Belciades cyana Behounek, Han & Kononenko

Behounek, Gottfried, Han, Hui-Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir, 2011, A review of the genus Belciades Kozhanchikov, 1950 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Pantheinae), with descriptions of two new species from China and Thailand. Revision of Pantheinae, contribution II, Zootaxa 3070, pp. 40-50 : 43-49

Belciades cyana Behounek, Han & Kononenko sp. n.

( Figs. 9–12 , 21 )

Type material. Holotype: male, China, Guangdong Prov., Nanling Mts. 10.iii.2003 (coll. SCAU). Paratypes: China: 1 male, Guangdong Prov., Nanling Mts. 15.iii. 2004 (coll. SCAU), genitalia prep. hhl-1964-1; Guangdong Prov., Nanling Mts. 17.iv. 2006 (coll. SCAU), genitalia prep. hhl-1965; 1 male, Jiangxi/Fujan, Lichuan, Yangjialing 1600 m, May 2001, leg. local collectors (coll. AB, Germany), genital prep. 7409GB; 2 males, Fujian, Wuyi Shan, 1400 m, 27˚41ʹN, 117˚33ʹE, v–vii.2006, leg. team of Viktor Sinaiev (coll.GR, Hungary); 1 male, Guangxi, Dayao Shan, Jinxiu, 100km SE of Liuzhou, 23˚45ʹN, 109˚45ʹE, 1200 m, 15–30.iii.2005, leg. V. Siniaev (Coll. P. Gyulai, Hungary). The holotype and two paratypes are deposited in SCAU, Guangzhou, China; one paratype is in the private collection of Armin Becher ( Germany, Freudenberg), to be deposited at ZSM; two paratypes are in the collection of Gabor Ronkay and Peter Gyulai ( Hungary).

Diagnosis. Belciades cyana differs from other Belciades species by cyan-bluish coloration of thorax and forewing, absence of brown subbasal band and brown subapical patch expressed in wing pattern of Belciades . Wing pattern of B. cyana formed by distinct dentate black lines also different from other Belciades species. In male genitalia it differs from other Belciana species by more massive, wide shape of valva, very strong saccular extension club-like extended apically. This and the next species comprise a sister species pair. Externally, by wing coloration and pattern they resemble some species of Diphteroides, known from Indonesia, but are well differentiated from this genus by genitalia and other structures. Their affinity with Belciades is not completely clear; their systematic position will be clarified after revision of Donda and Belciana and other related groups of the Pantheinae .

Description. Adult ( Figs. 9–12 ). Wingspan 39–40 mm. Antennae of both sexes simple, filiform; frons smooth, haustellum developed, eyes rounded, globular; labial palps long, 3rd segment almost equal to the 2nd in length. Head and thorax covered with greenish-blue hair-like scales, patagia bordered with black; abdomen brownish grey, with crest formed by bluish and black scales on 1–5 segments, termen of abdomen covered with bluish scales. Forewing greenish-blue, with light brownish suffusion in medial and submedial fields, costal area purely greenish-blue; wing pattern represented by thin black dentate lines, stronger in costal area. Basal line marked in basal area; subbasal line distinct, oblique, minute dentate; area between subbasal line and antemedial fascia filled with greenish-blue; antemedial fascia double, dentate, filled with blue between lines; basal field with grey suffusion; orbicular as small white spot, bordered with black; reniform white, separated by thin line, with two black nuclears, medial shadow as black line, in costal field strong, bordered green, below reniform – thin, waved; postmedial fascia twin, thin, in mid part dentate; subterminal field suffused with greyish scales; subterminal line broken, dentate, expressed as wide triangular streaks in mid part of wing; terminal field bluish, with black subapical mark and brown diffused medial spot; costal margin of subterminal and terminal fields with three black and two white longitudinal spots; terminal line broken, as longitudinal semilunar streaks; cilia bluish, blackish patches between viens. Hindwing in basal part pale, yellowish-white, with broad terminal band, bearing tornal mark expressed as short twin line on bluish background; discal spot diffused, traceable, veins suffused with blackish scales; terminal line as row of longitudinal streaks along wing margin, cilia bluish, with blackish scales between veins. Male genitalia ( Fig. 21 ). The ground plan of male genitalia is similar to Belciades species, but differs by more massive and broad valva and strong saccular extension. Uncus relatively short (about half length of tegument) rather massive, pointed at tip, bearing minute apical hook. Tegumen broad, equal to vinculum in length. Juxta vertical, shield-like, with medial extension, apically with cut. Valva rather massive, broad; with almost parallel costal and ventral margins in 2/3 of length; in apical third, beyond saccular extension abrupt apically, neck of cucullus not expressed as in other Belciades species; apex of valva rounded; sacculus lobe rather massive, but relatively narrow, with membranous pockets on outer surface and with massive, slightly curved apical extension, extended on ¼ of its length beyond valva, apically flattened, extended and rounded. Harpe not presented; clasper as heavily sclerotised patch in apical part of sacculus similar to “ Belciana ” kala group of species; valva not covered by strong non-removable setae, like in this group. Aedeagus moderate in length; carina apically bearing short obtuse, hook-like spine; vesica tubular, projecting ventrally, extended basally, bearing sclerotised plate with minute spines and row of 8–10 small-moderate cornuti joined basally. Female unknown.

Etymology. The name is derived from the greenish-blue (cyan) color of the body and forewing.

Distribution and biology. The species is known from China, provinces Guangxi, Fujian and Guangdong. Moths appeared on the wing from March to May, and have been taken in mountainous broad-leaved forests at elevations from 1200 to 1600 m.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 16. Belciades spp., imagines. 9 – 12 – B. cyana (9 – holotype, China, Guangdong prov., Nanling Nat. park; 10 – paratype, China, Jiangxi / Fujian; 11 – papratype, China, Fujian; 12 – paratype, China, Guangxi); 13 – 16 – B. cyanobrunnea (13 – holotype, Thailand, Chiang Mai; 14 – paratype, Thailand, Chiang Mai; 15 – paratype, China, Jiangxi / Fujian; 16 – paratype, China, China, Guangdong prov., Nanling Nat. park).

FIGURES 21 – 26. Belciades spp., male and female genitalia. 21 – B. cyana, male genitalia, paratype, China, HHL- 1964 - 1; 22 – B. cyanobrunnea, male genitalia, holotype, Thailand, genit. prep. 7410 GB; 23 – B. niveola female genitalia, Russian Far East, genit. prep. 1641 ZFMK; 24 – B. koenigi female genitalia 1160 ZFMK; 25 – B. hoenei female genitalia, genit. prep. 1652 ZFMK; 26 – B. cyanobrunnea, paratype, female genitalia, China, Jianxi / Fujian, 7408 GB.