Eupithecia remissata, Mironov & Šumpich, 2022

Mironov, Vladimir & Šumpich, Jan, 2022, New species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China Part IX, Zootaxa 5219 (3), pp. 276-286 : 277

Eupithecia remissata sp. n.

( Figs 1 , 7 , 22 )

Type material: Holotype, ♀, China, NW. Sichuan, near Maniganggo , 31°47ʹ22ʺ N, 99°23ʹ27ʺ E, 3.vii. 2019, 3860 m, R. Butvila & A. Saldaitis leg. Gen. prep. J. Procházka 20056; Photo J. Šumpich 22/134 ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. The presence of rows of spines in the bursa copulatrix indicates that this species belongs to the fletcherata species group ( Bolte 1990). This species is very similar to other long-winged species in this group with an elongate discal dot, such as E. quadripunctata , and is probably only reliably distinguishable by the genitalia. The female genitalia are very characteristic and could not be confused with the genitalia of any other species of the genus.

Description. Adult. ( Figs 1 , 7 ). Female. Wingspan 25.0 mm; fore wing 14.0 mm. Head and notum covered with yellowish scales. Fore wing rather elongate and narrow, costal margin almost straight, apex narrowly rounded. Ground colour pale brownish ochreous; antemedial transverse line forming a right angle near costa; postmedial line oblique, touching the discal dot and broadened near costa; terminal area slightly darker; terminal line brown, interrupted by veins; discal dot black, narrow and elongate. Hind wing ovoid, dirty white with ochreous tinge; anal margin darker; discal dot small, brownish grey, rounded. Fringes on all wings chequered brown and pale brown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 22 ). Bursa copulatrix ovate with large membranous diverticulum. Bursa almost completely covered with numerous spines and with small spines and a row of spines near base of colliculum. Diverticulum with sharply curved row of large spines. Ductus seminalis broadened basally, attached to central part of corpus bursae ( Fig. 22b ). Colliculum broad, lightly sclerotized. Antrum membranous, short and broad. Tergite A8 short and broad, rectangulate. Anterior and posterior apophyses pointed at apices. Papillae anales short, broad, rounded, covered with long setae.

Male. Unknown.

Bionomy. Host plant unknown. Type material was collected by light in early July at an elevation of 3860 m.

Distribution. China. Known from Sichuan province.

Etymology. From the latin word “remissa”–“slack” in english.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Eupithecia adults, China (scale bar = 10 mm). 1. E. remissata sp. n. Holotype; 2. E. fericlava sp. n. Holotype; 3. E. florianii sp. n. Holotype; 4. E. concostivexa sp. n. Holotype; 5. E. voraria sp. n. Holotype; 6. E. khama sp. n. Holotype.

FIGURES 7–12. Heads of Eupithecia species, China, holotypes. 7. E. remissata sp. n.; 8. E. fericlava sp. n.; 9. E. florianii sp. n.; 10. E. concostivexa sp. n.; 11. E. voraria sp. n.; 12. E. khama sp. n.

FIGURES 22–26. Female genitalia of Eupithecia species (scale bar = 1mm). 22. E. remissata sp. n.; 23. E. fericlava sp. n.; 24. E. florianii sp. n.; 25. E. concostivexa sp. n.; 26. E. khama sp. n.; a—frontal view; b—view from a different angle; c—output of ductus seminalis of the same genitalia preparation.