Eudiaphora tienshanensis Spitsyn, Bolotov & Kondakov, 2019

Spitsyn, Vitaly M., Kondakov, Alexander V., Tomilova, Alena A. & Bolotov, Ivan N., 2019, A new species and new subspecies of Eudiaphora Dubatolov, 1990 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) from Tien-Shan and Pamir ranges, Ecologica Montenegrina 22, pp. 97-107 : 104-105

Eudiaphora tienshanensis Spitsyn, Bolotov & Kondakov sp. nov.

Figs 1C , 2 G-I, 5.

Type material. Holotype male RMBH Sph 0807: Kyrgyzstan, Tien-Shan Range, Sary-Chelek Region, edge of mixed broadleaf forest and herb meadows, altitude 1285-1392 m, between 41.8164° N, 71.9594° E and 41.8200° N, 71.9722° E, 13 July 2018, Spitsyn leg.

Reference COI barcode sequences. GenBank accession number MK887194 (holotype) .

Etymology. This species is named after the Tien-Shan Mountain Range, in which the holotype was collected.

Differential diagnosis (male). This species could be distinguished from the other taxa in the genus by combination of the following characters: wing coloration gray; postdiscal band is narrow and is clearly separated from the apex of the central cell, not connecting with the discal spot; juxta short, very broad, sclerotized; saccus U-shaped, expanding proximally like a wineglass; length of the narrow distal part of valva is two times longer that the length of its broad proximal part.

Molecular diagnosis. This species differs from the other congeners with available sequences by 14 diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the COI gene fragment ( Table 1). The COI p-distance between the new species and Eudiaphora turensis turensis and E. t. nozimdjoni ssp. nov. is 2.9 and 2.3%, respectively.

Description. Male morphology and markings. Wingspan 34 mm, forewing length 16 mm ( Fig. 1C ). Head dark gray, eye black. Antenna bipectinate, black. Labial palpus long (slightly longer than twice eye diameter), dark brown, straight. Proboscis reduced. Torax dark gray. Abdomen dark yellow, with black band on each tergite. Legs gray, with black apex of the femur. Upperside of both wings gray, fringe broad, gray. Forewing with a basal black spot, a discontinuous subbasal black band, a group of four discal black spots, and a discontinuous subdiscal band. Hindwing with a discal black spot. Underside of both wings gray with a discal black spot on each wing. Male genitalia. Tegumen elongated, broad; uncus broadly triangular, its apex rounded ( Fig. 2G ). Juxta short, very broad, sclerotized; saccus U-shaped, expanding proximally like a wineglass ( Fig. 2H ). Valva elongated, narrow, tapering distally; length of the narrow distal part of valva is two times longer that the length of its broad proximal part ( Fig. 2G ). Aedeagus long, broad, vesica with weak, rather sparse granulation ( Fig. 2I ). Female unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality: Sary-Chelek Region, Tien-Shan Range, Kyrgyzstan ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Male specimens of Eudiaphora spp. A E. turensis turensis (Tajikistan, Khorog) B E. turensis nozimdjoni ssp. nov. (holotype) C E. tienshanensis sp. nov. (holotype). Scale bars = 10 mm. (Photos: Vitaly M. Spitsyn).

Figure 2. Male genitalia of Eudiaphora spp. A, B, C E. turensis turensis: general view of the male genitalia (A); juxta and saccus (B); aedeagus (C) D, E, F E. turensis nozimdjoni ssp. nov. (holotype): general view of the male genitalia (D); juxta and saccus (E); aedeagus (F) G, H, I E. tienshanensis sp. nov. (holotype): general view of the male genitalia (G); juxta and saccus (H); aedeagus (I). Scale bar = 1 mm. (Photos: Vitaly M. Spitsyn).

Figure 5. Type locality of Eudiaphora tienshanensis sp. nov.: Sary-Chelek Region, 41.8200° N, 71.9722° E, Tien-Shan Range, Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: Vitaly M. Spitsyn).