Problepsis transvehens ( Prout, 1918 ) Xue & Cui & Jiang, 2018

Xue, Dayong, Cui, Le & Jiang, Nan, 2018, A review of Problepsis Lederer, 1853 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from China, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4392 (1), pp. 101-127 : 115-116

Problepsis transvehens ( Prout, 1918) comb. nov.

Figs 14 , 41 , 62 , 83 , 100

Somatina transvehens Prout, 1918 , Novit. zool., 25: 81. Holotype ♂, China: Hainan, Manchyo ( NHM).

Diagnosis. The external characters of the species are characterized by: the male pectinations are short than the diameter of the shaft; the vertex is black, and diffused with white on the posterior margin; the hind tarsus of the male is about two-fifths length of the tibia; the forewing R5 is shortly stalked with R2-4 or separate; the ocellus of fore- and hind wings are incomplete, the former is narrow band-like, covered by pale yellowish brown mixed with silvery scales, the latter is indistinct, cosists of two silvery lines and sparse yellowish brown scales centrally. The diagnosis of the male genitalia could be seen under P. delphiaria auriculifera . The female genitalia are unique in the small semicircular lamella postvaginalis and the short partly sclerotized ductus bursae.

Material examined. CHINA: Guangdong ( IZCAS): 2♀, Zhanjiang, Donghai Island , Dongjian , 20 m, 28.IV.2014, coll. Li Xinxin, IZCAS slide no. Geom-04125 . Hainan ( IZCAS): 1 ♂, Jianfengling , 14.V.1982, coll. Liu Yuanfu, IZCAS slide no. Geom-04124.

Distribution. China (Guangdong, Hainan).

Remarks. Prout (1938) mentioned this species shows the venational transitions between Somatina Guenée, 1858 and Problepsis . Later, Sihvonen (2005) mentinoned the species should probably be combined with Problepsis , as it has weakly developed ocellus and slivery scales. In our study, we found this species well agrees with Problepsis in the wing patterns and the genitalia, especially the slivery (opalescent) scales on the wings. Hausmann (2004) mentioned the structure and arrangement of the opalescent scales are unique in Geometridae . Therefore we transfer this species to Problepsis .

Figures

FIGURES 1–22. Adults of Problepsis. 1, P. albidior, male, Yunnan; 2–3, P. eucircota, male, Zhejiang, 2, upperside, 3, underside; 4–5, P. stueningi sp. nov., male, holotype, Gansu, 4, upperside, 5, underside; 6, P. vulgaris, male, Tibet; 7, P. paredra, male, Sichuan; 8. P. subreferta, male, Yunnan; 9, P. batangnensis sp. nov., male, holotype, Sichuan; 10, P. plagiata, male, Shaanxi; 11, P. apollinaria apollinaria, male, Hainan; 12–13, P. delphiaria auriculifera, male, Hainan, 12, upperside, 13, undside; 14, P. transvehens, male, Guangdong; 15–17, P. conjunctiva, male, 15, Tibet, 16–17, Hainan; 18, P. crassinotata, Tibet; 19–20, P. diazoma, male, Fujian, 19, upperside, 20, underside; 21–22, P. discophora discophora, male, Beijing, 21, upperside, 22, underside. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 40–48. Male genitalia of Problepsis. 40, P. delphiaria auriculifera, Hainan; 41, P. transvehens, Hainan; 42–43, P. conjunctiva, 42, Hainan, 43, Tibet; 44, P. crassinotata, Yunnan; 45, P. diazoma, Hunan; 46, P. discophora discophora, Beijing; 47, P. discophora kardakoffi, Heilongjiang; 48, P. phoebearia, Russia. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 59–72. Aedeagus of Problepsis. 59, P. plagiata, Shaanxi; 60, P. apollinaria apollinaria, Hainan; 61, P. delphiaria auriculifera, Hainan; 62, P. transvehens, Hainan; 63–64, P. conjunctiva; 63, Hainan, 64, Tibet; 65, P. crassinotata, Fujian; 66, P. diazoma, Hunan; 67, P. discophora discophora, Beijing; 68, P. discophora kardakoffi, Heilongjiang; 69–70, P. phoebearia, 69, Russia, 70, Beijing; 71, P. shirozui, Guangxi; 72, P. superans, Guizhou. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 73–91. Male eighth sternite of Problepsis. 73, P. albidior, Sichuan; 74, P. eucircota, Jiangxi; 75, P. stueningi sp. nov., paratype, Gansu; 76, P. vulgaris, Guangdong; 77, P. paredra, Hubei; 78. P. subreferta, Yunnan; 79, P. batangnensis sp. nov., paratype, Sichuan; 80, P. plagiata, Shaanxi; 81, P. apollinaria apollinaria, Hainan; 82, P. delphiaria auriculifera, Hainan; 83, P. transvehens, Hainan; 84, P. conjunctiva, Hainan; 85, P. crassinotata, Yunnan; 86, P. diazoma, Fujian; 87, P. discophora discophora, Beijing; 88, P. discophora kardakoffi, Heilongjiang; 89, P. phoebearia, Russia; 90, P. shirozui, Guangxi; 91, P. superans, Guizhou. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 99–107. Female genitalia of Problepsis. 99, P. delphiaria auriculifera, Hainan; 100, P. transvehens, Guangdong; 101, P. conjunctiva, Fujian; 102, P. crassinotata, Yunnan; 103, P. diazoma, Zhejiang; 104, P. discophora discophora, Beijing; 105, P. discophora kardakoffi, Heilongjiang; 106, P. phoebearia, Heilongjiang; 107, P. superans, Zhejiang. Scale bar = 1 mm.