Naarda felinopsis, Tóth, Balázs & Ronkay, László, 2015

Tóth, Balázs & Ronkay, László, 2015, Revision of the Palaearctic and Oriental species of the genus Naarda Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Hypeninae). Part 5. Description of 13 new species from Asia, Zootaxa 3925 (2), pp. 179-201 : 184-185

Naarda felinopsis sp. n.

male: fig. 34, female: fig. 35

Type material. Holotype. ♂: Vietnam, Prov. Lao Cai, Sa Pa district, Frontier Satelite Camp FTO, secondary growth, 22º16'86,6"N, 103º16'81,7"E, 1890m, 7.XI.1998, leg. Frontier staff; slide No. TB 655m (coll. HNHM).

Paratypes. 3 ♂, with data as the holotype; slide Nos TB 652m; TB 737m (coll. HNHM); 1 ♀, Vietnam, Lao Cai; Fan-si-pan Mts, 4 km W Cat Cat, February 1998, 1920 m; leg. Frontier Organization, slide No. TB640f (coll. HNHM).

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from its closest relative, N. annulata Tóth & Ronkay, 2014b ( Thailand) , by the following features: externally the forewing is less elongate, the ground colour of wings is less brownish, the medial line is much less prominent and the hindwing is slightly darker comparing to the forewing. In the male genitalia, the dorsal edge of juxta is straight in N. felinopsis with medial incision instead of being convex, the costal process is narrower and slightly more curved, the saccular process is broader, longer and directed more ventrally, and the aedeagus is stouter, straighter than in N. annulata . The very strong process of sacculus-harpe complex and the very slender cucullus are common features of N. felinopsis and N. abnormalis ( Hampson, 1912) but their genitalia differ in the following basic features: the new species has narrower uncus, broader juxta and stouter aedeagus than those of N. abnormalis . The saccular process is slightly curved ventrally in this new species while in N. abnormalis it is directed dorsally, and a strong costal process is present in N. felinopsis which is absent from the latter taxon.

Description. Wingspan 15–21 mm, length of forewing 7.5–11 mm. Antennae filiform, ciliate and setose, ciliation reduced to the ventral third of antenna. Male setae and cilia 1.5 times longer than the diameter of flagellum, in female setae as long as, cilia half as long as the diameter of flagellum. Male ciliation much denser than that of female, with cilia arranged to transverse arrays. Labial palp of male three times longer than diameter of eye, strongly domed, its tip light. Female palp four times longer than diameter of eye, broadest at its basal third, than slightly tapering towards the light-coloured tip. Scale-hood of vertex broad-based, deeply bifurcate in male, trapezoidal in female. Male fore- and midfemora sparsely, foretibiae densely haired. Collar of male yellow. Characteristic wing pattern features: sexes similar but costa of forewing in male minutely concave; ground colour of forewing dark greyish brown with conspicuous blue tinge; subterminal line fragmented to grey spots on veins, with diffuse, long black patch at medial veins; postmedial line grey between costa and vein r5, black below that vein, sinuous, strongly bent inwards below cell; a quadrangular field between reniform stigma and postmedial line darkened; medial and antemedial lines broader than postmedial but visible only below cell; reniform stigma large, honey-coloured, slightly curved, with two large black spots inside being connected by a dark grey line, edge of stigma black; ground colour of orbicular stigma like that of reniform, its size being medium-sized in male, small in female; hindwing slightly lighter greyish brown than forewing, without greyish tinge; with three transverse lines. Male genitalia (fig. 5). Uncus short, moderately broad, slightly curved and hooked. Scaphium straight, as long as uncus. Tegumen longer than vinculum; saccus narrow, long, apically rounded. Juxta large, trapezoidal with tiny rib medially and with deep, angular incisions ventro- and dorso-medially; dorsal edge of juxta being twice longer than ventral edge. Valva relatively narrow, moderately long, evenly wide. Costa broad, with strongly developed, broad, long and slightly curved terminal process with rounded tip. Sacculus also broad, long, with strong, long, tapering and pointed terminal process directed ventrally by ca 45°. Cucullus free only from base of costal process, narrow, as long as costal process, its tip rounded. General shape of whole distal part of valva (cucullus, costal and saccular processes) similar to an open beak with tongue being sticked out. Aedeagus straight, moderately stout, carina with broad, moderately long, rounded process; vesica (partially everted) with smooth and scobinate fields. Female genitalia (fig. 19). Ovipositor lobes angular. Apophyses moderately long, of equal length. Sternum A7 bilobed, lobes broad, rounded; sinus very narrow. Lamella antevaginalis present: broad, obtuse triangular, its tip directed anteriorly. Ductus bursae short, membranous, narrow, its anterior half scobinate. Corpus bursae drop-shaped, its posterior tip pointed; whole surface densely scobinate by tiny grains; scobination becoming very dense, forming large, circular signum field in anterior half of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae attached to ductus bursae subapically.

Distribution. Northern Vietnam.

Etymology. The yellow reniform stigma with dark medial line resembles to a cat’s eye. For a peculiar coincidence, see the collecting site of the female paratype specimen.

Taxonomic remarks. This species belongs to the species complex of N. annulata and N. purpurea Tóth & Ronkay, 2014b , being in closer relationship with the former species.