Neocrambus olini Sinev et Korb, 2022

Sinev, Sergey Yu. & Korb, Stanislav K., 2022, A new species of the genus Neocrambus Bleszynski, 1957 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from Central Asia, Zootaxa 5209 (5), pp. 594-597 : 594-597

Neocrambus olini Sinev et Korb , sp. n.

Material. Holotype male, 1– 3.07.2015, Kazakhstan, Ili River valley near Kok-Tal bridge, N 43º 57.818′ E 79º 36.322′, 500 m, leg. S.K. Korb. Paratypes: 2 males, 1– 3.07.2015, same locality, leg. S.K. Korb ; 1 male, 13.07.2016, Kyrgyzstan, Fergansky Mts. , 11 km SE of Tortkol, N 41º 41.161′ E 72º 58.459′, 1218 m, leg. S.K. Korb ; 1 male, 2– 8.07.2019, Kyrgyzstan, Moldo-Too Mts. , near Koro-Goo Pass, 2015 m, N 41.521710, E 74.764240, leg. S.K. Korb ; 2 males, 15.07.2021, same locality, leg. S.K. Korb ; 4 males, 12– 14.07.2022, same locality, leg. S.K. Korb ; 2 males, 29.07.2022, Kyrgyzstan, Alai Mts. , Archaty valley, 39°49′24.56″N, 73°19′2.65″E, 2731 m, leg. S.K. Korb. Holotype and four paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg, Russia), other paratypes, in the private collection of S.K. Korb (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) .

Description ( Figs 1–6 ). Male. Forewing length 10–12 mm. Head, thorax, abdomen, and legs are grey to dark brown. The eyes and antennae are dark-brown. Labial palpi are twice longer than the diameter of the eyes. The upperside and underside of the wings from grey to dark brown. The wing pattern is poorly developed, represented by a slightly lighter longitudinal stroke in the anal part of the forewing and by several (1–6) light strokes on its external margin. Fringes lighter than wing ground color.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 7–11 ). Uncus wide, bilobed, with rounded median notch. Gnathos is longer than uncus, narrow, with a short, pointed apex. Vinculum is massive, with two large lateral lobes of the same length as the valva. Valva triangular, basal part widened dorsally; sacculus with long caudal, apically pointed projection; cucullus with weak and only slightly visible apical hairy lobe; costal part ends with triangular and slightly pointed projection reaching only the base of the projection of sacculus. The aedeagus is longer than the valva, straight, with a sclerotized longitudinal crest of about 1/4 of its length, apical part of this crest with a small pointed tooth.

Diagnosis. N. olini sp. n. differs signifiсantly from N. wolfschlaegeri by its wing pattern and coloration. In N. wolfschlaegeri , the wing pattern is not developed, forewing yellowish and hindwing brownish (see Slamka 2008: pl. 16, figs 121a–121c); in N. olini sp. n., the wing pattern is present and both pairs of wings are of the more or less same color, from grey to dark-brownish. The male genitalia in general are the same as in N. wolfschlaegeri (see Slamka 2008: pl. 21, fig. 121), but in N. olini sp. n. the costal margin of valva has a wide basal protrusion and both apical projections are wider.

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of Mikhail Olin, a member of HDD Research Group and a good friend of the second author, who passed away in 2021 as a result of COVID19.

Biology. N. olini sp. n. was found in different biotopes at altitudes from 500 to 2100 m: Turanga forest in the river valley ( Fig. 12 ), dry meadows in the walnut forest ( Fig. 13 ), and open dry steppe ( Fig. 14 ). The moths were attracted at the light between 22:00 and 24:00.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Neocrambus olini sp. n., habitus. 1, holotype, Ili River valley, Kazakhstan; 2, 3, paratypes, Ili River valley, Kazakhstan; 4, paratype, Moldo-Too Mts., Kyrgyzstan; 5, paratype, Alai Mts., Kyrgyzstan; 6, paratype, Fergansky Mts., Kyrgyzstan.

FIGURES 7–11. Neocrambus olini sp. n., male genitalia. 7, 8, 11, holotype; 9, 10, paratype (Fergansky Mts.); 7, 10, frontal view, aedeagus removed; 8, 9, aedeagus; 11, lateral view, aedeagus removed.

FIGURES 12–14. Neocrambus olini sp. n., habitats; 12, turanga forest in the Ili River valley, Kazakhstan (type locality); 13, meadow in walnut forest, Fergansky Mts., Kyrgyzstan; 14, steppe in Moldo-Too Mts., Kyrgyzstan.