Belciana jeremyi Pellinen & Zahiri, 2023

Pellinen, Markku J. & Zahiri, Reza, 2023, Integrative taxonomy of a new Belciana species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Dyopsinae) from northern Thailand, Journal of Natural History 57 (25 - 28), pp. 1346-1363 : 1354-1357

Belciana jeremyi Pellinen & Zahiri sp. n.

( Figures 1, 2 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0AFFD4E0-51B9-4CF2-94B4-975F167BA4CB

Type locality. Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom

Type material repository institution. The Finnish Natural History Museum (FNHM), Helsinki, Finland, paratypes at Research Collection of Pellinen at FNHM and the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe (SMNK) .

Type material. Holotype ( Figure 1a–c ), male, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom , 16 May 2015, 350 m, 18°43ʹ25ʺN, 99°32ʹ44ʺE, M. J. Pellinen leg., genitalia slide MJP 663. Paratypes ( Figure 2a, b ), 6 ♁♁ and 13 ♀♀. Males, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom, 16 May 2015, 10 June 2016, 13 April 2021 and 9 May 2021, 350 m, 18°43ʹ25ʺN, 99° 32ʹ44ʺE; females, Thailand Lampang, Phraya Chae, 4 July x.2010, genitalia slide MJP, 15, 4 July 2010, 350 m, 18°17ʹ15ʺN, 99°32ʹ59ʺE, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom, 23 May 2015 and 4 June 2016, 350 m, Thailand Lampang, Phraya Chae , 4 exx. 6 June 2016, 350 m, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom , 15 April 2017, 9 May 2020 and 4 exx. 16 May 2020, 350 m, 18°43ʹ25ʺN, 99°32ʹ44ʺE, 350 m. M. J. Pellinen leg. All type specimens have red rectangle labels, indicating the type status (holotype/paratype).

Diagnosis. Externally quite different by colour from other Belciana species, although habitus of hindwings matches well to Belciana spp. B . jeremyi sp. nov. is externally darker than other species, without green or light grey colours ( Figures 1a, 2a ), closest to B. pinratanai and B. hemodi ( Behounek et al., 2015, figs 24–26 and 21–22). In the male genitalia, it resembles B. hemodi and B. pinratanai but differs from B. pinratanai by having more even valvae, a longer, thinner, narrower and evenly bent harpe, and more cornuti on vesica ( Figure 1b, c ) ( Behounek et al. 2015, fig. 40); and differs from B. hemodi by having more narrower valvae, a thinner, narrower and evenly bent harpe ( Figure 1b ) ( Behounek et al. 2015, fig. 39). Uncus similar to B. bicolour Wileman & West, 1929 but thinner ( Behounek et al. 2015, fig. 38), terminated by small spine ( Figure 1b ).

Description. Head: Frons and vertex grey, palpi narrow slightly upturned, third segment in females three times longer than in males ( Figure 3a, b ). Antennae ciliate in males and females. Thorax and forewing dark brownish grey, patagia blackish-brown. Ground colour of forewing pale brownish grey, wing pattern presented by blackish-brown and light grey elements. Small basal dot, subbasal field half-filled with light brownish grey; antemedial line dark partly double, distinct, orbicular stigma unclear, reniform as black vertical streak; medial mark in costal area very large; postmedial and subterminal lines black, close to each other, postmedial one with sharp twist anally, submarginal line white with zigzag downwards; subapical-apical mark blackish apical dash; marginal line as a row of interrupted white streaks; termen with black spots, cilia light brown. Wingspan in males 31–34 mm and females 31–38 mm ( Figures 1a, 2a ). The hindwing dull greyish-brown around terminal margin, forming distinct terminal band, pale light brownish-grey towards the base and along anal margin, with diffused medial line and discal spot. Underside forewing brow grey, hindwing alike upperside, medial spot and line more clear, same as discal line. Abdomen: male genitalia ( Figure 1b–d ) Uncus slender, curved at a right angle in apical third, apically bending, narrow; tegumen narrow; juxta shield-like, narrower apically; valva narrow somewhat constricted apically, the base of sacculus membranous, without any coremata or hairs; Harpe bent, gradually narrowing, apically sharp, situated basally on sacculus; Aedeagus narrow, carina as two bands; with globular vesica bearing basally about dozen small spikes and apically five spikes. Female genitalia ( Figure 2b ) Ovipositor quadrangular; apophyses anteriores and posteriors ones moderate and equal in length; antrum rounded, not elongated, with split antevaginal plate; ductus bursae very short, strongly membranous in joining with narrow corpus bursae.

Etymology. The species is named after Jeremy Holloway in recognition of his work on the taxonomy and systematics of the Noctuoidea .

Distribution and bionomics. So far found in Northern Thailand Lampang Province. Foodplants and preimaginal stages unknown.

Figures

Figure 3. a. male palpi, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom 13 April 2021; b. female palpi Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom 16 May 2020.

Figures 1, 2. Belciana jeremyi sp. n. 1. Paratype, Thailand, Lampang,Chae Hom 9 May 2021, photo #12 by Pasi Sihvonen (FNHM); b. male genitalia (slide MJP 663); c. aedeagus (slide MJP 663); d. 8th abdominal segment (slide MJP 663). 2. Paratype, Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom 23 May 2015, photo by Pekka Malinen (FNHM); b. female genitalia (slide MJP 1059).