Leucoma sichuana Xie & H. Wang, 2022

Xie, Linzhe, Wang, Ming, Chen, Yusi & Wang, Houshuai, 2022, Review of the genus Leucoma Hübner, 1822 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae) from China, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 5115 (3), pp. 361-380 : 371-372

Leucoma sichuana Xie & H. Wang sp. nov.

( Figs 17–18 , 29 , 35 )

Diagnosis. The new species resembles L. ochripes and L. niveata in male genitalia, but can be easily separated from the latter two by the following characters: labial palpus white; middle and hind tarsi wihte, mixed with pale yellow scales; the left valva nearly rectangle, with a tiny plate of setea on inner surface; the right valva broad at basal half, narrow at distal half, densely covered with setea on cucullus; saccus small.

Description. Adult. Forewing length: 32–33mm in male holotype, 40–42mm in female paratypes.

Head: Antennae bipectinate, fuscous; frons and vertex covered with white dense hairs; labial palpi white, short.

Thorax: dorsally and ventrally covered with white scales, tegula white. Forewing white, R 1 and R 2 almost parallel, R 3, R 4 and R 5 stalked, M 1 arising from upper angle of discal cell, M 2 and M 3 arising from the lower angle of discal cell respectively, Cu 1 and Cu 2 approximately parallel, fringe white. Hind wing white; Rs and M 1 short stalked, M 2 and M 3 arising from the lower angle of discal cell respectively, fringe white. Legs densely covered with white hairs, except forelegs mixed with yellow scales.

Male genitalia. Uncus triangular basally, digitate apically; tegumen broad; valvae strongly asymmetric, left valva approximately rectangle, its inner surface with a tiny plate of setae; the right valva broad at basal half, narrow at distal half, densely covered with setae on cucullus; saccus small; aedeagus short, distal gradually slightly curve toward distal; vesica sclerotized at base, without spines.

Female genitalia. The anterior apophysis and the posterior apophysis almost equal in length; the ostium small; the ductus short, basally sclerotized; the bursa long oval-shaped, with a M-shaped signum.

Material examined. Holotype: 1♂, Longcanggou National Forest Park, Yingjing County, Ya’an City , Sichuan, 2.VII.2016, leg. M. Wang. Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype ; 1♀, same locality as the holotype, 31.VII.2015, leg. M. Wang.

Distribution. China (Sichuan).

Etymology. The species name after the type locality Sichuan Province.

Figures

FIGURES 11‒18. Adults. 11–12. L. melanoscela (11. male, SCAU; 12. female, SCAU); 13–14. L. sericea (13. male, SCAU; 14. femal, SCAU); 15–16. L. nyingchiensis sp. nov. (15. male, holotype, SCAU; 16. male, paratype, SCAU); 17–18. L. sichuana sp. nov. (17. male, holotype, SCAU; 18. male, paratype, SCAU). Scale bar = 10mm.

FIGURES 25–29. Male genitalia. 25. L. sericea; 26. L. melanoscela; 27. L. ochripes; 28. L. nyingchiensis sp. nov. (holotype); 29. L. sichuana sp. nov. (holotype).

FIGURES 30–35. Female genitalia. 30. L. candida; 31. L. parallela; 32. L. chrysoscela; 33. L. sericea; 34. L. melanoscela; 35. L. sichuana sp. nov. (paratype).