Alena, Gyulai & Saldaitis & Zilli, 2019

Gyulai, Peter, Saldaitis, Aidas & Zilli, Alberto, 2019, A new genus and species of Apameini (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Sichuan (China), Zootaxa 4545 (4), pp. 593-600 : 594-595

Alena gen. n.

( Figs 1–4 , 9, 10 , 14, 15 )

Type species: Alena alena sp. n., by present designation.

Diagnosis. By virtue of the pale pink-edged margins of forewing framing a broad ovate-triangular yellow centre of wing, the only member so far known of the new genus shows a striking external resemblance in habitus to several species of Adisura Moore, 1881 and Heliocheilus Grote, 1865 ( Figs 5–7 ), both in subfamily Heliothinae . Nevertheless, its ovipositor shows the characteristic dorso-ventrally flattened lyriform lobes of Apameina ( Noctuinae : Apameini ). There is some external similarity in pattern and somewhat soft-scaling with Metopiora Meyrick, 1902 , a monotypic genus erected for Chariclea sanguinata T.P. Lucas, 1893 ( Fig. 8 ), although this is clearly a member of the anartoid genus group of Hadenini (cf. Hacker, 1998) ( Figures 13 , 18 ). In structural features, the type species shows an unusual combination of unique features and similarities with other genera of Apameina . In the configuration of male genitalia there are strong similarities with Argyrospila Herrich-Schäffer , [1851] (type Phalaena Noctua succinea Esper, [1798]) (cf. Kononenko, 2016: 316, fig. 6), due to the absence of a corona, a weak cucullus without a neck separating it from main section of the valva, a long broad vinculum and non-tubular vesica consisting of a large sub-quadrangular corpus, the distal edge of which supports a field of cornuti. The configuration of the female ovipositor lobes, smoothly arcuate and strongly constricted subbasally, is a feature common to many Apameina groups, although the large strongly sclerotised ductus bursae, the posteriorly protruding ventral lip of the ostium bursae and the compact bursa copulatrix without signa are characters not often seen in combination. Contrary to typical Apameina groups, there are no evident paired elongate midventral rods between the ovipositor lobes, a circumstance occurring instead in subtribe Sesamiina of Apameini . Unique features of Alena gen. n. include the rhomboid, apically truncated uncus sitting on broad transverse angular uncus base, the complex, markedly differentiated juxta between its superior and inferior parts, the microscopic papilla-like ampulla fused with costal plate, the erect, ear-shaped costal process (= digitus sensu Forbes, 1954) positioned nearer to the costa than to the postero-ventral corner of costal plate, and the asymmetrical sclerotisation of the ductus bursae.

Description. Medium-sized noctuids, with overall rough and puffy vestiture of hair-like scales on head and thorax obliterating distinction between patagium, tegulae and notum. Head small, eye slightly ellipsoid, frons bulged, slightly produced into transverse crest, male antenna biserrate with short rami up to middle of flagellum (the outer rami shortest), distally lamellate midventrally (the lamellae also short), filiform in female, labial palpus flimsy, feebly upcurved, proboscis thick, appearing functional, pale straw-coloured. Thorax flimsy, with small patagium and slender tegulae; forewing shape as in Heliocheilus cruentata (Moore, 1881) ( Fig. 16 ) albeit with more smoothly rounded apex and tornus, costa slightly bulged at base in male, more evenly convex throughout in female, termen smoothly convex, particularly in female, stigmata and transverse lines absent; hindwing obovate, patternless; legs spindly in appearance, midtibia with one pair of terminal spurs and hindtibia with two pairs. Abdomen cylindrical and gracile, trifine brush organs absent.

Male genitalia. Tegumen dome-shaped, wider than high, vinculum as high as uncus-tegumen complex, with stout arms and broad median plate produced antero-ventrally into conspicuous, broadly rounded, almost truncate saccus; valva comparatively compact and narrow, of fairly uniform width, with no constriction before relatively flimsy, setose cucullus; costa robust, arcuate, dilated distally into broad costal plate, sacculus triangular, squarecornered in place of clavus, clasper long and flat, bar-like, broadly embedded onto the valval surface and extending from end of sacculus to costal plate, this bearing an erect ear-shaped process approximately half-way between dorsal and ventral edges of costa; ampulla microscopic, reduced to minuscule papilla bearing single short seta, fused along distal postero-ventral margin of costal plate. Uncus with very wide base sharply cornered at sides, stem narrow, then broadly spatulate-rhomboid with truncate apex. Juxta showing distinct constriction between inferior, sub-rhomboid plate and superior paired lobes semicircular in outline with serrated edge, these not flat but folded internally (mitten-like), thus with inner side whose base joins with membranous anellus. Tuba analis membranous. Aedeagus stout, with broad compact corpus of vesica terminated distally by spinose field.

Female genitalia. Ostium bursae broad, with convex ventral lip and no distinct antrum, leading directly into wide, strongly sclerotised ductus bursae joining with corpus bursae obliquely, thereafter showing asymmetrical sclerotisation between its two sides; corpus bursae compact, with small, feebly-bulged appendix bursae; ovipositor flat, with broad-based lobes lyriform in outline, and no distinct midventral rods.

Distribution. Hitherto exclusively known from West Sichuan Province ( China).

Etymology. The genus name is feminine and based after Alena Kazakevich (Lida, Belarus) in recognition of her support in entomological explorations.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Adults. 1. Alena alena sp. n., ♂ holotypus, China, W Sichuan, PGY4894m (PGM/HNHM); 2. Idem, ♂ paratypus, China, W Sichuan, PGY4930m (ASV); 3. Idem, ♀ paratypus, China, W Sichuan, AZ1854f (PGM/HNHM); 4. Idem, ♀ paratypus, China, W Sichuan, PGY4899f (PGM/HNHM); 5. Heliocheilus cruentata, ♀, China, W Sichuan, AZ1853f (PGM/ HNHM); 6. H. albicilia, ♂, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, AZ1855m (PGM/HNHM); 7. Adisura marginalis, ♂, Nepal, Kangchenjunga reg., AZ1837m (PGM/HNHM); 8. Metopiora sanguinata, ♀, Australia, Queensland, Taylor Range, NHMUK010896424 (NHMUK).

FIGURES 9–13. Male genitalia. 9. Alena alena sp. n., holotypus, W Sichuan, PGY4894m (PGM/HNHM); 10. Idem, ♂ paratypus, China, W Sichuan, PGY4930m (NHMUK); 11. Heliocheilus albicilia, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, AZ1855m (PGM/ HNHM); 12. Adisura marginalis, Nepal, Kangchenjunga reg., AZ1837m (PGM/HNHM); 13. Metopiora sanguinata, Australia, Queensland, BMNH Noct. slide 249 (NHMUK).

FIGURES 14–18. Female genitalia. 14. Alena alena sp. n., paratypus, W Sichuan, AZ1854f (PGM/HNHM); 15. Idem, paratypus, W Sichuan, PGY4899f (PGM/HNHM); 16. Heliocheilus cruentata, China, W Sichuan, AZ1853f (PGM/HNHM); 17. Adisura marginalis, Nepal, Kangchenjunga reg., AZ1838f (PGM/HNHM); 18. Metopiora sanguinata, Australia, Queensland, BMNH Noct. slide 250 (NHMUK).