Disparia primavera Saldaitis & Ivinskis, 2011

Saldaitis, Aidas, Ivinskis, Povilas & Rimsaite, Jolanta, 2011, Disparia primavera, a new species of Notodontidae (Lepidoptera) from China, Zootaxa 3101 (1), pp. 65-68 : 65-68

Disparia primavera Saldaitis & Ivinskis sp. n.

( Figs. 1 –6 )

Holotype: male ( Fig. 1 ), China, Sichuan, N 29“43.105, E 102“36.195, near Siping , 2.iv.2011. h– 1600 m, leg. Floriani (deposited in Museum Thomas Witt (Munich, Germany)/ Zoologische Staatssammlung, München ( Germany); (slide No. IP 0010)

Diagnosis. Externally the new species is most similar to Disparia diluta abraama (Schaus, 1928) and D. ampat Schintlmeister, 2008 , stat. rev., but genitalic features also suggest an alliance to D. grisescens (Gaede, 1934) . Unlike the new species, D. diluta abraama ( Fig. 7, 8 ) has short pectinate antennae, opaque grey forewings, basal fascia extends from costa to dorsum, the median margin of postmedian fascia dentate, the band extends from costal to dorsal margin. In male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ) valvae narrow with a pointed process, its saccus very wide U-shaped, the aedeagus not bifurcated, and the eighth sternite has a characteristic sclerotisation. In Disparia ampat ( Fig. 9 ) the external margin of the forewing is rounded, basal band extends from costal to anal margin, the medial area is broad and light, the hindwing dark brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 10 ) differ by shape of valva which is pointed, the costa which is narrowly sclerotisised, the dorsum weakly sclerotisised, the non-bifurcated aedeagus has a group of long cornuti, and the eighth sternite has strong lateral arms. D. grisescens ( Fig. 11 ) has short pectinate antennae, light brown forewings, a basal band extending from costa to dorsum, and a narrow dentate subterminal band. The male genitalia ( Fig. 12 ) has a long narrow uncus, long socii, a narrow, tapered saccus, a bifurcated aedeagus with a robust process, and an eighth sternite with characteristic sclerotisation.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1 ): Wingspan 42 mm, forewing length 19 mm,; antennae two-thirds of the length of forewing; strongly bipectinate filiform only on tip, forewing margin straight, apex acute; ground colour of forewings pale whitish with smooth silver shining, redish-black patches and scattered separate red and black scales; basal band blackish red, interrupted in costal area by white with big black dot; medial area with separate red, black scales; dorsal edge obscure, postmedian band clear only in costal area and not extending to middle of wing, hindwing greyish-brown, without pattern; ventral side without pattern, greyish-brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2–6 ): Uncus bilobed deeply incised with acute tip; socii bird beak-shaped, robust; tegument simple, same width throughout length; valvae symmetrical, costa well sclerotisised; apex broadly rounded, in basal part with small but clearly visible teeth on costa; sacculus with wide sclerotised area; middle part of valva without sclerotisation; saccus massive wide V-shaped; aedeagus very wide, last part of basal area well sclerotised, bifurcated with one branch massive in inner part serrated, and other branch short, blunt, vesica tubular, with two small cornuti, sparsely covered by plates forming acute apex spines; sternite VIII V-shaped with wide arched branch and characteristic sclerotisation on the posterior part. Female unknown.

Bionomics and distribution. The new species is known only from the Siping area of Sichuan Province ( China), on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, where a single male was collected at the beginning of April at an altitude 1600 m. It was attracted to light during a cold (2–4˚C) night in a small river valley. The habitat is mountain virgin mixed forest dominated by various broad-leaved trees, rhododendrons and bamboos .

Etymology. The species name primavera in Italian means "spring".

Taxonomic Note. Schintlmeister (2008) described a population of Disparia from Hunan Province ( China) as a subspecies of D. difflua ampat . After examining the male genitalia of D. difflua difflua and D. difflua ampat we have concluded that these are two different species that differ consistently. D. ampat has slightly asymmetric valvae and a different eighth sternite structure ( Fig. 10 ). The valva of D. difflua difflua is not pointed and the costal part not sclerotised, and the distal process of the eighth sternite is curved.

We thank A. Floriani (Milan, Italy) and P. Morozov (Moscow, Russia) for their assistance in preparing this publication, Peder Skou (Apollo Books) for permission to publish pictures from Palearctic Macrolepidoptera Vol. 1, Tomas Zubacikas (Vilnius, Lithuania) for photographing adults, Robert Borth (Milwaukee, USA) for grammatical suggestions, Gintas Vaitonis and Lina Jasiukonyte for scanning and drawing pictures, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on the manuscript.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Disparia primavera, adults and male genitalia. 1. D. primavera, male, holotype, China, Sichuan (MWM/ZSM); 2. D. primavera, male, holotype, capsule, prep. IP0010; 3. D. primavera, male, holotype, uncus, prep. IP0010; 4. D. primavera, male, holotype, saccus, prep. IP0010; 5. D. primavera, male, holotype, aedeagus, prep. IP0010 aedeagus; 6. D. primavera, male, holotype, 8th sternite, prep. IP0010 sternite.

FIGURES 7–12. Species of Disparia. 7. Disparia diluta abraama male, China Sichuan, after Schintlmeister (2008); 8. Disparia diluta variegata male genitalia and 8th sternite, Japan, after Schintlmeister (2008): a—capsule (left valva cut), b—aedeagus, c—8th sternite; 9. Disparia ampat male, SE China, after Schintlmeister (2008); 10. Disparia ampat male genitalia and 8th sternite, SE China, after Schintlmeister (2008): a—capsule (left valva cut), b—aedeagus, c—8th sternite; 11. D. grisescens female, SE China, after Schintlmeister (2008); 12. D. grisescens male genitalia and 8th sternite, SE China, after Schintlmeister (2008): a—capsule (left valva cut), b—aedeagus, c—8th sternite; 13. D. difflua difflua male genitalia and 8th sternite, SE China, after Schintlmeister (2008): a—capsule (left valva cut), b—8th sternite.