Gallaba constellata McQuillan & Chen, 2024

MCQUILLAN, PETER B., CHEN, JINGYI & FOUNTAIN-JONES, NICHOLAS M., 2024, Two remarkable new species of the Australian moth genus Gallaba Walker (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae, Notodontinae) from the highlands of Tasmania, Zootaxa 5543 (3), pp. 368-382 : 372-375

Gallaba constellata McQuillan & Chen sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D6F68EF9-4DA7-4EF6-9F40-CBE254E2DB4C

( Figures 1, 2 , 3, 5 , 14 )

Informal designations: Gallaba ANIC 1; Gallaba NG 14; BIN AAO9877 (BOLD).

Holotype: ♂ labelled “TAS., Frenchmans Cap , L. Tahune 1000m 27-29 JAN. 1988 P.B. McQuillan ” [42.266°S 145.836°E]; genitalia slide ND1000McQ ( ANIC).

Paratypes: 1♂ labelled “ 42.9541°S 146.3679°E TAS., 5km W of Mount Anne 400m MAR. 2002 uvl D. Driscoll mixed forest” ( TMAG)

1♂ “TAS., Mount Field Nat. Pk. 750m 4 APR.1992 B. Howlett uvl” ( NMV) .

1♀, “ 41.52°S 146.04°E Tasmania, Pelion Gap 1110m 7 APR. 1991 E.D. Edwards ” ( 10ANIC-00251 ) ( ANIC)

1♀, “ 43.05°S 147.09°E [43.065°S 147.183°E] Tasmania Snug Tiers 600m 24 NOV. 1988 P.B. McQuillan, E.S. Nielsen ” ( 10ANIC-00252 ); genitalia slide ND1001McQ ( ANIC).

Diagnosis: Within the genus, this is a relatively slender and long-winged species and the termen of the forewing is markedly oblique. The forewing is decorated with a dusting of metallic green scales on the thorax and forewings which is unique in the genus. The typical noctuoid Gallaba forewing pattern is recognisably present but subdued in this species. The rami of the male antennae are the longest of any member of the genus.

Etymology: constellata Latin adjective meaning starry or studded with stars.

Description ( Figs 1, 2 ). Wingspan male 38mm, female 42 mm.

Thorax: Rather slender-bodied for genus. Vestiture a blend of dark reddish brown hair-scales, lateral crests only weakly developed. Tibia rough-scaled with mixed fuscous and white hair-scales. Forewing elongate for genus, basal third of the costal margin rather arched in the male, apex rounded acute; reddish brown, finely dusted with iridescent green scales. Ante-median and post-median bands darker, oblique, rather poorly defined and arranged as pairs of narrow lines. An irregular terminal line comprising a series of darker lunules posteriorly margined with iridescent green scales. Cilia on fringe dark reddish brown.

Hindwing broad, termen rather straight, apex acutely rounded; whitish to pale reddish brown, slightly darker towards termen, a faint darker medial line present in the male; cilia whitish; underside white.

Abdomen: Pale ochreous tinged dull reddish brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 3 ). Uncus well sclerotised, distally bifid and the weakly spatulate arms diverging. Socii large, well sclerotised, the arms parallel and distally spatulate, hairy on exterior face. Subscaphium weakly developed. Tegumen rounded. Valvae slender, distally acute; basal part of costal margin sclerotised, dilated into a medially directed thorn; posterior margin (sacculus) membranous, plicate in basal half; without androconia. Vinculum broadly rounded. Aedeagus relatively short and stout, distally attenuate; a transverse medial sclerotised collar present, its anterior margin serrated; caecum short. Cornuti present, in the form of a cluster of about 6 short compound thorns.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Ovipositor very short, inclined downwards in lateral view. Papillae anales slender, round-pointed, with numerous short and fewer long setae; Apophyses posteriores of medium length, approximately x4 length of apophyses anteriores which are short and straight. Tergite A7 somewhat produced, broadly rounded distally. Tergite A8 evenly sclerotised, narrow; posterior (distal) margin bilobed around a medial excavation; the postero-lateral corners continuous with band of lamella antevaginalis. Sternite A7 with posterior margin rounded, not sclerotised. Sternite A8 membranous, weakly corrugated. Lamella postvaginalis poorly differentiated, thickened membranous. Lamella antevaginalis a narrow sclerotised rim following the distal contour of the antrum, fusing with the lateral junctions of the lamellae; glandular lobe absent. Antrum small, subcordate, sclerotised. Ductus bursae short, curved, not sclerotised, deflected sideways. Corpus bursae subovoid, membranous, short, not exceeding margin of A7; signum absent.

Genetic Analysis. Two public barcode-compliant individuals of this new species are indexed in the BOLD registry, comprising Barcode Index Number AAO9877. The nearest neighbour (p-distance 11.2%) is the congenor G. eugraphes Turner (BIN URI: BOLD:AAO7150). Such a large p-distance reinforces other evidence that G. constellata sp. nov. is a very distinct new species.

Biology. This appears to be a rare species and taken only sparingly at light. The spread of collection dates suggests G. constellata may be bivoltine. Elevation range is montane to subalpine, spanning 400 m to 1110 m above sea level.

Distribution ( Fig. 14 ). Habitats for this species include montane forest, subalpine forest and alpine shrubland. The type locality is the shore of Lake Tahune, a small steep-sided cirque in Precambrian dolomite under the north face of Frenchmans Cap. The local vegetation is subalpine rainforest comprising Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook. f.) and Athrotaxis selaginoides D.Don. in the canopy and a diverse understorey of medium sized shrubs including Anodopetalum biglandulosum (Hook.) Hook.f. , Telopea truncata (Labill.) R.Br. , Lomatia polymorpha R.Br. , Planocarpa spp. and Tasmannia lanceolata (Poir.) A.C.Sm.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. 1. Gallaba constellata sp. nov. holotype ♂ labelled “TAS., Frenchmans Cap, L. Tahune 1000m 27-29 JAN. 1988 P.B. McQuillan” [42.266°S 145.836°E]. Scale line = 5 mm. 2. Gallaba constellata sp. nov. paratype ♀labelled “TAS., Pelion Gap 1110m 7 APR. 1991 E.D. Edwards” ANICD251-10 Scale line = 5 mm. (image: BOLD)

FIGURES 3–6. 3. Male genitalia of Gallaba constellata sp. nov. holotype. Scale line = 1 mm. 4. Male genitalia of Gallaba kirkpatricki sp. nov. paratype.Aedeagus in lateral view. Scale line = 1 mm. 5. Female genitalia of Gallaba constellata sp. nov. paratype. Scale line = 1 mm. 6. Female genitalia of Gallaba kirkpatricki sp. nov. paratype. Scale line = 1 mm.

FIGURES 12–15. 12. Food plant Richea pandanifolia showing leaf damage caused by the larvae of Gallaba kirkpatricki sp. nov.; 13. Exposed leaf base of food plant Richea pandanifolia showing a faecal mass deposited by a larva of Gallaba kirkpatricki sp. nov.; 14. Distribution of Gallaba constellata sp. nov.; 15. Distribution of Gallaba kirkpatricki sp. nov..