Bellulia jiayiae, Han & Kononenko, 2021

Han, Hui Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2021, Six new species of the genus Bellulia Fibiger, 2008 from China and Cambodia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Hypenodinae). Taxonomic study of Micronoctuini Contribution III, Zootaxa 4938 (1), pp. 117-130 : 123-124

Bellulia jiayiae sp. n.

( Figs 9 , 24 )

Type materials. Holotype: male, China, Prov. Yunnan, Mt. Gaoligong, Baihualing , 30.vii-2.viii.2014, H.L. Han, genit. prep. hhl-3534-1, coll. NEFU . Paratype: 1 male with same data as holotype, coll. NEFU .

Diagnosis. The species is superficially similar to B. bella and B. jiaxuanae ( Fig. 7 ), but can be distinguished by paler brown mixed and cyan ground colour of forewing (in B. bella it is more cyan-brown, in B. jiaxuanae more brown); the antemedial line is smooth, arched (in B. bella it is double, in B. jiaxuanae - waved); the postmedial line is broader, with a black patch near the costal area (in B. bella and B. jiaxuanae it is blackish brown, its inner line appears as a black dot near the costa). In the male genitalia of B. jiayiae ( Fig. 24 ), the ventral part of the tegumen fused to the fultura superior with two processes, the left swollen and slightly triangular apically the right with liguliform bend apically (in B. bella these processes strong, left finger-like extended and flattened apically, and in B. jiaxuanae , the left process is rounded apically, and the right is irregularly trifid apically); the left sacculus is narrower and longer than the right, about 1/2 as long as valva (in B. bella the left sacculus is narrow, about half of the length of the valva; in B. jiaxuanae it is broader and longer, as long as the valva); right ampulla ovoid (in B. bella it is elongate and rounded apically, in B. jiaxuanae it is bar-shaped); the aedeagus has a large swollen curved coecum, (most swollen in the B. bella group; in B. bella it is slightly swollen, moderate in length, and in B. jiaxuanae it is narrow, small and waved), the terminal part of the aedeagus smoothly curved, not raised dorsally (in B. bella it is slightly curved and ta[ers apically; in B. jiaxuanae it is bent at a right angle, and smoothly raised dorsally).

Discription. Adult ( Fig. 9 ). Wingspan 11.0-12.2 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen greyish brown, with black scales on patagium, black line at centre of meso- and metathorax, and black tufts of scales at two basal segmens of abdomen. Forewing brownish grey with cyan and black; basal line black, thin, expressed only in costal margin; antemedial line black, double, smoothly curved, with outer line broader and more distinct than inner one; postmedial line black, thin, double, excurved from costa to inner margin of discal cell, then incurved towards inner margin of wing, two fused lines form black C-mark in costal area; subterminal line black, formed by irregular spots between costa and M2, othrewise indistinct; terminal line black; fringe same as ground colour, mixed greyish yellow basally; costal area smoky-black with cyan and scattered whitish-grey scales and darker reminder of wing; reniform spot oblate, muddy yellow, slightly oblique. Hindwing lighter than forewing; discal spot present, tinged, dark; outer margin slightly angular at CuA1; fringe same as ground colour, mixed greyish yellow basally.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 24 ). Tegumen narrow, about twice as long as vinculum fused ventrally to fultura superior, bearing prominent, log-shaped curved process on each side, left e longer than right and with swollen and slightly triangular apex, the right with liguliform bended apex, basal part of right process broader than that of left. Vinculum broader than tegumen, V-shaped. Saccus hardly thick, V-shaped. Juxta walnut-shaped, sclerotized, with circular opening in center. Valvae narrow, asymmetrical, left shorter than right; sacculi asymmetrical, left narrower and longer than right, 1/2 as long as valva, right sacculus broad, 1/3 as long as valva; ampullae asymmetrical, curved, with heavy setae, right one largerr and broader than left, apically ovoid, left sacculus apically bar-shaped; costa thick, arched, left broader than right. Aedeagus with coecum about 1/7 as long as aedeagus; its posterior half gently curved; ductus ejaculatorius slightly swollen; vesica with four tiny sclerotized cornuti.

Female genitalia. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species named by Chinese women’s name “ Jiayi ” and dedicated to the recently born second daughter of the first author.

Distribution. China (Prov. Yunnan: Gaoligong Mt.). The species was collected in the tropical rainforest zone.

Figures

FIGURES 9-16. Bellulia spp., adults. 9. B. jiayiae sp. n., holotype, China; 10. B. bella (after Fibiger 2008); 11. B. kendricki (after Fibiger 2010); 12. B. suffusa (after Fibiger 2008); 13. B. basalia (after Fibiger 2010); 14. B. fuscis sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 15. B. diannana sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 16. B. wui (after Fibiger 2008).

FIGURES 23-28. Bellulia spp., male genitalia. 23. B. bibella (after Fibiger et al. 2011); 24. B. jiayiae sp. n., holotype, China, genit. prep. hhl-3534-1; 25. B. bella (after Fibiger 2008); 26. B. kendricki (after Fibiger 2010); 27. B. suffusa (after Fibiger 2008); 28. B. basalia (after Fibiger 2010).

FIGURES 1-8. Bellulia spp., adults. 1. B. kareni (after Fibiger 2008); 2. B. tenebrosa sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 3. B. clara sp. n., holotype, Cambodia; 4. B. mariannae (after Fibiger 2008); 5. B. parabella (after Fibiger 2008); 6. B. hanae (after Fibiger 2008); 7. B. jiaxuanae sp. n., holotype, China; 8. B. bibella (after Fibiger et al. 2011).