Bryophila (Scythobrya) kaszabi, Pekarsky, Oleg, Volynkin, Anton V. & Matov, Alexei Yu., 2014

Pekarsky, Oleg, Volynkin, Anton V. & Matov, Alexei Yu., 2014, A new species of Bryophila Treitschke, 1825 from Mongolia (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Bryophilinae), Zootaxa 3856 (1), pp. 143-148 : 145

Bryophila (Scythobrya) kaszabi sp. n.

( Figs 1–3 , 7, 10 )

Type material. Holotype: male ( Figs 1 , 7 ), SW Mongolia, Hovd aimak, Bodonchijn-Gol basin, Hundij-Gol riv. valley, 1600 m, 46°06'N, 92°30'E, 3.vii.2010, leg. E. Guskova & R. Yakovlev, Slide OP 2222m (coll. OPB, deposited in the HNHM Budapest).

Paratypes. Paratypes. 3 males, 2 females, from the same locality and data as the holotype (coll. OPB); 1 male, 1 female, SW Mongolia, Hovd aimak, Hundij-Gol Riv. Valley, h= 1900 m, 12.07.2008 (coll. OPB); 1 male, 2 females, 06.vii.2007, W. Mongolia, Hovd aimak, Uenchin-Gol Valley, 50 km N. of Uench vill., 1500 m. Yakovlev R.V. & Guskova E.V. leg. Slides AV0255 Volynkin (male), AV0256 Volynkin (female) (coll. ZISP); 7 females, same data (coll. AVB); 4 males, 1 female, 07.vii.2007, SW Mongolia, Hovd aimak, 10 km E of Bulgan, desert, 1000 m, Yakovlev R.V. & Guskova E.V. leg. Slides OP0781m, OP0782f (coll. AVB); 1 female, Mongolia, Chovd aimak, Dzhungar Gobi, Bulgan sum (in the village), 31.07.1986, leg. Z. Varga, Slide OP0626f (coll. ZVD); 1 female, Mongolia, prov. Khovd, 1225 m, Coochor-Nur Lake, 91°38'E, 46°01'N, 22 July 2002, leg. Alois Pavlíčko (coll. MDS); 1 female, Mongolia, Altai (coll. P. Gyulai); 1 female, Mongolia, Exp. Z. Kaszab, 1966, No. 645, Chovd aimak, Slide LR1110f (coll. HNHM); 2 males, 1 female, Mongolia, Hovd aimak, 15 km SW Bulgan, 17.6.2004, leg. R. Yakovlev (coll. OPB).

Etymology. The species name is dedicated to Dr. Zoltán Kaszab who first collected a new species in 1966.

Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the B. salomonis species-group, being externally most similar to B. miltophaea . By genital structure the new species is close relative of B. plumbeola Staudinger, 1881 ( Figs 4 , 9 ) having narrow valva with pointed apex. It differs markedly from all members of the species group in its external and genital features. Externally B. kaszabi ( Fig. 7 ) differs from the similar species by more expressed light medial area, less pointed apex of forewing and less skewed outer margin. In the males, B. kaszabi differs from all congeners by its very characteristic, almost straight ventral side of distal half of the valva and the acute apex with pointed extension. In addition, the new species differs from B. miltophaea by the shield-like juxta with almost parallel lateral sides ( B. miltophaea has longer, medially constricted juxta) and the larger cornutus; from B. plumbeola by its long, digitiform clasper ( B. plumbeola has short, thick clasper). The female genitalia ( Fig. 10 ) are very similar to those of B. miltophaea ( Fig. 11 ), there are no remarkable differences in female genitalia structures, but the subgenital plate (8th abdominal segment) of the new species is wider.

Description. Adults ( Figs 1–3 ). Wingspan 29–30 mm. Head, collar, thorax, tegulae and abdomen pale yellow irrorated with dark scales. Abdomen pale yellow. Forewing elongated; apex finely pointed; outer margin with straight upper part (from apex to vein M3) and oblique lower part (from vein M3 to vein A1). Ground colour light pale yellow irrorated with dark scales that makes the general view brown; subbasal and medial areas dark; wing pattern well developed; basal field as ground colour; antemedial line slightly oblique and rather straight with small curve at base; medial field dark with small light area in the middle as ground colour; postmedial line oblique, sinuous; subterminal line distinct; terminal line fine, marked by small black streaks; pre-apical patch trapezoidal; reniform and orbicular stigma dark edged by brown scales along outer margin; claviform stigma absent; cilia as ground colour. Hindwing uniformly dark, ochreous-grey; discal spot traceable. Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ). Uncus relatively short, laterally flattened, somewhat S-shaped with small but strong apical hook, tegumen shorter than vinculum; transtilla narrow, half-ring-like; juxta shield-like with almost parallel lateral edges; valva long, narrow, costal edge straight, dorsal margin constricted at middle with elongated pointed apex; clasper long, thin, rather digitiform, bent two times. Aedeagus short, cylindrical with strong carinal plate; vesica small, globular, membranous, finely scobinated at base; basal diverticulum small; medial diverticulum large, subsphaerical with large spine-like cornutus; terminal tube long, wide at base, tapering distally. Female genitalia ( Fig. 10 ). Ovipositor large, wide, densely covered with hair-like setae; anterior apophyses long, posterior apophyses slightly shorter and thinner than anterior apophyses. Ostium bursae short, broad, ventral plate very narrow; subgenital plate (8th abdominal segment) wide, well sclerotized; ductus bursae short with large lateral wrinkled and semi-sclerotized formation located oppositely to small, membranous appendix bursae; corpus bursae rounded, membranous, scobinate.

Distribution and bionomics. The new species is known from several localities in Khovd aimak, southwestern Mongolia. B. kaszabi inhabits dry rocky and stony steppe biotopes ( Fig. 12 ).

Figures

FIGURE 12. SW Mongolia, Khovd aimak, Bodonchijn-Gol basin, Hundij-Gol riv. valley, 46 ° 06 ' N, 92 ° 30 ' E, 3. vii. 2010, type locality of B. kaszabi (Photo byR. V. Yakovlev).

FIGURES 1 – 6. Bryophila spp., adults. 1, B. kaszabi, holotype male, W Mongolia, Hundijn-Gol riv. (OPB); 2, B. kaszabi, paratype female, W Mongolia, Uenchijn-Gol riv. (AVB); 3, B. kaszabi,, paratype female, Hundijn-Gol riv. (AVB); 4, B. plumbeola, after Hampson (1908); 5, B. miltophaea, male, Kyrgyzstan, Naryn (ZISP); 6, B. miltophaea, male, Kyrgyzstan, Alai Mts. (OPB).

FIGURES 7 – 11. Bryophila spp., male and female genitalia. 7, B. kaszabi, male genitalia, holotype, slide OP 2222 m Pekarsky; 8, B. miltophaea, male genitalia, slide OP 0163 m Pekarsky; 9, B. plumbeola, male genitalia, holotype, slide MB 244 Boursin; 10, B. kaszabi, female genitalia, paratype, slide OP 0626 f Pekarsky; 11, B. miltophaea, female genitalia, slide OP 0164 f Pekarsky.