Acronicta (Viminia) grumi grumi ( Alphéraky, 1897 ) Alpheraky, 1897

Volynkin, Anton V., Matov, Alexej Yu., Stüning, Dieter & Behounek, Gottfried, 2015, On the taxonomy of the genus Acronicta Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). I. Redescription of Acronicta grumi (Alphéraky, 1897), with notes on synonymy and its subgeneric placement, Zootaxa 4021 (2), pp. 395-400 : 396-399

Acronicta (Viminia) grumi grumi ( Alphéraky, 1897) comb. n.

( Figs 1–3 , 11, 12 , 18–20 )

Acronycta megacephala var.? grumi Alphéraky, 1897 , in Romanoff (ed.), Mémoires sur les Lépidoptères 9: 3. (Type locality: [Chinese part of Tien Shan massif] "nord du Thian-Chan").

= Acronycta tiena Püngeler, 1906 , Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris 19: 216, pl. 8, fig. 10 (Type locality: [ Kyrgyzstan, Alexander Ridge] "Alexandergebirge"; [SE Kazakhstan or Chinese Tien Shan] "Ili-Gebiet"), syn. n.

Type material examined: holotype of Acronycta megacephala var.? grumi (by monotypy) ( Figs 1 , 11 , 18 ): male, "Tian Chian" [Chinese part of the Tien Shan Mts.] / " grumi Alph. Origin. " / "Coll. Great Prince Nikolai Mikhailovich" (in Russian) (coll. ZISP); lectotype for Acronycta tiena (hereby designated) ( Figs 2 , 12 , 19 ): male, white label “Asia centr.” (printed), “Alexandergebirge, E. Juni 1899 ”(handwritten) / handwritten gray label “Püngeler” (written by red) / pink label “ Type tiena Püng. male” / handwritten white label “18.” / printed white label “ex. Coll. Püngeler” / white label “Préparation № MB.358 Ch. Boursin” (coll. NKMB).

Additional material examined: male, “ Megacephala , Juni, Alexand. Geb.” / “ A. tiena Püng. male, L. Sheljuzhko det. 1954” / “coll. Tancré” / “ ZSM Genitalprp. No. 1070 male” (coll. ZSM); female, “ Megacephala , Juni, Alexand. Geb.” / “ A. tiena Püng. female, L. Sheljuzhko det. 1954” / “coll. Tancré”, slide AV1459 Volynkin (coll. ZSM).

Diagnosis. A. grumi is closely related to A. rumicis ( Linnaeus, 1758) ( Figs 7, 8 ). Externally ( Figs 1–3 ), it differs from A. rumicis by larger size, somewhat more dentate crosslines, lacking of dark tornal and medial streaks, and a whitish hindwing without pattern. A. grumi also resembles externally A. indica ( Moore, 1867) ( Fig. 9 ) by large size and similar forewing pattern, but differs by somewhat broader forewings, somewhat more dentate crosslines, lacking of dark tornal and medial streaks, and a whitish hindwing without pattern. The male clasping apparatus of A. grumi ( Figs 11, 12 ) differs from that of A. rumicis ( Fig. 14 ) by stronger teeth on manica, a somewhat shorter vinculum, a broader and angular apical part of valva, a narrower sacculus with a shorter distal process; a broader clasper, and a broader ampulla; from A. indica ( Fig. 15 ) it differs by the shape of the uncus which is not broadened apically, by stronger spines on apical part of juxta, a shorter vinculum, a narrower sacculus with a somewhat shorter distal process; a broader and angular apex of valva, and a broader and more strongly curved ampulla; the vesica of A. grumi differs from those of A. rumicis and A. indica by a longer subbasal diverticulum, longer sclerotized field with stronger spine-like cornuti, stronger scobination of the subapical diverticulum, and presence of a long and narrow band-like sclerotized plate subapically. The male genitalia configuration of A. grumi is also close to that of A. digna ( Figs 9 , 16 ), but differs by stronger spines on apical part of juxta, shorter distal process of sacculus, shorter and broader distal part of valva, broader and shorter ampulla; the vesica has a shorter, curved and not bilobate subbasal diverticulum, a less sclerotized medial part of vesica, and a much larger number of cornuti which are basally narrower and longer. The female genitalia ( Fig. 20 ) differ from those of A. rumicis ( Fig. 23 ) by a broader and strongly sclerotized antrum, a narrower ductus bursae, the absence of a sclerotized plate in the posterior part of corpus bursae near anterior end of ductus bursae, and by a posteriorly broader corpus bursae; from A. indica ( Fig. 24 ) they differ by a strongly sclerotized antrum, a shorter ductus bursae, the absence of a sclerotized plate in posterior part of corpus bursae near anterior end of ductus bursae, the shorter appendix bursae, the absence of a small conical process of corpus bursae near appendix bursae, and a narrower corpus bursae.

Redescription. External morphology ( Figs 1–3 ). Wingspan 38–45 mm. Palpi dark grey with light grey scales at apex. Antennae of both sexes filiform. Head and thorax dark grey to greyish brown. Ground colour of forewings dark grey to blackish brown. Basal line is presented as a dark dot. Subbasal line blackish, wavy. Antemedial line wavy, double, blackish, with pale medial part. Medial line broad, S-like curved, dark, indistinct. Postmedial line toothed, blackish, double, with pale medial part. Subterminal line dark, indistinct, present as a row of diffuse spots. Terminal line present as a row of blackish dashes between veins. Orbicular stigma grey or greyish brown, encircled by blackish scales. Reniform stigma, narrow, grey or greyish brown, with blackish edge. Claviform stigma absent. Cilia greyish brown, with dark streaks between veins. Hindwing whitish, discal spot narrow, semilunar, diffuse; veins mainly in their distal parts and terminal line dusted with grey scales, cilia whitish. Male genitalia ( Figs 11, 12 , 18, 19 ). Uncus long, relatively narrow, slightly curved, apically pointed. Tegumen broad, short. Vinculum short, V-shaped. Juxta large, broad, shieldlike, broadly U-shaped; manica with numerous strong teeth. Valva elongated, somewhat constricted apically, apex significantly broadened, angular, without corona. Sacculus large, elongate, with short triangular distal process ventrally. Clasper long, triangular, its long base situated along ventral margin of valva; ampulla massive, elongate, curved, almost inversely S-shaped, apically narrowed and pointed. Aedeagus short; vesica large, broad, semiglobular, with curved digitiform subbasal diverticulum, medially with sclerotized wrinkled field bearing long cluster of spine-like cornuti, and subapically with long and narrow band-like sclerotized plate and sclerotized diverticulum bearing scobinate patch at tip. Female genitalia ( Fig. 20 ). Ovipositor short, tapering; apophyses thin, apophyses anteriores two times longer than apophyses posteriores; ostium bursae broad, membranous, its lateral sections strongly sclerotized; ductus bursae membranous, moderately long, narrow; corpus bursae membranous, sack-like; appendix bursae membranous, positioned laterally, conically narrowed distally, and curved dorsally.

Distribution. The nominate subspecies is known from the Tien Shan mountain massif.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Acronicta spp.: adults. 1, A. grumi, holotype male, Tien Shan (ZISP); 2, A. grumi, male, holotype of A. tiena, [Kyrgyzstan, Kirgizsky Ridge] " Alexandergebirge " (NKMB, photo by W. Mey); 3, A. grumi, female, [Kyrgyzstan, Kirgizsky Ridge] " Alexandergeb. " (ZSM); 4, A. grumi bicolor, syntype of Acronycta bicolor, female, N India, Solun (© NHM) (photo by A. Zilli); 5, A. grumi bicolor, female, N India, Solun (ZISP); 6, A. grumi bicolor, female, China, Tibet (ZSM); 7, A. rumicis, female, West Siberia (AVB); 8, A. rumicis, male, SW Mongolia (AVB); 9, A. indica, male, N India, Sikkim (ZISP); 10, A. megacephala, type species of Subacronicta, European part of Russia, Tula reg. (ZISP).

FIGURES 11 – 16. Acronicta spp.: male genitalia. 11, A. grumi, holotype, NW China, slide Matov 0144; 12, A. grumi, holotype of A. tiena, Kyrgyzstan, slide MB 358 Boursin (photo by W. Mey); 13, A. grumi bicolor, China, slide Stüning 2288 - DS; 14, A. rumicis, East Kazakhstan, slide AV 0931 Volynkin; 15, A. indica, N India, slide Matov 0385; 16, A. digna, Russian Far East, slide AV 1499 Volynkin.

FIGURES 17 – 24. Acronicta spp.: male (17 – 19) and female (20 – 24) genitalia. 17, A. megacephala, type species of Subacronicta, Austria, Vienna, slide AV 1024 Volynkin; 18, A. grumi, aedeagus of holotype, diagnostically important sclerotized elements of vesica; 19, A. grumi, aedeagus of tiena lectotype, diagnostically important sclerotized elements of vesica; 20, A. grumi, Alexandergebirge, slide AV 1459 Volynkin; 21, A. grumi bicolor, China, slide AV 1460 Volynkin; 22, A. grumi bicolor, N India, Solun, slide Matov 0396; 23, A. rumicis, Russia, Altai Mts., slide AV 1501 Volynkin; 24, A. indica, Nepal, slide Stüning 2289 - DS.