Rotundagalope, Huang & Horie & Fan & Wang & Espeland, 2023

Huang, Si-Yao, Horie, Kiyoshi, Fan, Xiao-Ling, Wang, Min & Espeland, Marianne, 2023, A review of the genus Agalope Walker (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae, Chalcosiinae) with taxonomic notes and descriptions of three new genera and three new species, Zootaxa 5284 (2), pp. 291-321 : 297-300

Rotundagalope S.-Y. Huang & Horie, gen. n.

( Figs 15–18 , 55 , 74, 75 , 97 , 111 )

Type species: Agalope immaculata Leech, 1898 , by monotypy and present designation.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized moths with broad, rounded wings and yellowish forewing. The combination of the following features is diagnostic: 1) Forewing veins M 2 and M 3 arise independently from the lower angle of the discal cell. 2) In male genitalia, the posterior tegumenal projection is blunt thorn-like with narrow base in ventral view, similar to that in Agalope . 3) Valva is clearly divided into two parts: the cucullus situated dorsally and gradually narrowed towards its distal end and the remaining part comprising of a weakly sclerotized median section and a sclerotized, narrow saccular band which forms a perpendicular angle at the medial point (an autapomorphy). 4) Juxta lobes are extremely long, spiniform, (ca. 2–2.5 × posterior tegumenal projection length) and medially curved (an autapomorphy).

Among the genera in the present study, Rotundagalope gen. n. is most reminiscent of Agacysma gen. n. by sharing similar forewing venation but can be immediately distinguished from the latter by the more rounded wings, the more yellowish forewing, the wings better covered by scales and the much longer and narrower juxta lobes and the much broader valva divided into two sections.

Description. Forewing length 26.5–27.4 mm in males and 24.5– 25 mm in females. Antennae bipectinate in both sexes. Head and thorax covered by white piliform scales sparsely, abdomen densely covered with piliform scales. Both wings relatively thickly scaled. Forewing upperside ground color pale yellow, with base marked with orange and veins darkened. Hindwing upperside creamy white with yellowish tint. Cilia white on both wings.

Male genitalia. Eighth tergite long trapezoid with posterior end flat or narrowly concave at middle. Uncus triangular in ventral view, gradually narrowed towards distal end with tip rounded. Tegumen trapezoid ventrally. Posterior tegumenal projection short (ca. 2 × uncus length), blunt at the distal end and thorn-like, smooth on surface. Vinculum slender. Saccus V-shaped. Juxta lobes extremely elongated, directed outwards and incurving medially and totally fused with basal section of dorsal ridge of sacculus, connected basally by a small triangular plate. Valva broad (ca. 3 × uncus length), cucullus gradually becoming sclerotized towards distal end, medial section of valva membranous, sacculus forming a nearly perpendicular angle at median point. Phallus slender (ca. 5 × uncus length), slightly S-like curved, dorsally with a triangular dorsal process at the widest part.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales moderately long (ca. 0.6 × apophysis posterioris length).Apophysis posterioris much longer than apophysis anterioris, both strongly sclerotized. Apophysis anterioris bearing a broad posterior section and fused medially, forming a sclerotized plate extending anteriorly. Ostium bursae rounded. Ductus bursae membranous. Corpus bursae pyriform, membranous. Signum bursae paired, moderately sclerotized, covered by dense spinules at surface.

Etymology. The generic name Rotundagalope is the aggregate of the Latin word “Rotunda” which means round and the generic name Agalope , referring to its rounded wing shape. Gender is feminine.

Biology. Males of Rotundagalope gen. n. are attracted to lights at night.

Distribution. Endemic to mainland China. Known from Sichuan & Gansu ( Li 2012) Provinces in northwestern and southwestern China.

Species composition

R. immaculata ( Leech, 1898) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 15–24. Adults of Rotundagalope gen. n. and Paragalope gen. n. 15, Rotundagalope immaculata, HT, male, Tachien-lu, Sichuan, China, NHMUK014199906 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 16, ditto, male, Menia, Sichuan, China, NHMUK014199909 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 17, ditto, male, Barkam, Sichuan, China, ZFMK Lep153376 (ZFMK); 18, ditto, female, Menia, Sichuan, China, NHMUK014199908 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 19, Paragalope dejeani, ST, male, Tatsienlou, Sichuan, NHMUK014200110 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 20, ditto, female, Pa Tse Fang, Sichuan, NHMUK014200162 (NHMUK); 21, ditto, female, Pa Tse Fang, Sichuan, NHMUK014200172 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 22, P. lucia, ST, female, Tse Kou, Yunnan, China, NHMUK014199988 (NHMUK, ©The Trustees of NHMUK); 23, ditto, male, Weixi, Yunnan, China, AG03 (SCAU); 24, ditto, female, Gongshan, Yunnan, China, GSAG3 (CHSY).

FIGURES 51–63. Lateral view of the male genitalia of Agalope/Elcysma-related genera. Depository: 51, 52, 58: ZMH; 53, 55, 63: ZFMK; 54, 57, 61: CHSY; 56: SCAU; 59, 60: NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 62: CSYSU.

FIGURES 70–75. Male genitalia of Agalope and Rotundagalope gen. n. spp. Depositary: 70, 71, 72, 74: ZFMK; 73: CHSY; 75: NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

FIGURES 93–107. Eighth tergite of Agalope/Elcysma-related genera. Depository: 93, 94, 100: ZMH; 95, 96, 107: ZFMK; 97, 101, 103: NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 98: SCAU; 99, 102, 105: CHSY; 104: CJF; 106: CSYSU.

FIGURES 108–114. Female genitalia of Agalope, Rotundagalope gen. n. and Paragalope gen. n. spp. Depository: 108: ZMH; 109, 110: ZFMK; 111, 112, 114: NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 113: CHSY.