Tactusa virga Fibiger

Fibiger, Michael, Han, Hui-Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2011, Five new species and one new subspecies of Micronoctuidae from China, with a checklist of Chinese species, including Taiwan (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea, Micronoctuidae), Zootaxa 2777, pp. 41-53 : 45

Tactusa virga Fibiger , new species

( Figs. 7 , 17 )

Type material. Holotype. Male, China, Yunnan prov, Jinghong, 12–13.ix.2008, leg. Han, H.L. & Wang, Y., genit. prep. 6221 M. Fibiger, coll. NEFU.

Diagnosis. The genus Tactusa is a member of the subfamily Tactusinae, now comprising 30 species, all with apically rounded ampullae and coiled phalli. The genus Tactusa is hereby recorded from China for the first time; it was previously known primarily from SE Asia. T. virga belongs in its own species-group, and differs from all other Tactusa species by the extremely narrow valva; ampulla very narrow, sickle-shaped, almost equally narrow throughout; right digitus spine-like, ventrally directed; base of sacculus with prominent thorn-like process on both sides, ventrally directed; phallus strongly coiled, with pointed apex.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 7 ). Wingspan 11.5 mm, forewing narrow. Head, patagia, and base of costa black; ground colour of forewing light brown, with costal-medial black patch, and with subterminal and terminal area black, including fringe; cross-lines absent, except terminal line marked by black intervenal dots; reniform stigma beige, outlined by black. Hindwing unicolourous grey, with discal spot; fringe grey. Ventral surface unicolorous light brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 17 ). Upper part of tegumen thread-like, ventral part of double width; vinculum of same width; saccus of triple width, short, broadly U-shaped; valvae very narrow, asymmetrical; costa basally with short, triangular flap; base of sacculus with short, apically blunt process; sacculus subbasally with prominent thorn-like process; ampulla narrow, sickle-like; spine-like digitus presents on right side; phallus strongly coiled; coecum relatively long, tapered; carina spine-like; vesica unarmed.

Female. Unknown.

Bionomics. The biotope comprises mainly subtropical forest vegetation. All specimens were collected at light in mid September. The early stages are unknown.

Distribution. ( Fig. 30 ) China (Yunnan prov.).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Micronoctuidae spp., adults. 1. Bellulia bibella, male, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 2. B. bibella, female, paratype, China (NEFU); 3. Mimachrostia fasciata, male, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 4. Micronoctua occi, female, China, Liaoning (NEFU); 5. Parachrostia pura, male, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 6. Parachrostia pura, male, paratype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 7. Tactusa virga, male, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 8. Tactusa flexus, male, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU).

FIGURES 14 – 18. Micronoctuidae spp., male genitalia. 14. Bellulia bibella, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 15. Mimachrostia fasciata, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 16. Parachrostia pura, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 17. Tactusa virga, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU); 18. Tactusa flexus, holotype, China, Yunnan (NEFU).

FIGURES 26 – 30. Collecting sites and distribution map. 26. Broad-leaved and mixed forest, Huangguoshu, Prov. Guizhou. 27. Broad-leaved forest and banana plantations, Huangguoshu, Prov. Guizhou; 28. Broadleaved forest, Jiangcheng, Prov. Yunnan; 29. Mixed forest with Pinus yunnana, Lancang, Prov. Yunnan 30. Distribution map. Collecting localities: 1. Huangguoshu (Prov. Guizhou) 2. Guanling (Prov. Guizhou); 3. Lincang (Prov. Yunnan); 4. Mojiang (Prov. Yunnan); 5. Jiangcheng (Prov. Yunnan); 6. Lancang (Prov. Yunnan); 7. Jinghong (Prov. Yunnan).