Visiana repentinata (Walker)

Schmidt, Olga, 2015, The genus Visiana Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae) in Australia: resurrection of two species from synonymy, Zootaxa 4021 (4), pp. 501-514 : 507-509

Visiana repentinata (Walker)

( Figs 5 , 10 , 13 , 20 ), stat. rev.

Scotosia repentinata Walker, 1862: 1356

Xanthorhoe repentinata Walker : Meyrick, 1890: 868.

Xanthorhoe brujata (Guenée) : Prout, 1940: 257 (as syn.)

Visiana brujata (Guenée) : McQuillan & Edwards, 1996: 225, Scoble, 1999: 959 (as syn.).

Types. Australia. Queensland. Holotype female, Moreton Bay, no further data ( Fig. 5 ) ( BMNH, examined). Other material examined. Australia. Queensland. Two females, Brisbane, no other data, Mt Tamborine, C.W. Frazier, 7.i.1964, at light ( ANIC), three females, Taylor Range, Brisbane, FPD, Mt Tamborine, A. d. T., vi. ( BMNH).

Diagnosis. Forewings with the median band slightly thinner and with the basal band slightly paler and more distinct than in V. brujata and V. incertata , with the posterior projecting tooth not pronounced, compared to V. brujata and V. i n ce r t at a. In the female genitalia, the ductus bursae is much shorter than in V. brujata and V. incertata , the corpus bursae and the diverticulum are much larger than in V. brujata and V. incertata .

Description. Labial palpi brown with some ochreous scales apically. Legs brown, with indistinct rings of ochreous-brown scales. Wing expanse 36-39 mm (n=6). Forewings above ochreous-brown to brown with fuscous and reddish scales, with basal band pale and distinct, with a very small sharp tooth at the second longitudinal vein (Sc), with median band slightly narrowing to the hind margin, with rather blunt medial projecting tooth, edged with a brown wavy line, without posterior projecting tooth, with a small discal dot, more distinct in males, underneath reddish-brown, with a thin, wavy, broken, brown median line or brown dots at veins in females and with several thin, wavy, brown median lines in males, with a small brown discal dot. Hind wings above ochreous-brown to brown with fuscous and reddish scales, with a few dark brownish lines in the basal half, and with median line forming a tooth-like medial projection, underneath coloured and patterned as forewings ( Figs 10 , 13 ).

Male unknown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 20 ). Antrum medium-sized, funnel-shaped, mostly sclerotized, with a narrow proximal membranous ring; ductus bursae relatively short, sclerotized, with lateral stripes of heavier sclerotization; corpus bursae medium-sized, slightly asymmetric, about as long as width, slightly wrinkled distally and medially, membranous, with rather inconspicuous medial area of very narrow sclerotization, with relatively large, elongated diverticulum connected proximally to the corpus by a medium sized tube, with ductus seminalis set medially on corpus bursae; signum a distinct, rounded patch of symmetrically arranged, inwardly directed spicules.

Distribution. Australia (Queensland).

Remarks. The specimens of the species may display sexual dimorphism (Schmidt, unpubl. data). Several males apparently belonging to V. repentinata and closely related species were collected in Queensland as part of the sampling programs. As no barcode sequences were gained for these specimens, it is so far not clear which males actually belong to V. repentinata .

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 5. Visiana spp., type specimens, wings above: 2. V. brujata, holotype female, ex. Musaeo Ach. Guenée, Tasmania; 3. V. incertata, holotype female, Moreton Bay, Queensland; 4. V. breviaria, holotype male, Australia; 5. V. repentinata, holotype female, Moreton Bay, Queensland.

FIGURES 6 – 10. Visiana spp., wings above: 6. V. brujata, male, Tasmania; 7. V. brujata, female, Queensland; 8. V. incertata, male, Queensland; 9. V. incertata, female, Queensland; 10. V. repentinata, female, Australia, Queensland.

FIGURES 11 – 13. Visiana spp., wings underneath: 11. V. brujata, holotype female, ex. Musaeo Ach. Guenée, Tasmania; 12. V. incertata, holotype female, Queensland, Moreton Bay; 13. V. repentinata, female, Queensland, Brisbane.

FIGURES 18 – 20. Visiana spp., female genitalia, type specimens: 18. V. brujata, holotype; 19. V. incertata, holotype (the ductus seminalis is hidden behind the corpus bursae); 20. V. repentinata, holotype.