Lygephila pallidivena, Pekarsky, Oleg, 2016

Pekarsky, Oleg, 2016, Taxonomic and morphological studies on the Lygephila dorsigera (Walker, 1865) species-group, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Toxocampinae), Zootaxa 4161 (4), pp. 554-560 : 559

Lygephila pallidivena sp. n.

( Figs 1, 2 , 11 , 17–19 )

Type material. Holotype: Male ( Fig. 1 ), China, N Sichuan, road Wenchuan—Maoxian , 1520 m, N31°32' 550'', E103°40' 280'', 15.XI.2014, leg. A. Floriani, ex coll. A. Saldaitis, slide OP 2902m (coll. GBG / ZSM) .

Paratypes. 1 male, with the same data as Holotype (coll. AFM) ; 2 females, with the same data as Holotype , slide OP2909f (coll OP & ASV) ; 2 females, China, Sichuan, Provinz Tonghua, btw. Wenchuan et Lixian , 1800–2000 m, 24.04.– 29.V.2004, leg. loc. collector, slides OP2383f, OP2384f (coll. ABF).

Diagnosis. L. pallidivena differs from its relatives by its greyish shaded ground colour of forewing, whereas all relatives have various brown ground colours of the forewings. In male genitalia, L. pallidivena is closest to L. dorsigera and L. lilacina but differs from them by its longer valva with sharper apex and characteristically long, narrow, flattened, almost straight uncus with acute tip, whereas the valva in L. dorsigera is shorter and wider, in L. lilacina smaller, much narrower with rounded tips, and the curved, rod-like uncus (in L. lilacina the uncus is short and significantly wide). In the females, the antrum of L. pallidivena is longer with wider anterior part comparing with those of all relatives.

Description. Wingspan 38–39 mm. Head and body greyish or greyish-brown irrorated with black scales; collar dark chocolate-brown. Forewing greyish or greyish-brown with sparse dark brown irroration; subbasal line distinct; antemedial line strong, curved towards base forming dent between M3 and 1a+2a; orbicular stigma as small white dot; medial line well traceable, arched; reniform stigma large, dark brown, consists of 5-6 streak-like spots; postmedial and subterminal lines distinct with lighter fascia on outer side; terminal line a row of dark brown dots or arrows. Hindwing brownish, practically unicolorous; discal spot traceable; outer third somewhat darker; fringes as ground colour.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 11 ). Clasping apparatus symmetrical. Uncus long, narrow, flattened, almost straight with fine tip, valva comparatively wide, elongated; ampulla flattened, nearly bean-shaped, clasper/harpe claw-like, located subapically; aedeagus straight, medial long, narrow, cylindrical; vesica membranous, multidiverticulate, medial part has numerous diverticula variable in shape and size, terminal tube long, membranous ( Fig. 11 ).

Female genitalia ( Figs 17–19 ). Ovipositor conical, papillae anales large, hairy with long setae on apical edges. Apophyses anteriores long, apophyses posteriores thin, somewhat longer than apophyses anteriores. Antrum long, conical, ostium broad, posterior margin with wide U-shaped cleft. Corpus bursae membranous, obovate.

Distribution. China, Sichuan.

Etymology. The species name refers to the light-coloured veins of the forewings.

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 10. Lygephila spp., adults. 1, L. pallidivena, Holotype, male, China, N Sichuan (GB / ZSM); 2, L. pallidivena, Paratype, female, China, N Sichuan (OP); 3, L. recta, male, Japan (MNHU); 4, L. recta, female, Japan, Fukara (OP); 5, L. subrecta, male, S Korea, Kangwon (HNHM); 6, L. subrecta, female, Japan (MNHU); 7, L. lilacina, male, China (ZFMK); 8, L. lilacina, female, Japan (ZFMK); 9, L. dorsigera, Holotype, female, Sri Lanka (BMNH); 10, L. dorsigera, female, Taiwan (HNHM).

FIGURES 11 – 16. Lygephila spp. male genitalia. 11, L. pallidivena, Holotype, China, N Sichuan (GBG / ZSM); 12, L. recta, Japan (MNHU); 13, L. lilacina, China (ZFMK); 14, L. subrecta, S Korea, Kangwon (HNHM); 15, L. dorsigera, Nepal (GYP); 16, L. dorsigera, Taiwan (HNHM).

FIGURES 17 – 30. Lygephila spp. female genitalia. 17, L. pallidivena, Paratype, China, Sichuan, OP 2383 f (ABF); 18, L. pallidivena, Paratype, China, N Sichuan, OP 2909 f (OP); 19, L. pallidivena, Paratype, China, Sichuan, OP 2384 f (ABF); 20, L. recta, Japan, Fukara, OP 3438 f (OP); 21, L. recta, Russia, Ussuri, OP 2413 f (HNHM); 22, L. subrecta, Japan, OP 1985 f (MNHU); 23, L. subrecta, N Korea, OP 2227 f (ZFMK); 24, L. lilacina, Japan, OP 2258 f (ZFMK); 25, L. lilacina, China, Hunan, OP 2251 f (ZFMK); 26, L. dorsigera, Holotype, Sri Lanka, LG 3055 f (BMNH) (photo A. Zilli); 27, L. dorsigera, Nepal, OP 2032 f (GYP); 28, L. dorsigera, Myanmar, OP 2382 f (ABF); 29, L. dorsigera, China, Zhejiang, OP 2256 f (ZFMK); 30, L. dorsigera, Taiwan, LR 7122 (HNHM).