Naarda nigrissima, 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 : 188-189

Naarda nigrissima sp. n.

male: fig. 42, female: fig. 43

Tye material. Holotype. ♂: North Thailand, Prov. Chiang Mai, 500 m, Mae Suai, Charin Garden Resort; 99°35’E, 19°47’N, 02.XI.2002; leg. B. Herczig et G. Ronkay, slide No. TB 676m (coll. HNHM).

Paratypes. Thailand. 1 ♀: Chiang Mai Prov, between Chiang Dao and Kariang, 900 m, 98°48’E, 19°25’N, 26.X.2002; leg. B. Herczig & G. Ronkay, slide No. TB677f (coll. HNHM); 1 ♂: Chiang Mai Province; Thaton; 20°04.170’N 99°21.546’E; 456 m, at MV light; 22.vii.2006, G. Martin; BMNH (E) 2006–128, slide No. BM Noct. 21820♂ (coll. BMNH); 1 ♂: Chiang Mai Province; 7 km NW of Samoeng; 18°52.812’N 98°47.253’E; 1051 m, at MV light; 15.vii.2006, G. Martin; BMNH (E) 2006–128, slide No. BM Noct. 21821♂ (coll. BMNH). Cambodia. 4 ♂: Mondolkiri prov.; Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area, road Seima–O’Rang; 12°15’44”N, 107°03’49”E, 360 m; No. 88, 27–29.I.2006, at light; leg. G. Csorba & G. Ronkay, slide Nos TB796, TB798, TB 801m (coll. HNHM). Taiwan. 1 ♂, Ilan County; Fu-Shan Botanical Garden; 24°54’02”N, 121°45’27”E, 700m, 22-24.XI.2004; leg. László Ronkay, slide No. TB 839m (coll. HNHM).

Diagnosis. The genitalia of N. nigrissima resemble mostly to those of N. furcatella Tóth & Ronkay, 2015a ( Thailand) , but the base of the sacculus and the costal process are narrower, the costal process is shorter and more rounded, the valva is more elongate and the apical fused structure is shorter than those of N. furcatella (males) the corpus bursae is more elongate, and the scobination is sparser and composed by larger grains (females). The male genitalia of the new species are somewhat similar to those of the African N. leucopis Hampson, 1902 but the uncus is much slenderer, the valva is less tapering, the sacculus is shorter and the costal lobe is larger than in the latter species.

Description. Wingspan 13–15 mm, length of forewing 6.5–8 mm. Antennae filiform, with setae and cilia in both sexes. Setae in male three times, in female ¾ times as long as diameter of flagellum, cilia in male twice, in female half as long as diameter. Female antenna with much denser ciliation than other Naarda species. Labial palps four times longer than diameter of eye in both sexes, 2nd segment strongly domed, tip of 3rd segment light, female palp slightly narrower than that of male. Scale-hood of vertex broad-based in both sexes, trapezoidal in male, triangular in female. Male foretibiae densely haired. Characteristic wing pattern features: ground colour dark grey, in female somewhat lighter; subterminal line slightly jagged, grey with dark shadow at its inner side; postmedial line black, relatively broad, angularly jagged, slightly turning inwards below cell; medial and antemedial lines indistinct; reniform stigma bright yellow in both sexes, in male elongate-trapezoidal with large black dot in its bottom third and greyish patch in its top third, in female minutely curved, bean-shaped, with big black dot in its bottom third and small dot in top third; orbicular stigma small, bright yellow, with broad dark border in both sexes. Forewing costa minutely concave in male. Hindwing slightly lighter than forewing, intensity of transverse lines like those of forewing, but slightly jagged; discal spot present, elongate. Male genitalia (fig. 10). Uncus average broad and long, finely curved, its tip hooked. Scaphium as long as uncus, curved against it. Tegumen as long as vinculum. Saccus long, narrow, not tapering, its tip rounded. Juxta flat, big, angular, with broad, angular ventromedial projection. Valva moderately narrow-based, of average length, with abruptly tapering distal half and narrow, rounded apical fused structure. Costa domed, having big, strong, spine-like terminal process directed dorsally by nearly right-angle with the fused apical part of valva. Sacculus long and narrow, without extension. Aedeagus thick and straight, carina without process, vesica globular, with two transverse scobinate bands and very strong, broad-based, straight, pointed cornutus. Female genitalia (fig. 22). Ovipositor lobes square. Apophyses short, both pairs equal in length. Sternum A7 simple, not bilobed. Ductus bursae with average length and width, smooth, colliculum very short, restricted to the posterior end of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae ovoid, posterior half smooth, anterior half scobinate by relatively big, circular grains. Signum absent. Posterior half of corpus bursae with medium broad, smooth cervix emerging close to the border of scobinate area.

Distribution. Northern Thailand, Eastern Cambodia and Taiwan.

Etymology. This is the “most black” (= nigrissima ) i.e. the darkest Asian species of the genus.

Taxonomic remarks. Naarda nigrissima is in somewhat intermediate position between N. furcatella and the N. secreta — N. huettleri — N. leptosigna species-complex.