Agalope pica, Wileman, 1910

Huang, Si-Yao, Zhu, Li-Juan, Chen, En-Yong, Xu, Yong-Qiang, Wang, Min, Fan, Xiao-Ling, Pan, Zhao-Hui & Espeland, Marianne, 2022, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Agalope Walker from mainland China with descriptions of four new species (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae, Chalcosiinae), Zootaxa 5165 (4), pp. 557-574 : 558-562

The Agalope pica species-group

Species included: Agalope aurelia Oberthür, 1923 , A. chayuensis S.-Y. Huang & Pan sp. n., A. haoi S.-Y. Huang sp. n., A. owadai S.-Y. Huang sp. n., A. pica Wileman, 1910 , A. trimacula Matsumura, 1927 , A. wangi Owada, 1992 .

Diagnosis. The A. pica species-group differs from the other species-groups, except the A. bieti species-group, by the combination of the following characters: 1) forewing costa usually with an orange-colored spot at the base, forewing with two transverse bands of various shapes from costa to dorsum or vein 1A+2A, 2) in male genitalia, uncus narrow and tongue-shaped and the posterior tegumenal projection plate-like, broad, and rugose on the surface. From the A. bieti species-group, the A. pica species-group can be distinguished by the structure of the posterior tegumenal projection arising from the inner margin of tegumen, which is broad and rugose in the A. pica species-group, while that is narrow and smooth in the A. bieti species-group. Moreover, in the A. pica species-group the posterior part of the medial band of forewing is usually more or less situated in a line with the anterior part, while in the A. bieti species-group the posterior part of the medial band is clearly shifting inwards (except for A. bieti ( Oberthür, 1886)) . The female genitalia of these two species-groups share the same ground plan and do not show significant differences.

External morphology of adult. Forewing length 18–27 mm in males and 16–27 mm in females. Antennae bipectinate with longer rami in males and shorter ones in females. Head, thorax and abdomen nearly glabrous, with abdomen sometimes covered by thin piliform scales dorsally. Both wings thinly scaled and transparent. Forewing upperside ground color varying from greyish white to pale yellow, with base marked with orange and transverse bands presenting in antemedial and medial zone, in certain species an additional basal band present. Veins usually darkened especially for postmedial area. Hindwing upperside usually darkened at margin. Veins usually darkened.

Male genitalia. Uncus broad at base, its distal part tongue-shaped, narrow and thick, with tip flat or slightly bilobed. Tegumen broad with rounded margins. Posterior tegumenal projection plate-like, broad and rugose on the surface. Vinculum narrow. Saccus broad U-shaped and rounded. Juxta elongated, uni- or bilobed distally, with distal part of the lobe covered by spinules on the surface and lateral margins in some species. Valvae slender, costa strongly sclerotized in the outer half; sacculus strongly sclerotized thoroughly, distal saccular process spiniform, pointed outwards. Aedeagus narrow, broader at base and gradually narrowed towards distal end.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales slender. Apophysis posterioris longer than apophysis anterioris, both strongly sclerotized. Eighth tergite partially well-sclerotized and formed a triangular plate. Ostium bursae narrow and rounded. Ductus bursae narrow and membranous. Corpus bursae pyriform, membranous. Signa paired, strongly or weakly sclerotized, covered by spinules at the surface.

Distribution. Southeastern Xizang and Western and Northwestern Yunnan, mainland China and Taiwan island ( Fig. 68 ).

Figures

FIGURES 68. Distribution map of Agalope spp. in SE Asia.