Eupithecia divertenta, Mironov & Šumpich, 2022

Mironov, Vladimir & Šumpich, Jan, 2022, New species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from China. Part VII, Zootaxa 5154 (3), pp. 289-304 : 291

Eupithecia divertenta sp. n.

( Figs 7 , 22 , 29 )

Type material: Holotype, ♂, China, NW. Sichuan, near Derge , 31°49ʹ12ʺ N, 098°34ʹ59ʺ E, 4.7.2019, H— 3400 m, leg. Butvila & Saldaitis. Gen. prep. J. Procházka 20055, photo J. Šumpich 22013 ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the fletcherata species-group. Distinguished from other allied species by the shape of valve with a broadly rounded ventral angle, very broad vinculum with a broad and shallow hollow, and large, elongate and broad cornutus with rounded apex in the male genitalia.

Description. Adult. ( Figs 7 , 22 ). Male. Wingspan 24 mm; fore wing 12 mm. Head and notum covered with ochreous scales. Fore wing rather elongate, with costal margin slightly convex near base, and apex relatively narrow. Ground colour brownish; antemedial line angled near discal dot; postmedial line oblique, curved near costal margin; terminal area brown, slightly darker; discal dot large, ovoid, black. Hind wing ovoid, pale brownish with visible small, black discal dot.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 29 ). Uncus short, stout, biapical with wide heart-shaped base. Valve rather short and broad with broadly rounded apex; dorsal margin slightly concave; ventral margin sclerotized, broadened at the middle with a broadly rounded angle. Vinculum short and very broad with a broad and shallow medial hollow. Papillae on the anterior arms of the labides rather short and broad, covered with normal-sized setae in apical half. Aedeagus large, stout with slightly broadened anterior end. Vesica with large, long and broad cornutus with rounded apex and one smaller folded, irregular cornutus at ductus ejaculatorius base. Sternite A8 narrowly rectangular, broadened and bilobed at base with two narrow, pointed, sclerotized apical horns and a very deep basal hollow.

Female. Unknown.

Bionomy. Host plant unknown. Type material was collected by light in early July at an elevation of 3400 m ( Fig. 44 ).

Distribution. China (Sichuan province).

Note. The single type specimen is worn.

Etymology. From Italian word “divertente” – “funny” in English.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Eupithecia adults, China (scale bar = 10 mm). 1–4. E. prochazkai sp. n. 1. Holotype. 2–4. Paratypes; 5–6. E. anickae sp. n. 5. Holotype. 6. Paratype; 7. E. divertenta sp. n. (holotype).

FIGURES 20–27. Heads of Eupithecia species, China, holotypes. 20. E. prochazkai sp. n.; 21. E. anickae sp. n.; 22. E. divertenta sp. n.; 23. E. saldaitisi sp. n.; 24. E. ludificata sp. n.; 25. E. butvilai sp. n.; 26. E. ursina sp. n.; 27. E. nesciaria sp. n.

FIGURES 28–31. Male genitalia and sternite A8 of Eupithecia species (scale bar = 1 mm; detail of uncus enlarged). 28. E. prochazkai sp. n. (holotype); 29. E. divertenta sp. n. (holotype); 30. E. saldaitisi sp. n. (holotype); 31. E. ludificata sp. n. (holotype).

FIGURES 42–49. Habitats of newly described Eupithecia species, China. 42. Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, 9.iii.2019, locality of E. prochazkai sp. n.; 43. Yunnan, surroundings of Yongseng, 11.v.2018, locality of E. anickae sp. n.; 44. Sichuan, surroundings of Derge, 15.viii.2009, locality of E. divertenta sp. n.; 45. Gansu, near surroundings of Xiahe, 4.x.2013, locality of E. saldaitisi sp. n.; 46–47. Sichuan, surroundings of Maniganggo, 16.viii.2009, locality of E. ludificata sp. n. and E. nesciaria sp. n.; 48. Yunnan, surroundings of Gongshan, 2.vii.2008, locality of E. butvilai sp. n.; 49. Sichuan, surroundings of Batang, 19.ix.2019, locality of E. ursina sp. n.