Mudaria grisescens, Pellinen & Mutanen & Sihvonen, 2018

Pellinen, Markku, Mutanen, Marko & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2018, New species of genus Mudaria Moore, 1893 and the first record of Mudaria cornifrons Moore, 1893 from Thailand (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae), Zootaxa 4500 (2), pp. 292-300 : 294-298

Mudaria grisescens sp. n. Pellinen ( Figs 1 , 4, 5 , 10 )

Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADL0337

Type material. Holotype male: Thailand, Lampang, Phichai , 25.v. 2012, 240 m, 18°18’15’’N, 99°31’06’’E, M. J. Pellinen leg., genitalia slide MJP 37. In coll. Pellinen ( Finland). The holotype will be deposited in a public museum . Paratypes 1 male and 2 females: male, Thailand, Lampang, Phraya Chae , 09.x. 2009, 350 m, 18°17’15’’N, 99°32’59’’E ; female, Thailand, Lampang, Phichai , 20.v. 2008, 240 m, 18°18’15’’N, 99°31’06’’E, M. J. Pellinen leg ; female, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom , 06.vi. 2015, 350 m, 18°43’25’’N, 99°32’44’’E, M. J. Pellinen leg. Paratypes in coll. Pellinen ( Finland). All type specimens have red rectangle label, indicating the type status (holotype / paratype) .

Morphological diagnosis. The new species with wingspan of 31 mm (n=4) is mid-range for the genus Mudaria . Externally it resembles M. cornifrons and M. variabilis , which are the largest species in the genus, all species having grey forewings with an elongated black streak distal to the basal patch and distinct blackish margin. In M. grisescens the streak is concolorous with wing, in M. cornifrons and M. variabilis the streak is brown-reddish with off-white margin. In M. grisescens hindwings are off-white near base and greyish with dark veins in outer part, in M. cornifrons and M. variabilis hindwings are pure white with weakly visible veins. M. grisescens has a round protuberance on the frons ( Figs. 1c–d ), while M. cornifrons and M. variabilis have a flat sclerotised plate with medial elongation on the frons ( Figs 6d– 7d ). Male genitalia of M. grisescens and M. cornifrons are very similar and without conspicuous differentiating features other than size, those of M. cornifrons about 2x larger than those of M. grisescens . In addition, base of uncus is roundly bilobed without straight area between in M. grisescens (base with straight area between roundly bilobed margin in M. cornifrons ), and the spike on the basal cornutus is larger in M. grisescens . Saccus is narrow and elongated in M. grisescens as opposed to triangular in M. cornifrons . Female genitalia shows the following distinct features: corpus bursae of M. grisescens is covered with parallel grooves, it is short and membranous towards the posterior, whereas the corpus bursae of M. cornifrons is smooth, elongate and curved, sclerotised towards the posterior.

Genetic data. As only a single specimen is analyzed for M. grisescens for COI, intraspecific variability could not be assessed. The genetically most similar species to M. grisescens (only a single specimen analysed) is M. minoroides with minimum K2P distance of 5.06 % (only sequences of>400 bp long included in the analysis). Genetic K2P distance between M. grisescens and other species of Mudaria varies from 5.1 % to 7.6 %.

Description. External characters. Wingspan 31 mm (n= 4), forewing length 13.5–13.7 mm. Frons smooth, with round protuberance ( Figs 1c–d ). Labial palps medium size, covered with short scales, greyish laterally, mixed grey brown ventrally, 3 rd segment about half length of 2 nd. Antennae of male simple, filiform, thinner in female, otherwise sexes externally alike. Proboscis fully developed. Eyes large, naked. Head and thorax covered with long scales. Patagia dark brown, ring of black scales with white scales inside ( Fig. 1d ). Tegulae grey. Legs brown, with yellowish tip on segments. Forewing rather narrow, elongate, grey with some brownish scales in margins and cilia; leprous blotches bordered with black scales, weakest in basal and apical blotch, strongest in middle blotch. Two black, weakly triangular markings between blotches on forewing costa; orbicular and reniform stigmata faints, marked as grey spots; greyish dusting in subbasal area; basal line not expressed; subbasal line double, thin, curved basally, forming dark line on dorsum; antemedial line thin; subterminal line dentate; terminal line blackish; fringe mottled, pale grey with dark grey and some brown patches. Hindwings off-white basally; marginal and apical areas grey and with disturbed dark submarginal line; black broken lines between veins; fringe lighter grey. Underside pale greyish-brown. Vein M2 on hindwing present, rather close to M3, weaker compared to other veins, arising from low angle of cell.

Abdomen. Male dorsally with tuft of scales on the anterior margin of tergites 4–7, these ruptures are visible as elliptical zones on skin when scales are removed ( Fig. 10 ). Anterior margin of eighth segment sclerites with bifid extension, that of 8 th tergite with long and narrow extensions.

Male genitalia. ( Figs. 4a–c ). Uncus rectangular, blunt apically (note: structure bent ventrally, dissection artefact); tegumen broad, posterior margin sclerotised and scobinate, narrow lateral margins run down to valvae bases; juxta platelike, central part scobinate; valva broad and short, apex rounded and covered sparsely with long setae; costa sclerotised and scobinate basally; harpe base narrow and curved, sclerotised, apex with distinct narrow extension. Saccus narrow, long. Aedeagus wide, apex covered with minute, tooth-like sclerotisations; everted vesica same size as aedeagus, basal cornutus wide at base, ending in short acute spike; apical cornutus narrow at base, ending in long, heavily sclerotised spike.

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 5 ). Papillae anales broad, heavily setose; apophyses anteriores slightly shorter than apophyses posteriores; margins of ostium bursae setose; ductus bursae wide, short, sclerotised laterally; corpus bursae large, wide, covered entirely with parallel grooves and scobinate, without distinct signum or sclerotisations.

Etymology. The species name refers to grey colour of adults.

Distribution. North Thailand. The species was collected in various biotopes between 240–350 metres in May, June and in October.

Biology. Preimaginal stages of the new species are unknown. It is possible that the larvae are pod and fruit borers like other Mudaria species as described by Holloway (1989).

Remarks. The new species is illustrated in the Moths of Thailand as genus & species unknown ( Kononenko & Pinratana 2013, plate 40, fig. 41). As regards the genitalia morphology, Mudaria is very uniform, but externally three loose groups can be recognised. M. cornifrons (type species of the genus) and M. variabilis have a flat sclerotised plate with a medial elongation on the frons ( Figs. 6–7 ) and wings are without distinct leprous blotches. All other species have a round protuberance on frons, including M. grisescens ( Fig. 1 ). Majority of species in the latter group are brown with off-white, pinkish, reddish-brown or yellowish leprous blotches, whereas M. grisescens is the only species with grey wings and concolorous leprous blotches. Potentially there are two additional undescribed species of Mudaria . One from Borneo: Mt Dulit (a female is illustrated in Holloway 1989, genetic data not available) and one from Australia: Queensland, externally close to M. cornifrons and variabilis (three specimens, including photographs and barcodes, are available in the BOLD database under Barcode Index Number: BOLD:AAO6885).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Male abdominal tergites of M. grisescens sp. n. Males have dorsal tuft of scales on the anterior margin of abdominal tergites 4–7, these ruptures are visible as elliptical zones on skin when scales are removed. Slide MJP37 (holotype, Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 25.v.2012).

FIGURES 1–3. Facies and frons of Mudaria spp. 1a. M. grisescens sp. nov., paratype male (Thailand: Lampang, Phraya Chae, 09.x.2009), wingspan 31 mm. 1b. M. grisescens sp. nov., paratype female (Thailand: Lampang, Chae Hom, 06.vi.2015), wingpan 31 mm. 1c. M. grisescens paratype female, protuberance on frons, dorsal view (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 20.v.2008). 1d. M. grisescens paratype female, protuberance on frons, anterior view (Thailand: Lampang, Chae Hom, 06.vi.2015). 2. M. rudolfi male (Thailand: Lampang, Chae Hom, 08.i.2016), wingspan 42 mm. 3. M. major male (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 29.vii.2011), wingspan 40 mm.

FIGURES 4–5. Genitalia of Mudaria grisescens sp. nov. 4a. male genitalia, slide MJP37 (holotype, Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 25.v.2012). 4b. aedeagus, slide MJP37 (holotype). 4c. male 8th abdominal segment, slide MJP37 (holotype). 5. female genitalia, slide MJP1150 (paratype, Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 20.v.2008). Circle indicates origin of the ductus seminalis. [NOTE to editor: genitalia plates (figs 4–5 and figs 8–9) must be on facing pages so that structures can be compared]

FIGURES 6–7. Facies and frons of Mudaria spp. 6a. M. cornifrons male (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 23.ii.2015). 6b. M. cornifrons female (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 27.ii.2015). 6c. M. cornifrons female (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 20.ii.2015). 6d. M. cornifrons male, sclerotised plate on frons (Thailand: Lampang, Muban Phichai, 27.ii.2015). 7a. M. variabilis male (Thailand: Lampang, Chae Hom, 05.iii.2016). 7b. M. variabilis male, sclerotised plate on frons (Thailand: Chiangmai, Thoeng Dang, 4.iv.2006).