Synanthedon suhua Liang & Hsu, 2022

Liang, Jia-Yuan, Zhang, Cheng-Kang, Chen, Mei-Xia, Liu, Wei, Zheng, Shi-Zhong & Hsu, Yu-Feng, 2022, A new species of the genus Synanthedon Hübner [1819] (Lepidoptera Sesiidae) from Taiwan, Zootaxa 5133 (1), pp. 133-142 : 136-140

Synanthedon suhua Liang & Hsu , sp. nov.

( Figs 2–14 )

Type materials. Holotype: ♂, PINGTUNG: Machia , 1200m, 25. IX. 2017, on flower of Lithocarpus corneus, Y. T. Chung Leg. (Gen. Prep. JYL-819) ( NHM) . Paratypes: 1♀, PINGTUNG: Chunjih, Tahanshan, 10. IV. 2017, Y. T . Chung Leg. (Gen. Prep. JYL-817) ( NDNU) . 1♀, same locality, 1300m, 28. III. 2019, Y. T . Chung Leg. (Gen. Prep. JYL-818) ( NDNU) . 1♀, same locality, 1500m 10. IV. 2021, Y. T . Chung Leg. ( NDNU) . 1 ♀, HSINCHU: Jianshi, Lidongshan , 1500 m, 29.XI.2011, reared from Quercus longinux , emg. 2.I.2012, HSUM 11 L13 M, J.Y. Liang Coll. (Gen. Prep. JYL-021, NTNU) .

Description. Male ( Figs 2 – 3 ): Antennal length 6.6 mm (n=1); forewing length 9.0 mm (n=1); body length 9.4 mm (n=1). Head: antenna black with blue-violet sheen; frons white; labial palpus black, yellow ventrally; vertex black; occipital fringe yellow with a few white and black scales dorsally. Thorax: patagia and tegula black with violet sheen; metathorax yellow; thorax with sparse, yellow. hair-like scales laterally. Legs: fore coxa externally black, internally yellow; fore femur black, with violet sheen; fore tibia dark brown to black, with admixture of pale yellow scales distally; fore tarsus pale yellow, with a few black scales dorsally; mid coxa and femur black, with violet sheen; mid tibia dark brown to black, base with a large pale yellow spot ventrally, base of spurs pale yellow; spurs yellow with black distally; mid tarsus dorsally dark brown to black, with admixture of pale yellow scales distally, ventrally yellow; hind leg similar. Abdomen: black with blue sheen; tergites 2, 4 and 6 with a very narrow pale yellow to white stripe distally; abdominal tuft black with bronzed-blue sheen, lateral margins with some yellow scales. Forewing: basally black; costal margin dark brown to black; discal spot and veins within exterior transparent area dark brown to black; apical area dark brown with admixture of brown scales; discal spot broad; exterior transparent area large divided into five cells, level to M2 about 2.5X as broad as discal spot and 0.8X as broad as apical area; posterior transparent area reaching discal spot; cilia dark brown. Hindwing: transparent; veins, discal spot and outer margin dark brown to black with bronze sheen; discal spot small, cuneiform, reaching to vein M2; cilia dark brown, pale yellow anally.

Female ( Figs 4–7 ). Antennal length 4.8–5.6 mm (n=4); forewing length 6.7–8.2 mm (n=4); body length 7.1–8.5 mm (n=4). Abdomen tergites 2, 4 and 6 with a narrow pale yellow stripe distally. Other characteristics identical to those of males.

Male genitalia (Gen. Prep. JYL-819, NTNU, Figs 8–10 ): Tegumen-uncus complex strong, highly specialized, distal end projection; socii well-developed with scopula androconialis, long, about as short as tegumen-uncus complex; uncus with a small narrow fin ventrally; crista gnathi medialis long, somewhat broader than crista gnathi lateralis, with distal margin divided into two narrow cristae; valva elongated trapezoidal; crista sacculi oblique, pocket-shaped, covered with dense, strong, bifurcate setae; saccus distaly broadened and rounded basally, shorter than 0.5X of vinculum in length; aedeagus thin, longer than valva; vesica with numerous small cornuti.

Female genitalia (Gen. Prep. JYL-817, NTNU, Fig. 11 ): 8th tergite relatively broad with a few setae at distal margin; apophysis posterior about as long as apophysis anterior; lamella antevaginalis well-sclerotized; ostium bursae opening near anterior margin of 8th sternite; antrum narrow, well-sclerotized; ductus bursae narrow, long, sclerotized; corpus bursae membranous, ovoid, without signum.

Diagnosis. Synanthedon suhua sp. nov. is similar to S. auritinctaoidis Liang & Hsu 2019 , which was also described from Taiwan. and distal yellow margin of tergite 4 being very narrow. S. suhua sp. nov. is also similar to S. phoenix Liang & Hsu 2015 , which was also described from Taiwan, in body size and wing pattern, but the former may be distinguished from the latter by the metathorax being yellow instead of black. S. suhua possesses wing pattern similar to S. castanevora Yang & Wang 1989 from northern China. S. suhua can be distinguished by venter of the abdomen being pale yellow, in contrast with being black in S. castanevora .

Etymology. The specific name “suhua” is dedicated to our friend Mr. Yi-Ting Chung's daughter. Su-Hua Chung.

Biology. The adults have been observed visiting flowers of Lithocarpus corneus (Lour.) Rehder (Fagaceae) during the day time ( Fig. 12 ). The larva bored into the stem of Quercus longinux Hayata (Fagaceae) 1–2 cm in diameter and fed on callus tissue around the entrance hole, which is covered with silk, debris, and frass. The pupae scrubbed and rotated its abdomen to drill out the cocoon to eclosion, leaving a hole of exuviae on the stem of the hostplant ( Figs 13–14 ).

Distribution. Currently known only to be from Taiwan.

Figures

FIGURES 2–7. Synanthedon suhua sp. nov., Scale bar = 5 mm. 2–3 Male, holotype, TAIWAN: PINGTUNG (NHM). 4–5 Male, paratype, TAIWAN: PINGTUNG (NTNU). 6–7 Female, paratype, TAIWAN: HSINCHU (NTNU).

FIGURES 8–11. Genitalia of Synanthedon suhua sp. nov. 8 Caudal view of tegumen-uncus and valvae. 9 Lateral view of phallus. 10 Distal part of phallus. 11 Female genitalia. Scale bar = 0.5 mm for 8, 9, and 11; 0.1mm for 10.

FIGURES 12–14. Biology of Synanthedon suhua sp. nov. 12 Male adult in resting position on leaf of Lithocarpus corneus (image taken by Yi-Ting Chung). 13 Freshly emerged female adult. 14 Pupal exuviae protruding from trunk of Quercus longinux.