Microbaena, HAUSMANN, 1996

Han, Hongxiang, Galsworthy, Anthony C. & Xue, Dayong, 2012, The Comibaenini of China (Geometridae: Geometrinae), with a review of the tribe, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 165 (4), pp. 723-772 : 756-757

MICROBAENA HAUSMANN, 1996 ( FIGS 37 , 91 , 141 )

Microbaena Hausmann, 1996: 21 . Type species: Phorodesma pulchra Staudinger, 1898 , by original designation.

Adults: Antenna of male with basal three-quarters bipectinate, tapering, last quarter simple and ciliate; unknown in female. Frons flat, slightly to distinctly convex in the ventral half. Labial palpus with second segment bushy-scaled, third segment naked, short. Hind tibia of male not dilated, with one pair of terminal spurs, terminal extension absent.

Wing shape and pattern. Apex of forewing blunt, that of hindwing round. Outer margin smooth. Wings green. Forewing with anteromedial line wavy, broadened on costa and inner margin; postmedial line wavy, broadened on costa, outside accompanied by a large, white, oval patch below vein M 2, extending to outer margin, and a white tornal patch. Hindwing with submarginal line protruding near CuA 2, bordered by a large white area outside. Both wings with small discal spots. Underside: pale green on upper half of forewing, lower half and hindwing greenish white; discal spot present on both wings; streaks on upperside discernible.

Sternite 8 anteriorly and posteriorly concave, the posterior edge with two lateral incurved chitinous lobes; tergite 8 with bilobed posterior margin.

Male genitalia. Uncus not bifid. Socii hooked. Gnathos weak, laterally strongly sclerotized. Costa of valva basally with long, inwardly directed projection, medially with two prominent and pointed spinelike processes. Vinculum deeply bifurcate. Coremata absent. Aedeagus short, thick, spinose near middle.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Diagnosis: Microbaena is distinctive in that the hind tibia only has one pair of terminal spurs, which is also found in a few species of Chlorochromodes (e.g. Chlorochromodes chlorochromodes ) and Protuliocnemis (e.g. Protuliocnemis castalaria ). The lack of a bifid uncus differentiates Microbaena from other members of the tribe Comibaenini .

Distribution: Central Israel, Sudan.

Species not occurring in China

Microbaena pulchra pulchra (Staudinger, 1898) [male genitalia]

Phorodesma pulchra Staudinger, 1898: 302 , pl. 4, figure 27. ( Israel)

Microbaena pulchra minor Hausmann, 1996 [specimen photographs]

Microbaena pulchra minor Hausmann, 1996: 23 , figure 146. ( Sudan)

Figures

Figures 27–54. Comibaenini moths. 27, Comibaena nigromacularia; 28, Comibaena subdelicata; 29, Comibaena procumbaria; 30, Comibaena subprocumbaria; 31, Comibaena tenuisaria; 32, Comibaena cenocraspis; 33, Comibaena hypolampes; 34, Comibaena latilinea; 35, Comibaena swanni; 36, Comibaena birectilinea sp. nov., holotype; 37, Microbaena pulchra minor; 38, Thetidia albocostaria; 39, Thetidia correspondens; 40, Thetidia atyche; 41, Thetidia chlorophyllaria, 42, holotype of Thetidia pekingensis; 43–44, Thetidia kansuensis, 43, from Gansu, 44, from Tibet; 45, Thetidia smaragdaria; 46, Proteuchloris neriaria; 47, Linguisaccus subhyalina; 48, Linguisaccus minor sp. nov., paratype; 49, Chlorochromodes rhodocraspeda sp. nov., holotype; 50, Argyrocosma inductaria; 51, Protuliocnemis castalaria; 52, Protuliocnemis falcipennis; 53, Protuliocnemis candida sp. nov., paratype; 54, Protuliocnemis dissimilis sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar = 13 mm.

Figures 91–102. Male genitalia. 91, Microbaena pulchra; 92, Thetidia albocostaria; 93, Thetidia atyche; 94–95, Thetidia chlorophyllaria; 96–97, Thetidia kansuensis; 98, Thetidia smaragdaria; 99, Proteuchloris neriaria; 100, Linguisaccus subhyalina; 101, Linguisaccus minor; 102, Chlorochromodes rhodocraspeda. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figures 132–155. Aedeagus. 132, Comibaena subdelicata; 133, Comibaena procumbaria; 134, Comibaena subprocumbaria; 135, Comibaena tenuisaria; 136, Comibaena cenocraspis; 137, Comibaena hypolampes; 138, Comibaena latilinea; 139, Comibaena swanni; 140, Comibaena birectilinea; 141, Microbaena pulchra; 142, Thetidia albocostaria; 143, Thetidia atyche; 144, Thetidia chlorophyllaria; 145, Thetidia kansuensis; 146, Thetidia smaragdaria; 147, Proteuchloris neriaria; 148, Linguisaccus subhyalina; 149, Linguisaccus minor; 150, Chlorochromodes rhodocraspeda; 151, Argyrocosma inductaria; 152, Protuliocnemis castalaria; 153, Protuliocnemis falcipennis; 154, Protuliocnemis candida; 155, Protuliocnemis dissimilis. Scale bars = 1 mm.