Pselnophorus vilis ( Butler, 1881 )

Hao, Shulian & Li, Houhun, 2008, The genus Pselnophorus Wallengren from Mainland China, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 1755, pp. 61-67 : 65

Pselnophorus vilis ( Butler, 1881)

( Figs. 3–5 , 9 )

Aciptilus vilis Butler, 1881: 594 .

Aciptilia amurensis Christoph, 1882: 43. Pselnophorus vilis (Butler) , Meyrick, 1907: 492.

Material examined. CHINA: 1 ɗ, Hebei Province, Jingxing County, Mt. Xiantai, 1200 m, 13.vii.2000 (Haili Yu); 1 ɗ, Henan Province, Neixiang County, Baotianman, 1350 m, 15.vii.1998 (Houhun Li); 1 ɗ, Henan Province, Yiyang, Mt. Huaguo, 1000 m, 3.viii.2006 (Hui Zeng, Denghui Kuang).

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. emeishanensis Arenberger , but can be distinguished by the forewing cleft having a brown mark curving to cleft at middle; the left valva very wide and large, its sacculus with a long and slender, curved free dorsal process reaching 4/5 of costa; the phallus with a tiny projection at 1/3.

Redescription. Adult ( Fig. 3 ): Wingspan 15.0–21.0 mm. Head greyish white; snow-white between antennae. Antenna slightly longer than 1/2 length of forewing. Labial palpus shorter than eye diameter, greyish white, apex acute and thin. Some erect, apically bifurcated short scales dispersed along margins of occiput and cervix. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing cleft from 3/5; ground color white with sparse brown scales; before cleft with a brown mark curving to cleft at middle; fringe greyish white to white. Hindwing clefts from 1/2 and 1/5 respectively; ground color greyish white to white. Legs white sparsely scattered with light yellow. Abdomen greyish white, scattered with greyish yellow.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ): Uncus simple, hooked, apex acute. Tegumen arched. Left valva very wide and large; sacculus with long and slender, curved free dorsal process extended to 4/5 of costa. Right valva longer and narrower than left one. Anellus with small base, arms joined medially by narrow bridge. Phallus slightly curved, with tiny projection at 1/3, tip acute.

Hostplants. Asteraceae : Ligularia tussilaginea Makino , L. fisberi Turcz. , Petasites japonicus Miq. ( Gielis, 2003) .

Distribution. China (Hebei, Helongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hainan), Japan, Russia.

Remarks. The type specimen was collected in Japan and is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London. Caradja and Meyrick (1935) reported the distribution of the species in Shanghai, China for the first time. Then Shen and Chen (1995) recorded its distribution in Tonggu, Jiangxi Province. But the female is still unknown.

According to previous records, the valvae of this species are nearly symmetrical. During our research, we found some variation. The specimen from Hebei Province has nearly symmetrical valvae, but the specimens from Henan Province have obvious distinctions: the left valva is wide and short, while the right valva is slightly narrower and longer. In addition, the specimens from Henan Province are larger than the specimen from Hebei Province.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Adults of Pselnophorus spp. 1. P. brevispinus Hao & Li, sp. nov.; 2. P. emeishanensis Arenberger; 3 – 5. P. vilis (Butler): 3. adult; 4. head; 5. vein.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Genitalia of Pselnophorus spp. (scales = 0.5 mm) 6. P. brevispinus Hao & Li, sp. nov.; 7 – 8. P. emeishanensis Arenberger: 7. male genitalia; 8. female genitalia; 9. P. vilis (Butler).