Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) cerritula, Chen & Pan & Volynkin & Saldaitis & Benedek, 2022

Chen, Enyong, Pan, Zhaohui, Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Benedek, Balazs, 2022, Taxonomic review of the subgenus Tatsipolia Benedek, Behounek, Floriani & Saldaitis of the genus Dasypolia Guenee with descriptions of two new species from southern Xizang, China (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), ZooKeys 1115, pp. 187-198 : 187

Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) cerritula sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 11

Type material.

Holotype (Figs 4 , 11 ): male, "STS-32788 | Sejila Mountain, Linzhi City, | Xizang, China, | N:29°37'2" | E:94°38'30" | 4-X-2020 | h [Altitude] 4500 m (coll. Pan Zhaohui | and Chen Enyong)" gen. prep. in glycerol by Enyong Chen (TAAHU).

Diagnosis.

The new species is very similar to the sympatric D. sejilaensis sp. nov. but differs in the greyish-brown hindwing with a smaller and rounded discal spot whereas the hindwing of D. sejilaensis sp. nov. is creamy with intense greyish suffusion outwardly and along the costal and the anal margins, and the discal spot is large and falcate. The abdomen of D. cerritula sp. nov. is covered with black hair-like scales medially and distally whereas it is monotonous brown in D. sejilaensis sp. nov. Compared to D. sejilaensis sp. nov., the male genital capsule of D. cerritula sp. nov. has a narrower uncus, a larger penicular lobe with a more elongated posterior corner, and a shorter valva with a markedly broader cucullus densely covered with more robust setae. Additionally, the digitus of D. cerritula sp. nov. is shorter and narrower than in D. sejilaensis sp. nov., the ventral lobe of the valva is conspicuously narrower and shorter, the harpe is absent (it is present in D. sejilaensis sp. nov.), and the juxta is narrower and bears a somewhat shorter and basally broader posterior medial process. The phalli of the two species display no remarkable differences. The vesica of D. cerritula sp. nov. is similar to that of D. sejilaensis sp. nov. but differs in the presence of an additional small cluster of small spine-like cornuti ventrally, and the dorsal cluster consisting of markedly larger cornuti.

Description.

External morphology of adult (Fig. 4 ). Forewing length 11.5 mm in holotype male. Male antenna serrulate. Head and thorax covered with long hair-like scales, dark brown with admixture of pale grey. Forewing elongate, narrow, with almost parallel costal and anal margins and convex outer margin. Forewing ground colour dark brown with black suffusion in medial area; costal margin with diffuse pale brown spots of various sizes. Forewing pattern diffuse, blackish-brown. Subbasal line short, indistinct. Subbasal lengthwise dash narrow, diffuse. Antemedial line sinuous, with pale brown suffusion inwardly. Orbicular stigma elliptical, filled with pale brown scales. Reniform stigma narrow, filled with pale brown scales. Postmedial line medially curved, slightly dentate posteriorly. Subterminal line interrupted into row of blackish cuneal spots of various sizes between veins. Terminal line indistinct, interrupted into small diffuse blackish spots between veins. Outer margin edged with rusty-brown scales. Forewing cilia long, dark brown. Hindwing brown with somewhat paler subbasal and medial areas. Discal spot small, rounded, diffuse. Outer margin edged with rusty-brown scales. Hindwing cilia long, creamy with admixture of brownish-grey scales. Abdomen covered with long hair-like scales, brown with strong admixture of black scales medially and posteriorly.

Male genitalia (Fig. 11 ). Tegumen short, penicular lobe large, trapezoid with elongate posterior corner. Vinculum longer than tegumen, robust, U-shaped. Valva lobular with heavily sclerotised costa and short, triangular, moderately sclerotised ventral lobe. Digitus heavily sclerotised, directed ventro-distally, with up curved and apically pointed distal section. Cucullus broad, rounded, densely covered with robust spine-like setae. Sacculus short but broad, elliptical. Clasper slightly curved and dilated distally, without harpe. Uncus short but broad, arrowhead-shaped with rounded apex, dorso-ventrally flattened, weakly sclerotised. Juxta broad, rectangular with rounded corners, bearing broad, triangular and apically pointed, heavily sclerotised medial process posteriorly. Anellus weakly granulose. Phallus broad with rounded coecum, somewhat dilated distally. Main chamber of vesica somewhat shorter than phallus, tapered distally, directed ventro-distally, weakly granulose, with short semiglobular dorsal subbasal diverticulum and two lengthwise clusters of cornuti medially: dorsal one consisting of five robust, slightly curved spike-like cornuti, and ventral one consisting of four smaller spine-like cornuti.

Female unknown.

Distribution.

The new species is known only from Sejila Mountain in southern Xizang Province of China.

Etymology.

In Latin, ‘cerritulus’ means ‘weird.’ The specific epithet refers to the unusual cucullus densely covered with robust, spine-like setae.

Figures

Figures 1 - 8. Dasypolia (Tatsipolia and Auropolia) spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 - 4 and 8 in TAAHU 5 in AFM 6 in HNHM (photo by B. Toth) 7 in ZSM.

Figures 9 - 11. Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp., male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in TAAHU.