Pselnophorus emeishanensis Arenberger, 2002

Hao, Shulian & Li, Houhun, 2008, The genus Pselnophorus Wallengren from Mainland China, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 1755, pp. 61-67 : 63-65

Pselnophorus emeishanensis Arenberger, 2002

( Figs. 2 , 7–8 )

Pselnophorus emeishanensis Arenberger, 2002: 237

Material examined. CHINA: 1 ɗ, 1 &, Hunan Province, Sangzhi County, Mt. Badagong, 1250 m, 12– 13.viii.2001 (Houhun Li, Xinpu Wang); 1 ɗ, Guangdong Province, Lianzhou, Mt. Dadong, 650 m, 24.vi.2004 (Dandan Zhang); 1 ɗ, 1 &, Sichuan Province, Baoxing County, Fengtongzhai, 1600 m, 2.viii.2004 (Yingdang Ren); 1 ɗ, 1 &, Sichuan Province, Wolong, 1900 m, 7.viii.2004 (Yingdang Ren); 1 ɗ, Sichuan Province, Wolong, 2008 m, 25.vii.2005 (Haili Yu); 5 ɗ, 2 &, Guizhou Province, Daozhen County, 1300–1370 m, 20– 25.viii.2004 (Yunli Xiao).

Diagnosis. This species is similar to P. v i l i s (Butler), but can be distinguished by the cleft with large pale yellow triangular patch, and the left sacculus with an acicular process curved to costa terminally and bearing a long and slender, right-angled hooked process arising from its dorsal 1/3.

Redescription. Adult ( Fig. 2 ): Wingspan 16.0–25.0 mm. Head greyish white to white, without frontal tuft. Antenna about 1/2-2/3 length of forewing. Forewing cleft from 5/8; ground color white, with yellow scales and small brown spots; cleft with large pale yellow triangular patch covering 2/5-1/2 of “uncleft areas”; first lobe with pale yellow medially; second lobe scattered with pale yellow, apex and 1/3 of inner margin white; fringe greyish yellow to white. Hindwing clefts from 1/2 and 1/5 respectively; ground color greyish white to white, scattered with greyish yellow; fringe greyish yellow to white. Legs white, sparsely scattered with light yellow.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ): Uncus simple, hooked, apex acute and thin, about 1/2 length of tegumen. Left valva slightly wider than right valva. Left sacculus with an acicular process curved to costa terminally, the acicular process with long and slender, right-angled hooked process arising from dorsal 1/3. Right sacculus with nearly club-shaped process. Phallus S-shaped.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 8 ): Papillae anales small. Apophyses posteriores long and slender, longer than 8th sternite. Apophyses anteriores absent. Ostium bursae and antrum small, positioned on left side. Antrum slightly sclerotized. Ductus bursae membranous, about twice length of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae simple, spherical, without signum. Ductus seminalis from near base of ductus bursae.

Distribution. China (Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou), Japan.

Remarks. This species was originally described by Arenberger based on a male specimen collected from Mt Emei, Sichuan Province. The type specimen was deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria. During our study we found both sexes of this species from other areas. Ours is the first description of the female.

Some variation occurs within this species in both external appearance and genitalia. The specimens from Sichuan are bigger and darker, especially the females. Main variations in the genitalia include the width of the acicular process of left valva, the curvature of the nearly right-angled hooked process of the acicular process, and the curvature of the phallus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Adults of Pselnophorus spp. 1. P. brevispinus Hao & Li, sp. nov.; 2. P. emeishanensis Arenberger; 3 – 5. P. vilis (Butler): 3. adult; 4. head; 5. vein.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Genitalia of Pselnophorus spp. (scales = 0.5 mm) 6. P. brevispinus Hao & Li, sp. nov.; 7 – 8. P. emeishanensis Arenberger: 7. male genitalia; 8. female genitalia; 9. P. vilis (Butler).