Owadaglaea reta Benedek, Borth & Saldaitis

Benedek, Balázs, Borth, Robert & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2012, Four new Owadaglaea species from the greater Himalayan region (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3316, pp. 40-49 : 40-41

Owadaglaea reta Benedek, Borth & Saldaitis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1, 2 , 15 , 23 )

Type material. Holotype: male ( Fig. 1 ), China, W. Sichuan, road Ya'an/Kangding, Erlang Shan Mt., 2100 m, 6. x.

2010, N29°52.391', E102°18.593', Floriani leg., in the collection of GBG / ZSM; (slide No.JB 1612m) Paratypes: 1 female ( Fig. 2 ), with the same data as the holotype, 1 female, China, W. Sichuan, road Ya'an/Kangding, Erlang Shan Mt., 3200 m, 7. x. 2010, N29°51.941', E102°17.022', Floriani leg., 1 female, China, W. Sichuan, road Ya'an/ Kangding, Erlang Shan Mt., 2100 m, 30. x. 2010, N 29 °87.34', E 102 °30.97', A. Floriani leg., in the collections of AFM, BBT and NRCV. Slide No. JB1674f.

Diagnosis. Owadaglaea reta is most closely related to O. babicsi ( Figs. 3 , 16 ). The two species are very similar externally, however, the male of O. reta generally has darker and broader forewings. The male genitalia of the newly described species differs in a series of small characters including the downwards arching digitus with wider basis, the shape of the harpe-ampulla complex, the more rounded, broader juxta and the narrower vinculum. The aedeagus of O. reta is shorter, more curved, with a larger coecum and the vesica, differently shaped, with smaller subbasal diverticulum. The very large, ball-shaped corpus bursae of the female copulatory organ is unusual within the genus. Evolutionary distances using the Kimura two-parameter model for COI DNA barcodes comparing four specimens of O. reta to four O. babicsi are at least 6.65%. DNA variation between these O. reta and two O. zillii were similarly significant as male genitalia differences (Ronkay 2010: 353–354.)

Description. Wingspan 34–38 mm, length of forewing 15–17 mm. Head and frons light creamy-golden brown; collar with wide black frame on upper half; thorax creamy yellow with a narrow brownish middle segment; antennae thin, ciliate; forewings broader, elliptical, apex pointed with shiny cream color mixed with chocolate brown ground color on male and with some olive on the generally lighter females; ante-and postmedial fascia lighter; sinous, subterminal fascia diffuse; reniform on males with a darker greyish core at the inner segment; orbicular greyish, those on the females are uniformly creamy white; claviform stigma black and conspicously large; cilia rather short, crenulate; hindwings shiny brownish-grey with discal spot distantly presented. Male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ): Uncus large with strong subapical hairs, distal part widely flattened; apical incision gentle; tegumen moderately high; fultura broad, guitar-shaped; vinculum short, fairly narrow, V-shaped; valvae elongate, uniformly wide; cucullus rounded, without corona; sacculus flatly elongate; clavi small, rounded; harpe and ampulla small, connected to a sclerotized bar extending to the sacculus; digitus acute, downwards arched, originating from a large basis; aedeagus gently arcuate; carinal process complex of three different extensions and a dorsal plate; vesica moderately broad with two smaller subbasal and a larger, conical end diverticulum. Female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ): Ostium wide, with a strongly sclerotized, large, pocket-like plate on the right edge and two central sclerotized spines; ductus short, conical, with reticulate surface and strong central sclerotization; cervix small but flattened; corpus bursae very large, ball-shaped.

Bionomics and distribution. Known only from the Erlang Shan Mountains Sichuan province of China on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, O. reta is likely endemic to West Sichuan. All specimens were collected in October at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 3200 m; both males and females were attracted to light and appear to have a very local distribution as O. reta was discovered in only one valley near Luding. The new species was collected in mountainous virgin mixed forest habitat dominated by various broad-leaved trees such as oaks ( Quercus dentata , Q. glauca ), poplars ( Populus cathayana , P. simonii ), elm ( Ulmus parvifolia ), rhododendrons ( Rhododendron brachycarpum , R. dauricum ), and bamboos ( Phyllostachys ssp ., Borinda ssp ., Fargesia spp.). Moths flies with other autumnal Noctuidae species such as Isolasia hunana Ronkay, Ronkay, Gyulai & Hacker, 2010 , Gaurenoglaea alternata Ronkay, Ronkay, Gyulai & Hacker, 2010, Tiliacea japonago likianago (Draudt, 1950) , Telorta divergens (Butler, 1879) and Hoeneidia cidarioides Boursin, 1954 . The early stages and the food plant are unknown.

Etymology. The species name " reta " means "rare, uncommon" in Lithuanian.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Owadaglaea ssp. adults. 1. O. reta, male, holotype, China, Sichuan (GBG / ZSM); 2. O. reta, female, paratype, China, Sichuan (AFM); 3. O. babicsi, male, China, Sichuan (AFM); 4. O. elongata, male, Janakpur, Dolakha area, Thulopatal district (BBT); 5. O. michelleae, male, holotype, Myanmar, West Chun State, Junction Mt. Victoria (HSV); 6. O. dominiki, male, holotype, Myanmar, West Chun State, Junction Mt. Victoria (HSV); 7. O. triangulifera, male, W. Nepal, Bheri (BBT); 8. O. triangulifera, female, W. Nepal, Bheri (BBT).

FIGURES 15 – 18. Owadaglaea ssp. male genitalia. 15. O. reta, holotype, prep. BJ 1612; 16. O. babicsi, prep. BJ 1797; 17. O. kulmani, holotype, prep. BJ 1744; 18. O. yoshiomotoi, prep. BJ 1827.

FIGURES 23 – 27. Owadaglaea ssp. female genitalia. 23. O. reta, paratype, prep. BJ 1674; 24. O. kulmani, paratype, prep. BJ 1745; 25. O. yoshiomotoi, prep. BJ 1828; 26. O. elongata, prep. BJ 1721; 27. O. triangulifera, prep. BJ 1747.