites narrow, plate-like; juxta wide, shield-like; vinculum with narrow V-like saccus; valva broad basally, gradually tapered apically, with narrow, slightly curved apex; costa strong, basal lobe of sacculus rather broad, elongate; clasper positioned transversally, as sclerotised plate; harpe moderate in length, not exceed costa, curved. Aedeagus moderate in length, straight, carina with sclerotised, finely granulated plate, vesica rounded, with dense patch of small cornuti in apical part. Female genitalia ( Fig. 18). Papillae anales quadrangular, covered with hairs; apophyses anteriores and posteriors rather short, wide basally; antrum tube-like, postvaginal plate spitted; ductus bursae short, membranous; corpus bursae ovoid, with ribbed sclerotised patch in middle.

Etymology. The generic name Flavala is derived from the name of the type-species Acronycta flavala .

Notes. The taxon flavala has been described in the genus Acronycta Treitschke, 1825 (junior synonym of Acronicta Ochsenheimer, 1816 , currently subfamily Acronictinae ) ( Moore 1867). Later Hampson (1913) transferred Acronycta flavala to pantheine genus Anacronicta (type-species Aplectoides caliginea Butler, 1881 ( Japan) ( Figs. 1, 13, 17). The systematic position of the species was not revised since Hampson (1913); Poole (1989) listed flavala in Anacronicta (Pantheinae) .