Eupithecia eremiata, Šumpich & Mironov, 2022

Šumpich, Jan & Mironov, Vladimir, 2022, New species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China. Part VIII, Zootaxa 5194 (4), pp. 561-574 : 563

Eupithecia eremiata sp. n.

( Figs 3 , 17 , 30 )

Type material: Holotype, ♀, China, N Sichuan, 20 km N from Maoxian , 1820 m, 31°46.310ʹ N, 103°42.898ʹ E, 20.v.2017, A. Saldaitis leg. Gen. prep. J. Procházka 20191, Photo J. Šumpich 22104 ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the satyrata species group ( McDunnough, 1949). The female genitalia of Eupithecia eremiata sp. n. very similar to those of Eupithecia pernotata Guenée, [1858] . However, externally the new species is distinguished from the compared species by the brown colour of the fore and hind wings and also details of the pattern. Similar to Eupithecia caementariata sp. n., but fore wing with less visible transverse lines; medial line angled onto costa before discal dot, the large whitish tornal spot absent, hind wing darker, brown.

Description. Adult. ( Figs 3 , 17 ). Female. Wingspan 24.5 mm, fore wing 14.0 mm. Head and notum covered with light-brownish scales. Fore wing with straight costal margin, apex narrowly rounded. Ground colour dark brown; transverse lines marked by black costal blotches; postmedial line right angled onto costa; terminal line darker than rest of wing, especially near apex, with a narrow, wavy whitish subterminal line; terminal line narrow, black, interrupted by veins; discal dot small ovoid-acuminate, black. Hind wing brown, paler than fore wing, with traces of transverse lines; discal dot small, ovoid, blackish. Fringe chequered with dark brown and paler ochreous brown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 30 ). Bursa copulatrix sclerotized, pear-shaped, mostly covered with large uniform spines. Ductus bursae sclerotized, with prominent bulge on one side, and one small patch of spines near base of ductus seminalis. Ductus seminalis narrow, slightly broadened at base, attached to central part of ductus bursae opposite prominent bulge. Colliculum collar-like, relatively short and broad, slightly inclined to base of ductus seminalis. Antrum short, membranous. Tergite A8 rectangular, wide and short. Anterior and posterior apophyses relatively short and narrow. Papillae anales small, rounded, covered with normal-sized setae.

Male. Unknown.

Bionomy. Host plant unknown. The holotype was collected by light in May at an elevation of 1800 m ( Fig. 37 ) .

Distribution. China. Known from Sichuan province.

Etymology. From the late latin word “eremus”—“lonely” in english.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Eupithecia adults, China, holotypes (scale bars = 10 mm). 1. E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 2. E. fossaria sp. n.; 3. E. eremiata sp. n.; 4. E. panacea sp. n.; 5. E. mediata sp. n.; 6. E. caementariata sp. n.

FIGURES 15–20. Heads of Eupithecia species, China, holotypes. 15. E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 16. E. fossaria sp. n.; 17. E. eremiata sp. n.; 18. E. panacea sp. n.; 19. E. mediata sp. n.; 20. E. caementariata sp. n.

FIGURES 30–34. Female genitalia of Eupithecia species (scale bar = 1mm). 30. E. eremiata sp. n. (holotype); 31. E. panacea sp. n. (holotype); 32. E. lineisdistincta Vojnits, 1981; 33. E. peregovitsi Mironov & Galsworthy, 2009; 34. E. dealbata Inoue, 1988. a—the opposite view.

FIGURES 35–39. Habitats of newly described Eupithecia species, China. 35. Qinghai, Laji Shan Mt., locality of E. galsworthyi sp. n.; 36. Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, locality of E. fossaria sp. n.; 37. Sichuan, surroundings of Maoxian, locality of E. eremiata sp. n.; 38. Sichuan, surroundings of Batang, locality of E. panacea sp. n.; 39. Sichuan, Road Jiuzhaigou/Songpan, locality of E. mediata sp. n. and E. caementariata sp. n.