Strotihypera Kononenko & Han

Han, Hui-Lin, 2011, Strotihypera, a new Old World genus of the tribe Elaphriini (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae), Zootaxa 3116, pp. 59-68 : 60-61

Genus Strotihypera Kononenko & Han , gen. n.

Type-species: Erastria flavipuncta Leech, 1889 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1889: 524, pl. 52: 3 (Typelocality: Japan: Yokohama).

Hyperstrotia auct.

Diagnosis. Small, brown-grey colour moths. Wingspan 18 – 20 mm. Frons rounded, slightly bulging; hindwing with vein M2 reduced to fold near middle of cell, veins M2 and Cu-A1on common stalk ( Fig. 7 ). In male genitalia: tegumen broad, with enlarger lobes; valva with parallel costal and ventral margins, well developed costa with prominent digitus, and rounded cucullus, without corona; sacculus elongate-moderate, clasper with central position and large, thin, curved harpe about half of valva length. Aedeagus with large apical cornutus about 1/3 length of the aedeagus. In female genitalia: corpus bursae globular anteriorly, gradually tapered posteriorly, with prominent narrow appendix bursae; rather narrow and long, heavily sclerotised; antrum shallow, cup like with sclerotised small antevaginal plate apophyses short and thin, anal papillae small, quadrangular.

Differential diagnosis. Although Strotihypera does not show prominently expressed Elaphriini characters, it appears to be most closely related to Elaphria (compared with E. venustula ( Figs. 2, 8 , 12 ) by wide tegument lobes, structure of pleural sclerites, presence of harpe and digitus with weakly sclerotised patch of valva behind digitus and presence of one large apical cornutus in the aedeagus. It differs from Elaphria by developed costa of the male valva continuously sclerotised to the apex of the valva and pointed apically; developed sclerotised digitus; developed sacculus with position of the clasper in center of valva and presence of rather strong, thin curved harpe about 1/3 of length of valva. Females differ by shallow antrum, small antevaginal plate, narrow and long sclerotised ductus bursae and pyriform shape of the corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). Head with rounded, slightly bulging frons; labial palps curving upward with third segment very small, 3 times smaller than 2nd; antennae filiform, fasciculate; eye moderate, rounded; ocellius present; head and thorax covered with broad flat brown scales; thoracic and abdominal crests present, formed with wide black scales. Legs with spiniform setae confined to tarsi and setae minute; foretibia slightly shorter than femur and tarsus. Forewing venation ( Fig. 7 ) typically quadrifine with Cu vein appearing four branched; forewing rather narrow, with slightly curved costal margin, rounded-angled apex and straight angled tornus; hindwing with typical trifine venation (i.e., M2 reduced to fold near middle of cell). Abdomen without coremata (basal abdominal brushes and pockets). Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ). Uncus moderate in length, arched, cylindrical, gradually tapered to spinelike, slightly hooked apex; tegumen broad, enlarged into posterior lobe ventrally, about 2 times as wide ventrally as medially; vinculum shorter than tegument, narrow with short distal extensions and narrow V-like saccus; paratergal sclerites broad, recurved; juxta relatively large, heavily sclerotised plate-like, broader anteriorly with central shallow notch posteriorly; valvae symmetrical, rather narrow, with parallel margins, rounded at apex, with indistinct corona formed by row of minute setae; sacculus elongate, with rather broad lobe; apex of sacculus separated by narrow membranous band; clasper positioned in central part of valva, arising from wider base immediately distal to sacculus; harpe large, about 1/3 of length of valva, thin, arched, tipped and slightly curved apically; costa straight, strong, heavily sclerotised, pointed apically, reaching tip of valva, with rather strong acute subapical digitus; ventral margin of valva weakly sclerotised. Aedeagus somewhat curved, smoothly sclerotised with large apical cornutus of about 1/3 length of aedeagus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 13 ). Corpus bursae pyriform, rounded anteriorly, gradually narrower posteriorly into rather wide appendix; ductus bursae rather long, sclerotised, ribbed, straight, twisted and heavily sclerotised in joining with bursae; antrum shallow, wide cup-like, with small rounded antevaginal plate; apophyses posteriores and anterior short thin, equal in length; anal papillae rather small, quadrangular, covered with setae.

Distribution & biology. The genus occurs in the Eastern Palaearctic (Manchurian subregion) and northern parts of the Oriental region.

Etymology. The generic name Strotihypera is an anagram of Hyperstrotia .

Taxonomic note. At present only one species is associated with Strotihypera . However, judging by photographs of imagoes of “ Hyperstrotia ” rubritincta Wileman & South, 1916, “ Hyperstrotia ” ochreipuncta (Wileman, 1914) and “ Hyperstrotia ” macroplaga Hampson, 1907 , illustrated by Wang (1995), these may also belong to the genus Strotihypera .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Imagines. 1. Strotihypera flavipuncta, male, South Korea (NIAST); 2. Elaphria venustula, male, Russia, S Ural (coll. K. Nupponen); 3. Galgula partita, male, Portugal, Madeira (coll. M. Fibiger); 4. Hyperstrotia aetheria, male, USA, Florida (CNC); 5. Hyperstrotia aetheria, female, type of Thalpochares aetheria USA, Florida (BMNH); 6. Ditto, type labels; 7. Strotihypera flavipuncta, wings venation; 8. Elaphria venustula, wings venation

FIGURES 9 – 12. Male genitalia. 9. Strotihypera flavipuncta, South Korea, genit. prep. 5038 (NIAST); 10. Elaphria venustula, North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1281 - 1 (NEFU); 11. Galgula partita, Portugal, Azores, genit. prep. 5492 MF (coll. M. Fibiger); 12. Hyperstrotia aetheria, USA, Florida, genit. prep. 15433.

FIGURES 13 – 17. Female genitalia. 13. Strotihypera flavipuncta, North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1279 - 2 (NEFU); 14. Elaphria venustula North China, genit. prep. HHL- 1280 - 2 (NEFU); 15. Galgula partita, USA, New York, genit. prep. 5493 MF (coll. M. Fibiger); 16. Type of Thalpochares aetheria, USA, Florida, genit prep. 1183 (BMNH); 17. Hyperstrotia aetheria, USA, Florida, genit. prep. 15434 (CNC).