Strotihypera flavipuncta (Leech, 1889) Leech, 1889

Han, Hui-Lin, 2011, Strotihypera, a new Old World genus of the tribe Elaphriini (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae), Zootaxa 3116, pp. 59-68 : 61

Strotihypera flavipuncta (Leech, 1889) , comb. n.

( Figs. 1, 7 , 9 , 13 )

Erastria flavipuncta Leech, 1889 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1889: 524, pl. 52: 3 (Type-locality: Japan: Yokohama [Holotype: BMNH, London].

References: Hampson 1910: ( Hyperstrotia, Erastrianae ); Warren 1913: 277, fig. 52b ( Hyperstrotia, Erastrianae ); Sugi 1982: 1: 822; 2: 389, pl. 198: 5, 6 ( Hyperstrotia, Acontiinae ); Poole 1985: 537 ( Hyperstrotia ); Kononenko et al. 1998: 169, fig. 437 ( Hyperstrotia, Acontiinae ); Kononenko & Han 2007: 83, pl. 77:1, 228:3 ( Hyperstrotia , Eustrotiinae ); Kononenko 1990: 10 ( Hyperstrotia, Acontiinae ); 2003: 259, figs 1, 2 ( Hyperstrotia, Acontiinae ); 2005: 76 ( Hyperstrotia , Eustrotiinae ), 2010:19 ( Hyperstrotia , Xyleninae ).

Material examined. 1 male, 2 females, Russia, Primorye terr. Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve, 10 – 12.vi.1976 (V. Kononenko); 50 specimens, South Korea, Chuncheon, Suwon ( CIS, NIAST); 1 male, 1 female, North China, Prov. Jilin, Changbaishan, 25 – 28.vii.2008 (H.L. Han); 4 males, 3 females, North China, Prov. Liaoning, Anshan, Quianshan Nature park, 5 – 8.vii.2008 (V. Kononenko).

Diagnosis. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). No other species in the Old World, except “ Hyperstrotia ” rubritincta and “ Hyperstrotia ” ochreipuncta from Taiwan resembles Strotihypera flavipuncta . Wingspan 18 – 20 mm. Head and thorax covered with wide brown scales; thorax and 1st segment of abdomen with thoracic and abdominal crest, formed by black erected scales. Forewing brown in basal half, grey in terminal half; basal field pale brown, restricted by thin black line; subbasal field brown, darker in costal part, with wide blackish patch formed by erected scales along ventral margin of wing restricted outwardly by clear white and black line; medial field brown, darker than submedial, with clear yellowish-brown spot behind submedial line; orbicular not expressed; antemedial line blackishbrown, twin, with darker and wide inner line; outwardly it bordered with thin pale-greyish line; reniform more or less distinct; postmedial field ash-grey; subterminal field brownish grey, darker than postmedial; dark grey suffusion lies in middle of subbasal and subterminal fields; terminal line thin, blackish, separated for streaks; cilia grey with brown. Hindwing brownish-grey with distinct discal spot; cilia brownish-grey. Male and female genitalia ( Figs 9 , 13 ) as described for the genus.

Distribution and biology. The species is distributed mainly in the Manchurian subregion of the Palaearctic and partially in the Oriental region, from south of Russian Far East (Primorye and south of Khabarovsk terr., south Sakhalin, south Kuriles) throughout Korea, Japan, China to Taiwan. A mesophilous species that occurs in deciduous forests with Quercus mongolica and Q. dentata in glades, meadows, forest edges, in bushes. It is probably bivoltine, adults flying from early June to August. The larva was illustrated by Mutuura et al. (1965); it feeds on dead and withered leaves of Quercus .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Imagines. 1. Strotihypera flavipuncta, male, South Korea (NIAST); 2. Elaphria venustula, male, Russia, S Ural (coll. K. Nupponen); 3. Galgula partita, male, Portugal, Madeira (coll. M. Fibiger); 4. Hyperstrotia aetheria, male, USA, Florida (CNC); 5. Hyperstrotia aetheria, female, type of Thalpochares aetheria USA, Florida (BMNH); 6. Ditto, type labels; 7. Strotihypera flavipuncta, wings venation; 8. Elaphria venustula, wings venation

FIGURES 9 – 12. Male genitalia. 9. Strotihypera flavipuncta, South Korea, genit. prep. 5038 (NIAST); 10. Elaphria venustula, North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1281 - 1 (NEFU); 11. Galgula partita, Portugal, Azores, genit. prep. 5492 MF (coll. M. Fibiger); 12. Hyperstrotia aetheria, USA, Florida, genit. prep. 15433.

FIGURES 13 – 17. Female genitalia. 13. Strotihypera flavipuncta, North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1279 - 2 (NEFU); 14. Elaphria venustula North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1280 - 2 (NEFU); 15. Galgula partita, USA, New York, genit. prep. 5493 MF (coll. M. Fibiger); 16. Type of Thalpochares aetheria, USA, Florida, genit prep. 1183 (BMNH); 17. Hyperstrotia aetheria, USA, Florida, genit. prep. 15434 (CNC).