Belciana scorpio Galsworthy, 1997

Behounek, G., Han, H. L. & Kononenko, V. S., 2015, A revision of the genus Belciana Walker, 1862 with description of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Pantheinae) from East and South East Asia. Revision of Pantheinae, contribution XII, Zootaxa 4027 (3), pp. 341-365 : 353-354

Belciana scorpio Galsworthy, 1997

( Figs 27–29 , 41 , 53)

Belciana scorpio Galsworthy, 1997 , Memoirs of Hong Kong Natural Society 21: 134, Pl. 1: 4. Holotype: male, Hong Kong, Pak Sha E, Saikung (NHM).

References: Speidel & Kononenko 1998: 559 (sp. near B. biformis ); Kononenko & Pinratana 2013: 277, Pl. 37: 16 ( Belciana scorpio ).

Material examined. CHINA; 1 male, Prov. Yunnan, Mengla, 900 m, 21°27′ N, 101°34′ E, Sinyaev V. & Team, leg., 1-23.iv.2006, slide GB12125, coll. PG; * VIETNAM: 1 female, Prov. Vinh Phu, Tam Dao, 21°34′ N ′, 105°20′ E, Svihla V. leg., v-vi.1986, slide GB7365 female, coll., Behounek, ZSM; 1 male, Tam Dao, 1200 m 11- 16.x.1992, Sinyaev & Simonov leg., coll. ZFMK. 1 male, Prov. Thai Nguyen, Tam Long, 20 km E Thai Nguyen, 150 m, 21°667′ N, 106°050′ E, local collector leg., vi.2007, slide, GB7411, BC ZSM Lep, 48886, coll. GB/ ZSM; * THAILAND: 1 male Prov. Khon Kaefi, Si Chom Piau, 220 m, local collector leg., 26.iii.2012, slide GB8251 female, BC ZSM Lep 65175 coll. GB/ ZSM; 1 female Prov. Udon Thani, Ban Nong Phai, 185 m, local collector leg., 30.iii.2012, slide 8252 female, coll. GB/ ZSM; 1 male, Prov. Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Phanom, 25 km N, 17°31′50′′ N, 104°54′30′′ E, Buchsbaum U. leg., 8.v.2008, slide GB/ ZSM N4295 male, ZSM, 1 female, Prov. Sakhon Nakhon, Phu Pan, 420 m, 17°05′767′′N, 103°59′907′′E, Ihle T. leg., 30.v.2011, slide, GB12173 female, coll. AB; 1 female, Prov. Nan, Ban Phi Nua, 575 m, 18°56. ′016′′ N, 100°27′390′′ E, Ihle T. leg., 30.v.2011, slide, GB12174 female, coll. AB.

Note. The species is identified by the original description ( Galsworthy 1997) and photographs kindly send us by R. Kendrick ( China, Honkong). The specimens labelled as BC ZSM Lep 48886 and BC ZSM Lep 65175 have been used for DNA barcoding. Molecular distance based on the Kimura two-parameter model for COI DNA barcodes between nearest B. scorpio and B. hreblayi is 7,88% %; the distance between B. scorpio and B. pinratanai is 10,34%.

Diagnosis. Adult ( Figs 27–29 ). Wingspan 31–37 mm. B. scorpio represents own species-group, well distinct from other group of the genus. It differs externally by broader forewing, reduced brown patches in costal area, more clear medial area with reduced ante and postmedial lines and by yellow colouration of hindwing with wide terminal band.

Head, thorax and forewing bluish-green, deeper green than in other species; tegulae bordered with blackishbrown. Wing pattern with brown subbasal patch in costal part of wing, reduced to black streak below Cu trunk or not extended costal area, small medial and antemedial streaks in costal area; antemedial line weakly traceable; medial line not expressed of expressed by indistinct diffused blackish dusting sometimes; postmedial line thin, blackish, indistinct; in some specimens whitish suffusion in center of wing expressed; orbicular and reniform marked by white bordering line; subterminal line blackish uninterrupted, or slightly interrupted, with white inner borderline; subapical-apical and subtornal brown patches broader than in other species; subterminal line black, separated for streaks; cilia brown, pale greenish-grey opposite veins. The hindwing with dull greyish-brown terminal margin, pale yellowish-grey towards base and along anal margin, with clearly traceable discal spot and medial fascia.

Male genitalia. ( Fig. 41 ). In the male genitalia it differs from the congeners by more sclerotised, broader, slightly curved shape of valva, bearing strong spines on cucullus (autapomorphy, absent in other species), relatively large sacculus and small basal coremata, by shape of uncus, which is almost straight for two thirds, then curved on straight angle, deflected to apex, pointed and hooked apically and by structure of harpe, which is small, flattened, quadrangular, with short ventral extension. Aedeagus short broad lobes of carina, vesica tubular, in joining with carina armed with row of 5–6 strong short cornuti and cluster of small spines and scobinate patch in apical part.

Female genitalia (Fig. 53). In the female genitalia ovipositor extended, papillae anales elongate; apophyses anterior and posteriores ones rather long and strong compared with other species; antrum elongated, in apical part split for two sclerotised lobes; ductus bursae short, but longer than in other congeners; joining with elongated partially sclerotised cervix bursae; corpus bursae rounded, with lateral extension.

Distribution and bionomics. CHINA ( Hong Kong, *Prov. Yunnan), * VIETNAM (Provinces Vinh Phu, Thai Nguyen), * THAILAND (Provinces Khon Kaefi, Udon Thani, Nakhon Phanom, Sakhon Nakhon, Nan, Chiang Mai). The species occurs in lowland and hilly areas with elevation range 150– 900 m. Moths flies in March, April, May; June, August and September.

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 31. Belciana and Diphteroides spp., adults (25 – 30) and male genitalia (31). 25. B. pinratanai sp. n., female, paratype, Thailand, slide GB 8300 (GB); 26. B. pinratanai, sp. n., male, paratype, Thailand, slide MJP 707 (MJP); 27. B. scorpio, female, Thailand; 28. B. scorpio, male, North Vietnam, slide GB 7411 (GB); 29. B. scorpio, female, North Vietnam, slide GB 7365 (GB); 30. D. kendricki, male, Irian Jaya, slide GB 7354 (GB); 31. Ditto, male genitalia, slide GB 7354 (GB).

FIGURES 41 – 45. Belciana and Diphteroides spp., male (41) and female (42 – 45) genitalia. 41. B. scorpio, Thailand, slide GB / ZSM N 4215 (ZSM); 42. D. kendricki, Irian Jaya, slide GB 7372 (GB); 43. B. biformis, Sumatra, slide GB / ZSM N 4158 (ZSM); 44. B. hemodoides, Borneo, slide GB 7389 (GB); 45. B. sp., Irian Jaya, slide GB 7363 (GB). Most distinctive characters are marked by lines.