Athetis bicornuta 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 : 66-67

Athetis bicornuta Han & Kononenko , sp. n.

( Figs. 14 , 28 , 39 )

Type material. Holotype: China: male, [Prov. Yunnan], " Likiang ( China), Provinz Nord-Yuennan " 12.v.1935 (H. Höne), genit. prep. H1.( ZFMK) . Paratypes: 2 females, same locality, 7, 8.v.1935 (H. Höne), genit. prep. ZFMK 1743 . The holotype and paratypes are deposited in the collection of ZFMK .

Diagnosis. Externally the species is characterized by the pale yellowish-grey coloration of the forewing, with contrasting and well expressed dark reniform and orbicular. In the male genitalia it differs by the abrupt apical margin of valva, simple, curved harpe, absence of the digitus and by presence of two cornuti in the vesica.

Description. External appearance ( Fig. 14 ). Wingspan 32–33 mm. Male antennae filiform; palps pressed, laterally dark brown; 3rd segment short, less than half length of 2nd; eyes surrounded with brown lashes; head and thorax covered with brown hair-like scales, head with erected scales. Forewing pale brownish grey; basal line as dark spot or diffused line or black streak in costal field; subbasal line weakly expressed thin, dark, broken on few streaks, or not expressed; orbicular as dark blackish spot; reniform dark, small; postmedial line thin, dentate; terminal field somewhat darker than subterminal; terminal line as row of spots; cilia pale brownish with yellowish borderline. Hindwing pale, greyish-brown; discal spot traceable; cilia pale greyish with yellowish borderline. Male genitalia. ( Fig. 28 ). The description of male genitalia is done on the base of old genitalia preparation in canada balsam: the presence or absence of Abdominal hair brushes is not clear, the vesica is not everted. Uncus missing, tegumen high, with narrow lobes, vinculum relatively narrow, U-shaped; juxta deltoid with long handle; valva elongated, relatively short, with about parallel margins, somewhat expanded apically, its distal part abrupt; clavus expressed as wide conical basal extension; harpe curved basally, situated at distal part of valva, near distal margin; costa without digitus. Aedeagus straigth, rather thin, somewhat longer than valva in length; vesica armed with two cornuti, one of them short, spine-like, another one needle-like. Female genitalia. ( Fig. 39 ). Ovipositor moderate long, papillae anales relatively short, somewhat tapering, apophyses anteriores and posteriores long, slender, apophyses posteriores about 1,3 times shorter than anterior ones. Antrum large, wide and shallowly cut in apical margin, constricted to join ductus; ductus bursae relatively short, flat, folded in join with antrum, extended to join with bursa; appendix bursae small, membranous; corpus bursae relatively large, membranous, with fine scobination in caudal two thirds.

Etymology. The name bicornuta refers to the two cornuti in the vesica of the aedeagus.

Distribution. South West China (North of prov. Yunnan). The moths were collected in May.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Athetis spp., adults. 9. A. flavicolor sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 10. A. flavicolor sp. n., male, paratype, Thailand (AB); 11. A. biserrata sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 12. A. minivalva sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 13. A. longiharpe sp.n., male, holotype, China (NEFU); 14. A. bicornuta sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 15. A. furcatula sp. n., male, holotype, China (ZFMK); 16. A. furcatula sp. n., male, paratype, China (NEFU).

FIGURES 25–29. Athetis spp., male genitalia. 25. A. biserrata sp. n., paratype, China, 1731ZFMK; 26. A. minivalva sp. n. Holotype, China, 1736ZFMK; 27. A. longiharpe sp.n., holotype, China, HHL-1976-1; 28. A. bicornuta sp. n., holotype, Hö1(Varga) ZFMK; 29. A. furcatula sp. n., paratype, China, HHL-1972-1.

FIGURES 35–41. Athetis spp., female genitalia. 35. A. flavicolor sp. n., paratype, Thailand, 4-090311VK; 36. A. biserrata sp. n., paratype, China, 1729ZFMK; 37. A. minivalva sp. n., paratype, China, 1726VK; 38. A. longiharpe sp.n., paratype, China, HHL-1975-2; 39. A. bicornuta sp. n., paratype, China, 1734ZFMK; 40. A. furcatula sp. n., paratype, China, 1726VK; 41. A. furcatula sp. n., paratype, China, HHL-1973-2.