Nemophora longissima Sun & Li, 2023

Liao, Cheng-Qing, Hirowatari, Toshiya, Yagi, Sadahisa, Wang, Min, Wang, Xing & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2023, The fauna of the family Adelidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Adeloidea) from China, Zootaxa 5348 (1), pp. 1-152 : 56

(57) Nemophora longissima Sun & Li, 2023

(Plates VII-3, XVIII-1, XXVII-2)

Nemophora longissima Sun & Li, 2023: 488 , figs. 4, 5, 9, 12 (TL: China, Sichuan, Chengdu ; NKU).

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to N. sylvatica Hirowatari, 1995 , but can be easily distinguished by the base of the forewing with three longitudinal black fasciae or connected forming a large patch, but just one longitudinal fascia in N. sylvatica ; and the slender forewing is about 4.2 × width, but ca. 3.7 × width in N. sylvatica . In the male genitalia, this species has an extremely long vinculum, ca. 4.6 times as long as valva, but a relatively short vinculum in N. sylvatic a, just about 1.7 times as long as valva. The extremely long vinculum was the most significant diagnostic characteristics of this species.

Description. Male. Forewing 5.2–5.5 mm; wing expanse 11.3–12.0 mm.

Head with raised yellow hairs mixed some brown; face with smooth yellow scales, dorsal part near antennal socket with raised brown hairs. Eyes small, widely separated dorsally; eye size index about 0.84. Labial palpus moderate in length, with brown to black hairs; galeae covered with brown scales laterally. Antenna smooth, dark brown; 16.9–19.0 mm, 3.3–3.5 times as long as forewing; apical part silvery white. Legs brown to dark brown; hind tibia brownish, covered with long light brown hairs. Tegula and thorax (dorsum) dark brown with golden luster. Forewing yellow to brown with light golden luster; basal 1/3 with three longitudinal black fascia, but the boundaries among them indistinct, sometimes connected except some scattered yellow fasciae; a bluish-leaden transverse fascia cross these longitudinal fascia at basal 1/5; a pair of black-margined bluish-leaden transverse fasciae present in half to apical 1/5 area, but the outer fascia separated at middle by yellowish scales which continue from yellowish transverse band between the fasciae forming radial marking subapically; apex of forewing dark brown to black; vein R 5 stalked with R 3+4 at middle. Hindwing brownish to dark brown; Rs stalked with M 1 at middle. Abdomen uniformly dark brown to black dorsally and yellow ventrally.

Female. Forewing 4.5–4.9 mm; wingspan 9.9–10.8 mm. Antenna 1.2–1.3 times as long as forewing, entirely slender.

Male genitalia. Uncus moderate in length, with a weak median keel. Vinculum very long and slender, about 4.6 times as long as valva. Valvae triangular with a slightly blunt apex, ventral base almost fused; sacculus basally straight; suspensorium trapezoidal, anterior part distinct beyond posterior margin of vinculum in ventral view. Transtilla slightly narrow in lateral part; median process very short and blunt. Aedeagus also very long and slender; basal 3/5 a little curved dorsally; apical part with a long and slender keel dorsally; manica with a patch of minute spines dorsally. Juxta arrow-shaped; arrow-head very long and pointed.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor pointed, with some small teeth ventroposteriorly. Apophyses posteriores and anteriores of subequal in length, relatively slender, 2.0 times as long as 7th tergite. Vestibulum relatively large; vestibular lamella well-developed, broad C-shaped in ventral view. Bursa copulatrix long, membranous.

Specimens examined. [Hunan] 2♁ 5♀, Mt. Tianpingshan, Badagongshan National Nature Reserve, Sangzhi County, Zhangjiajie City, 2020.VI.19–23, C.Q. Liao leg.; 1♀, Shuangjiangkou, Jintongshan National Nature Reserve, Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, Shaoyang City , 2021.V.20, C.Q. Liao leg. ; [Sichuan] 16♁ 8♀, Nibashan, Yingjing County, Ya’an City , 2009.VII.27–28, G.H. Huang leg. ; 12♁ 12♀, Longcanggou, Yingjing County, Ya’an City , 2015.VIII.10–11, G.H. Huang leg. ; 4♁, Longcanggou, Yingjing County, Ya’an City , 2017.VII.17–18, M. Wang leg. ; 2♁ 2♀, Longcanggou, Yingjing County, Ya’an City , 2017.VII.19, M. Wang leg. ( HUNAU) .

Distribution. China (Hunan, Sichuan).

Remarks. This species overlaps with N. bifasciatella in distribution, and these two species occur sympatrically and simultaneously in some areas, such as Mt. Tianpingshan, Badagongshan National Nature Reserve, Hunan province.