Neopseustis gaoligongensis Huang & Chen, 2023

Huang, Si-Yao, Hou, Yong-Xiang, Zhu, Li-Juan & Chen, Liu-Sheng, 2023, First record of the family Neopseustidae from Yunnan, China with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Neopseustidae), Zootaxa 5357 (4), pp. 587-594 : 588-591

Neopseustis gaoligongensis Huang & Chen , sp. n.

Fig.1 , 4–10 .

Type material. Holotype: male, printed label “ 25.958°N, 98.714°E, ỄƜẓAEMḿffiDZẆỮÔẈDZṁḢ•% Ửffl •AEẆẉ•ḾOiỖ; Yunnan Prov.: Gaoligong NR., Nujiang Yaojiaping, Iris Valley ; 2263m, 2021.V.13-14, Light trap; M. Jin, M. Guo & H. Fu, MJ0075”, QR-code label with unique number “En-423218” ( SYSU)

Diagnosis: Neopseustis gaoligongensis sp. n. belongs to the N. bicornuta species-group characterized by the latero-posterior process of the anellus being smooth from middle to distal end, and by the absence of a ventral process in the valvae. Within the group, the new species only resembles N. fanjingshana Yang, 1988 ( Fig. 2, 3 , 11–13 ), from Northeast Guizhou and Northwest Hunan provinces, for sharing similar wing patterns and the slender latero-posterior process in male genitalia. However, it can be distinguished from the latter by the combination of the following characters: 1) Both wings slightly narrower and more elongated; 2) three distinct black patches present near the distal end of discal cell, while such patch is absent in N. fanjingshana ; 3) in male genitalia, the uncus-tegumen complex is shorter, the gnathos is less curved subapically, the latero-posterior process is slightly shorter, swollen subapically (it is gradually narrowed towards its distal end in N. fanjingshana ) and bearing a membranous section in its inner margin at the swollen part (the latero-posterior process is sclerotized thoroughly in N. fanjingshana ), and the sclerotized transverse band connecting the two latero-posterior processes is larger and longer. From the other congeners, N. gaoligongensis sp. n. can be simply distinguished by the slender latero-posterior process of the anellus mentioned above.

Description. Adult: Length of forewing 9.8 mm. Antennae filiform, brownish dorsally. Head, thorax and abdomen uniformly brownish, thinly covered with scales. Forewing shape long oval, apex slightly pointed. Forewing ground color pale yellowish white, with basal half pale brown and scattered with black short lines. Three black patches present near distal end of discal cell. A row of irregular pale brown patches surrounding the distal half of forewing, starting from middle of costa and ending beyond the anal angle. A yellow trapezoid patch presented at the anal angle, and an ochreous patch presented below the anal angle. Cilia chequered with creamy white and pale brown. Hindwing shape long oval, ground color creamy white. Basal half of hindwing uniformly pale brown. A series of irregular pale brown patches extending from apex to anal angle. Cilia as forewing.

Male genitalia: Uncus fused with tegumen, bifurcate basally and forming two short triangular lobes. Gnathos strongly sclerotized thoroughly, spike-like and slightly curved medially. Socii rounded, densely setose. Tegumenal lobe slightly curved outwards medially and gradually narrowing towards tip. Valvae totally fused with vinculum, broad and nearly trapezoid in natural shape, with distal end abruptly narrowed and forming distal process which slightly curved medially. Vinculum narrow posteriorly and forming long and slender arms anteriorly. Latero-posterior process of anellus long and slender, curved near base, swollen subapically and abruptly narrowed distally, with membranous section present in inner margin at swollen part. The transverse band connecting the two latero-posterior processes broad and long. Paired processes of anellus absent. Transverse bar in ventral view (flattened) with three branches arranged trifolium-like, the two dorsal ones rather long and broad and the ventral one slightly shorter and bearing bifurcate distal end. Juxta sclerotized, in lateral view broad rodlike, gradually expanded anteriorly. Parameres long and blade-like, membranous with its distal half densely covered by minute spinules.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Currently only known from the type locality, Yaojiaping in Mt. Gaoligong, West Yunnan ( Fig. 14 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet gaoligongensis is derived from the type locality, Mt. Gaoligong, an adjective in the genitive case.

Molecular analysis. The Kimura-2-parameter distance of the genus Neopseustis , based on COI barcoding, is given in Table S1 . The interspecific divergence between N. gaoligongensis sp. n. and N. fanjingshana is 3.2%, and the interspecific divergence between N. gaoligongensis sp. n. and N. bicornuta is 3.9%. According to the table, Neopseustis gaoligongensis sp. n. is genetically distinct from its congeners, with the genetic divergence varying from 3.2% to 10.6%. Based on the ML tree ( Fig. 15 ) constructed using the COI barcoding region, the genus Neopseustis is monophyletic (UFBS = 98), and the four clades recognized in Huang et al. (2021) and Lv et al. (2023) are recovered in the present study, while only two of them received strong support (UFBS> 95). Neopseustis gaoligongensis sp. n. is clustered with the clade ( N. fanjingshana + N. bicornuta ) receiving moderate support (UFBS=84).

Remarks: Taxonomic problems still exist in the genus Neopseustis , especially concerning the identity of N. archiphenax Meyrick, 1928 . Owada (2023) briefly concluded the history of the study of the species and provided certain evidence showing that the Chinese populations of N. archiphenax might not be conspecific with the Myanmarese population. Since the COI barcoding sequences of N. archiphenax in the current study came from the population from Song County, Henan, Central China, it is possible that they represent an undescribed species of Neopseustis rather than true N. archiphenax , pending future study.

Owada (2023) described two new species of Neopseustis from Laos based on a male and a female, respectively, and assigned them both to the N. meyricki species-group. Among them, N. bannamphang Owada, 2023 described from a male, undoubtedly belongs to the species-group because it possesses genitalia characters typical for the species-group. However, the assignment of the other one, N. phousamsoum Owada, 2023 , described from a female, is questionable because it has the posterior section in the ductus bursae (as ostium bursae in Owada (2023)) deeplydivided by a narrow gap in female genitalia. The known female genitalia of the N. meyricki species-group all have the posterior section in ductus bursae divided by a shallower and broader gap. However, since the female genitalia of other species-groups are still unknown, no new group assignment concerning N. phousamsoum can be made, and a further study based on more material in the future is required.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Distribution map of Neopseustis spp. in the present study.

FIGURE 15. Maximum likelihood (ML) tree of Neopseustidae based on an analysis of the COI barcoding region. The clade of the new species was marked out with red.

FIGURES 1–3. Adults of Neopseustis spp. 1, N. gaoligongensis sp. n., HT, En-423218 (SYSU); 2, N. fanjingshana, SZ1 (SCAU), 3, N. fanjingshana, HAUHL041880 (HUNAU).

FIGURES 4–13. Male genitalia of Neopseustis spp. 4–10, N. gaoligongensis sp. n., HT, En-423218 (SYSU); 11–12, N. fanjingshana, HAUHL041880 (HUNAU); 13, N. fanjingshana, SZ1 (SCAU). 4, genitalia capsule, ventral view; 5, ditto, dorsal view; 6, ditto, lateral view; 7, ditto, flattened ventral view; 8, ditto, socii adjusted to show uncus lobes; 9, anellus-transverse bar, flattened ventral view; 10, juxta-parameres, flattened lateral view; 11, genitalia capsule, flattened ventral view; 12, anellusjuxta-parameres, flattened ventral view; 13, genitalia as whole, flattened ventral view. Scale bar for Figs 4–12.