Calauta koreana, Sohn & Solovyev, 2022

Sohn, Jae-Cheon & Solovyev, Alexey V., 2022, Review of Calauta Solovyev & Witt, 2009 (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) with description of a new species from Korea, Zootaxa 5105 (3), pp. 439-444 : 441-442

Calauta koreana sp. nov. ( Figs 4 , 8 )

Type specimens. Holotype: ♂, Korea, Gyonggi Prov. , Gunpo-si, Mt. Surisan, 10 July 2002, [GSN] SJC-1211, GJUE.

Paratypes: 1♂, Korea, Chungbuk Prov., Jecheon-gun, Mt. Weolaksan , 16 July 1986, abdomen missing, GJUE ; 1♂, Korea, Chungbuk Prov., Jecheon-gun, Mt. Weolaksan, Songgye Valley (N36°51′56.0″, E128°05′20.0″, alt. 222 m), 18 June 2004, GJUE .

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to C. obscura Solovyev in overall morphological characters but differs from the latter in having the outer margin of basal patch in the forewing perpendicular to the dorsal margin (oblique in C. obscura ); the broader apex of valva; the process of juxta rather straight, with spinulate balloon (absent in C. obscura ).

Description. Head: Vertex dark brownish gray; frons dark brown. Antenna 2/5 as long as forewing, dark brown. Labial palpus 1/5 as long as antenna, dark brown; 1 st palpomere 1/3 as long as 2 nd; 2 nd palpomere broadened and darkened distally; 3 rd palpomere small, dark purplish brown.

Thorax: Patagium and mesonotum lustrous, dark brownish gray; tegula dark brownish gray in basal 1/3, fuscous in distal 2/3. Legs lustrous, dark brownish gray. Forewing length 8.5–9.2 mm, strongly oblique along termen, with narrowly-rounded apex, fuscous, darkened in terminal area; basal area broadly dark brown; discal spot small, dark brown; postmedian shade dark brown; cilia purplish gray. Hindwing and cilia dark brownish gray; semitransparent area present at middle, triangular. Legs lustrous, brownish gray.

Abdomen: Terga and sterna lustrous, dark brownish gray.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ): Uncus elongate, as long as tegumen, slightly concave apically; subapical spur dentiform. Valva 2x longer than uncus, digitiform apically, long-setose along costal area; costa convex at middle; saccular margin concave at middle. Lateral plate of juxta semicircular, with spinulate, bulbose covering; lateral process as long as uncus, slender, spiniform, slightly curved. Vinculum as narrow band. Phallus with spiniform carina distally.

Distribution. Korea (endemic).

Remarks. The females of this species remain unknown. The type series consists exclusively of specimens collected in the central part of the Korean Peninsula. It is very likely that C. koreana is one of the rare lepidopteran species in the country. This species represents the northernmost occurrence of the genus Calauta .

Figures

FIGURES 4–7. Adults of Calauta. 1. C. koreana sp. nov., holotype; 2. C. obscura Solovyev, holotype; 3. C. martini Solovyev et Witt, holotype; 4. C. notoseusa (Wu), holotype. Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURES 8–12. Genitalia of Calauta (a=phallus, b=lateral plate of juxta). 5. C. koreana sp. nov., male, holotype, SJC-1211; 6. C. obscura Solovyev, male, China, SJC-1152; 7. C. martini Solovyev et Witt, male, holotype, BM 1403; 8. C. notoseusa (Wu), male, holotype, W10067; 9. C. notoseusa (Wu), female, paratype, W10066.