Nephelobotys forcipatus Ko & Bae, 2022

Ko, Jae-Ho, Bayarsaikhan, Ulziijargal, Lee, Tak-Gi & Bae, Yang-Seop, 2022, The monotypic genus Nephelobotys Munroe & Mutuura, 1970 (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Pyraustinae): two new species from Laos and a newly combined species from Korea, Zootaxa 5188 (3), pp. 264-274 : 267-273

Nephelobotys forcipatus Ko & Bae , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 4 , 6 , 10 , 13 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Laos , Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, Bolikhamsai Prov., 2 VII 2017 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.K.), (18°29´43.79”N 103°00´48.02”E Alt. 561 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7069L (deposited in NIBR) . Paratypes (24 ♂, 2 ♀): LAOS : 6 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 4 VIII 2016 (Bae Y.S., Park B.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H.), (18°27´10.99”N 103°3´41.06”E Alt. 451 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7049L, 7050L, 7051L, 7052L, 7053L, 7055L ; 2 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 5 VIII 2016 (Bae Y.S., Park B.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H.), (18°27´18.20”N 103°3´17.60”E Alt. 465 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7054L, 7056L ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 6 VIII 2016 (Bae Y.S., Park B.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H.), (18°27´9.78”N 103°3´42.62”E Alt. 445 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7057L, 7058L ; 1 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 10 VIII 2016 (Bae Y.S., Park B.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H.), (18°21´12.70”N 103°45´21.50”E Alt. 750 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7060L ; 1 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 27 VI 2017 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G.), (18°29´11.9”N 103°03´40.05”E Alt. 429 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7061L ; 2 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 28 VI 2017 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G.), (18°29´43.79”N 103°00´48.02”E Alt. 561 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7062L, 7063L ; 3 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 2 VII 2017 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G.), (18°29´43.79”N 103°00´48.02”E Alt. 561 m), genitalia slide no. INU-6757L, 7065L, 7068L ; 2 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 3 VII 2017 (Bae Y.S., Na S.M., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G.), (18°27´11.9”N 103°03´40.5”E Alt. 452 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7066L, 7067L ; 1 ♂, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 21 VII 2018 (Bae Y.S., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G., Jang C.M., U. Bayarsaikhan), (18°27´11.9”N 103°03´40.05”E Alt. 452 m), genitalia slide no. INU-7070L ; 5 ♂, 1 ♀, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area , Bolikhamsai Prov., 22 VII 2018 (Bae Y.S., Lee D.J., Ko J.H., Lee T.G., Jang C.M., U. Bayarsaikhan), (18°27´23.76”N 103°03´05.15”E Alt. 470 m), genitalia slide no. INU-6758L, 7041L, 7042L, 7071L, 7072L, 7073L .

Diagnosis. Based on the wing pattern, Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov. is similar to N. denticulatus sp. nov., but the male and female genitalia of both species are distinct: in the male genitalia, the ventral process of the fibula is nearly an equilateral triangular and the dorsal process of the fibula is cheliform ( Fig 10 ); in the female genitalia, the ostium is strongly sclerotized; short axis of rhomboidal signum in corpus bursae is shorter than in N. denticulatus sp. nov. ( Fig 13 ).

Description. Adult ( Figs 2 , 4 , 6 ). Length of forewing 9–10 mm in both sexes. Vertex covered with yellowish orange scales; frons covered with yellowish orange scales and white scaled in both side; antenna filiform, yellowish orange at apex and white scales at base; ocellus well-developed; chaetosemata absent; labial palpus porrect, yellowish orange, mixed white scales at base; proboscis well-developed, yellowish orange, mixed with white scales. Patagium and tegula yellowish orange. Ground color of forewing yellow or grayish yellow; costal margin and discal spot brown; indistinct postmedial fascia brown, irregular zigzag from 1/2 of dorsum to 3/5 of costal margin; irregular subterminal band brown; terminal area with black dots at end of veins; fringe yellowish orange, except brown at apex and dorsum. Ground color of hindwing yellowish orange or light yellow; indistinct postmedial line brown, from M 1 to CuA 1; marginal shade brown from costal margin to CuA 2; terminal area with black dots at end of veins, except from CuP to A 3; fringe yellowish orange, except brown from CuA 1 to CuA 2. Abdomen with yellowish orange scales, slender in male and stout in female. Male genitalia ( Fig 10 ). Uncus finger-shaped, with dense setose at apex; valva subspatulate, with setose from median to terminal area; costa weakly inflated; fibula with ventral and dorsal processes, ventral process nearly equilateral triangular, with sparsely setae and dorsal process bisulcate, pincer-shaped, upper projection sharpened, with dense setae and lower projection caniniform or fingered or forked (shape of lower projection with slightly variations); juxta pincer-shaped; saccus U-shaped; phallus cylindrical, stout, almost same length of valva. Female genitalia ( Fig 13 ). Papillae anales ovate; posterior apophyses about half length of anterior apophyses; ostium strongly sclerotized; antrum funnel-shaped, sclerotized; ductus seminalis connected near posterior end of antrum; ductus bursae membranous, about 3 times length of corpus bursae; corpus bursae ovate, with large rhomboidal signum, long axis of the signum about 2 times length of short axis; appendix bursae rounded.

Etymology. The name is derived from Latin, forcipatus , referring to the pincer-shape of the dorsal process of the fibula in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Adults of Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov. and Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov. from Laos. 1a. Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov., male (HT, INU-7043L). 1b. ditto, female (PT, INU-7048L). 2a. Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov., male (HT, INU-7069L). 2b. ditto, female (PT, INU-7058L).

FIGURES 3–4. Lateral view of head of new species. 3. Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov. 4. Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov.

FIGURES 5–8. Adults of new and compared species from Laos and Korea (a-upper view; b-ventral view). 5a,b. Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov. (paratype, Laos). 6a,b. Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov. (paratype, Laos). 7a,b. Nephelobotys evenoralis comb. nov. (Korea). 8a,b. Torulisquama obliquilinealis (Korea).

FIGURES 9–11. Male genitalia of Nephelobotys species. 9. Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov., Holotype (Laos, INU-7043L). 10. Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov., Holotype (Laos, INU-7069L). 11. Nephelobotys evenoralis comb. nov. (Korea, INU– 7804K).

FIGURES 12–13. Female genitalia of Nephelobotys species. 12. Nephelobotys denticulatus sp. nov., Paratype (Laos, INU- 7048L). 13. Nephelobotys forcipatus sp. nov., Paratype (Laos, INU-6758L).