Athetis orthosioides Han & Kononenko, 2011

Han, H. L. & Kononenko, V. S., 2011, Twelve new species of Athetis Hübner, [1821] 1816 from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3068 (1), pp. 49-68 : 53

Athetis orthosioides Han & Kononenko sp. n.

( Figs. 4 , 20 )

Type material. Holotype: CHINA: male, [Prov. Fujian], Kuatun ( Fukien ) (2300 m), 27˚N, 117˚40'E, 3.iv.1938 (J. Klapperich), genit. prep. ZFMK 1714 . Paratypes: CHINA: 1 male, with same locality and data, genit. prep. ZFMK 1715 ; 1 male, Fujian, Dai Mao Shan ; 60 km NW of Longyan, 25°32'N, 116°51'E; 1300 m; 15–28.ii.2005, leg. V . Siniaev ( PG) ; 1 female, Guangxi, Dayao Shan; Jingxiu ; 100 km SE of Liuzhou, 23°45'N, 109°45'E; 1200 m; 15–30.iii.2005, leg. V . Siniaev ( PG). The holotype and one paratype are deposited in the collection of ZFMK , two paratypes are deposited in the collection of PG.

Diagnosis. Athetis orthosioides can be separated from A. cinerascens and other congeners by the slightly olive tint of forewing with thin whitish antemedial, postmedial and subterminal lines, somewhat darker reniform bordered with thin whitish line. Externally it resembles some species of Orthosia Ochsenheimer, 1816 , Noctuidae , tribe Orthosiini . In male genitalia it differs by relatively wide valva, presence of digitus, bifurcate harpe and characteristic arming of vesica, which consists of six very strong thorn-like cornuti at basal part, dense row of strong pin-like cornuti in the middle part and a field of small dense cornuti at the apical part.

Description. External appearance ( Fig. 4 ). Wingspan 30–33 mm. Male antennae filiform, ciliated; palps dark brown laterally, yellowish ventrally, 3rd segment short, about half length of 2nd; eyes surrounded by brownish lashes; head and thorax covered with hair-like brown, apically whitish scales; head with erected hairs. Ground color of forewing grey brown with slightly olive tint; elements of wing pattern expressed by thin pale lines; basal line as short streak in costal field; subbasal line thin, pale, oblique; orbicular and reniform somewhat darker than ground color, surrounded with pale line; reniform typical in shape; medial shadow not expressed; postmedial line thin, pale, straigth; subterminal line thin, slightly waved; cilia brownish, with pale bordering line. Hindwing greyish brown, discal spot traceable; cilia pale-yellowish with dark medial band. Male genitalia. ( Fig. 20 ). Abdominal hair brushes missing; uncus reduced, very small, tegumen higher than vinculum, later narrow, U-shaped; juxta leafshaped; valva elongated, relatively wide, its distal part curved dorsally, dorsal and ventral margins up to distal third of valva about parallel; cucullus rounded, covered by dense thin hairs; harpe situated at distal third of valva, flat, strong, broad, bifurcated with apices acute, dorsal apex larger than ventral one; costa with pointed digitus, situated under harpe and somewhat extending to ventral margin of valva; aedeagus large, equal to valva, straigth, with distal part sclerotised, carina with short and stronger sclerotised bar. Vesica tubular, medially recurved, bearing six strong thorn-like cornuti in basal half, row of numerous strong needle-like cornuti in middle part and field of small dense cornuti in apical part. Female unknown.

Etymology. The specific name “ orthosioides ” refers to the external similarity of the species to the genus Orthosia ( Noctuidae , Orthosiini ).

Distribution. East China (Prov. Fujian, Autonomic reg. Guangxi). The moths were collected in March.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Athetis spp., adults. 1. A. cinerascens, male, China (ZFMK); 2. A. hoengshana sp. n. male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 3. A. simplex sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 4. A. orthosioides sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 5. A. eupsilioides sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 6. A. eupsilioides sp. n., female, paratype, China (NEFU); 7. A. tridentata sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 8. A. linzhi sp. n., male, holotype, China (NEFU).

FIGURES 17–20. Athetis spp., male genitalia. 17. A. cinerascens South Korea, 676-1HL CIS; 18. A. hoengshana sp. n., paratype, China, ZFMK1722; 19. A. simplex sp. n., paratype, China, ZFMK1749; 20. A. orthosioides sp. n., holotype, China, ZFMK 1714.