Naarda furcipalpa, 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 : 185

Naarda furcipalpa sp. n.

male: fig. 36

Type material. Holotype. ♂: “ Brunei Darussalam: Temburong District, Kuala Belalong. 115º09’E 4º43’N, 100 m elev.; vii–viii.1992. M.A.Cook; BMNH (E) 1998–65”, slide No. BM Noct. 21822♂ (coll. BMNH).

Diagnosis. This new species is a close relative of N. curiosipalpa . The wing shape and the markings are similar with no differences in the reniform and orbicular stigmata, but the ground colour is more greyish than in N. curiosipalpa . The collar of the thorax of N. furcipalpa is as grey as other parts of the body, while the collar of N. curiosipalpa is yellow. The male genitalia differ from those of the latter species by the longer uncus and valva (or the proportionally smaller capsule), the broader and much less curved saccular process, the broader sclerotised dorsal section of valva, the more elongate aedeagus and narrow carinal process.

Description. Wingspan 21.5 mm, length of forewing 10 mm. Antennae filiform, ciliate and setose, cilia being slightly longer than diameter of flagellum; setae nearly twice as long as diameter of flagellum. Labial palps nearly three times longer than diameter of eye, third segment pointed, hardly visible, 2nd segment with an upwards directed tuft at its base composed by long hairs (scent organ?), than a section without dorsal hairs, and apical third hairy again, this structure giving bifurcate appearance of palp similarly to that of N. curiosipalpa Tóth & Ronkay, 2014b . Scale-hood of vertex bifurcate with short branches Fore- and midtibiae densely haired. Characteristic wing pattern features: costa of forewing slightly concave, with deepest point near reniform stigma; ground colour brownish grey, transverse lines very indistinct, subterminal light grey, very narrow, slightly sinuous, postmedial line hardly visible, very narrow, minutely darker than ground colour, other lines not visible at all; reniform stigma light yellow, finely 8-shaped due to its somewhat narrower mid-section, lower part with black spot, top third with tiny black dot composed only by few scales; orbicular stigma small, circular, its ground colour like that of reniform. Hindwing having the same ground colour as forewing, with transverse lines slightly more distinct. Male genitalia (fig. 6). Uncus long and narrow, curved, its apex hooked. Scaphium double-curved, S-shaped, 2/3 as long as uncus. Tegumen as long as vinculum; saccus broad-based, tapering, its tip truncate. Juxta nearly twice broader than long, its ventral edge rounded, dorsal edge angular with two obtuse-angled corners situated laterally. Transtilla developed. Valva long and broad, its dorsal and ventral edges parallel, not tapering, apically rounded. Costa sclerotised, broad, without process. Sacculus broad, nearly as long as valva, terminal extension broad, pointed, curved towards dorsal edge of valva, nearly touching tip of cucullus. Aedeagus elongate, slightly curved, slightly tapering towards carina; latter having straight, short, truncate and strongly sclerotised process. Vesica (partially everted) smooth, with scobinate band at distal margin and scobinate area at dorsal edge; scobination composed by tiny, strongly sclerotised grains.

Distribution. Brunei.

Etymology. The specific name was inspired by the apparently bifurcate labial palps; a highly apomorphic character of the species-pair within the genus.

Taxonomic remarks. Sharing the tufted, apparently bifurcate labial palps with N. curiosipalpa , these two taxa are in sister-species relationship.