Gibberifera hepaticana Kawabe & Nasu, 1994

[Japanese name: Nise-usukishiro-himehamaki]

(Figs 6, 11, 12, 15)

Gibberifera hepaticana Kawabe & Nasu, 1994: 89 (original description; type locality: Kuzakai, Iwate Pref., Japan; type depository: Entomological Laboratory, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan), 82 (in checklist), 83 (in key), fig. 7 (adult), fig. 14 (male genitalia), fig. 18 (female genitalia); Byun et al., 1998: 166 (diagnosed); Razowski, 1999: 448 (cataloged); Liu & Li, 2002: 320 (in key), 321, pl. 43, fig. 435 (adult), pl. 88, fig. 435 (male genitalia), pl. 126, fig. 435 (female genitalia); Oku, 2003: 123; Brown, 2005: 351 (cataloged); Zhang & Li, 2004: 290 (in key), 292; Nasu & Komai, 2013: 237, pl.4–30, fig. 31 (adult); Hirowatari et al., 2015: 29, fig. 2T (adult); Gilligan et al., 2018 (cataloged); Nasu, 2021: 29, pl. 4, fig. 49 (adult), pl. 23, fig. 49 (male genitalia), pl. 51, fig. 49 (female genitalia); Zhang, 2021: 411 (in key), 413.

Gibberifera simplana: Kawabe, 1982: 1: 122, 2: 174, pl. 26, fig. 24 (adult) (part.) (misidentification).

Diagnosis. Gibberifera hepaticana is closely similar to Gibberifera yadongensis Nasu & Liu, 1996 by sharing the following characters: ocelloid patch darker than median fascia in forewing; cucullus oval; uncus shallowly bifurcated. However, it can be distinguished by the following characters: forewing color less brownish than that of G. yadongensis (Nasu & Liu 1996); vesica with two or three non-deciduous cornuti (without non-deciduous cornuti in G. yadongensis); apophysis posterioris as long as apophysis anterioris (shorter than apophysis anterioris in G. yadongensis); signa smaller than those of G. yadongensis .

Material examined. [JAPAN] Hokkaido: 1♂, Ishikari-shi, Ishikari-hama, 43°14'05.3"N, 141°20'31.9", 18. VI.2018, Light trap, S. Tomura leg., DNA extraction No. IKA0133 (ELKU); 1♂, Kamikawa-chô, Sôunkyô, Ginsendai, 43°40'11"N, 142°57'48"E, 1480 m, 18.VII.2023, T. Oka leg., genitalia slide No. IK0093 -M (ELKU). Honshu: Tokyo Met.: 1♂, Nishitama-gun, Okutama-machi, Mt. Takanosu, 1650 m, 17.VII.2022, T. Oka leg. (ELKU). Nigata Pref.: 2♂, 1♀, Higashikanbara-gun, Aga-machi, Tsunaki, 1.VII.2024, R. Yamamoto leg. (ELKU). Nagano Pref.: 1♂, 1♀, Ueda-City, Sugadaira-Kogen, 36.523760°N, 138.347590°E, 1319 m, 8.VII.2022, I. Kawashima leg. (ELKU); 2♂, ditto, 11.VII.2022, I. Kawashima leg., DNA extraction No. IKA0064 (ELKU); 1♀, ditto, 16.VII.2022, I. Kawashima leg., genitalia slide No. IK0041 -M, DNA extraction No. IKA0134 (ELKU); 1♀, Ina-City, Hasekurogouchi, Senryusou, 35.7686°N, 138.0922°E, 865 m, 8.VII.2023, Light trap, S. Suzuki leg. (ELKU); 2♂, ditto, 35.768784°N, 138.092397°E, 8–9.VII.2023, Light trap, H. Arashima leg. (ELKU). Aichi Pref.: 1♀, Kitashitara, Dando, Uradani, 7.VIII.1987, T. Mano leg. (ELKU); 2♂, Kitashitara-gun, Shitara-cho, Uradani, 18.VII.1992, T. Mano leg., genitalia slide No. IK0081 -M (ELKU). Shikoku: Tokushima Pref.: 1♂, Mt. Kumosoyama, Kamiyama-cho, 5.VII.2011, Light trap, T. Hirowatari, K. Ikeuchi, S. Kobayashi, Y. Osada, A. Inotsuka, K. Yamada leg. (ELKU). Kyushu: Fukuoka Pref.: 1♂, Mt. Shakadake, Yabemura, Yame-City, 16. VI.2018, K. Sasaki leg., DNA extraction No. IKA0135 (ELKU); 1♂, ditto, 26. VI.2018, K. Sasaki leg. (ELKU).

Distribution. Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu – new record) and China.

Host plant. Unknown.