Araeopteron medogensis, Han & Kononenko, 2021

Han, Hui Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2021, Three new species of the genus Araeopteron Hampson, 1893 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Boletobiinae) from the Xizang Autonomous Region, China with an updated list of the world species, ZooKeys 1060, pp. 17-32 : 17

Araeopteron medogensis sp. nov.

Figures 3 , 9 , 13-15

Type material.

Holotype male, China, Xizang Autonomous Region, Motuo (= Medog) County, 16-17.iv.2018, H.L. Han, genit. prep. no. hhl-4022-1 (NEFU). Paratypes. 6 ♂♂, same data as holotype, genit. prep. nos. hhl-4021-1, hhl-4023-1, hhl-4024-1, hhl-4025-1 (NEFU).

Diagnosis.

The new species, superficially and by the structure of the male genitalia, is similar to A. ussurica Fibiger & Kononenko, 2008 (Figs 4 , 10 ), but can by separated from it by the following characters: the basal line present only as a black dot at the costal margin (in A. ussurica the basal line is absent); the transverse lines in the costal margin mixed greyish yellow colour (in A. ussurica the transverse lines in the costal margin greenish grey); the terminal area coloured with smoky-brown to black (in A. ussurica smoky but the terminal area is grey); the wing ground colour in the new species compared with A. ussurica is more whitish (in A. ussurica it is darker greyish); the wing pattern of the new species is more distinct with stronger colour contrast, compared with A. ussurica , in which the ground colour is pale greyish. In the male genitalia, the paratergal sclerite is moderate in length and slightly rounded (in A. ussurica it is huge and strongly rounded); vinculum narrower (in A. ussurica it is much broader); saccus U-shaped (in A. ussurica it is V-shaped); the harpe is needle-like, placed in the apical part of valva, ca 3/4 length of valva from its basal part (in A. ussurica harpe as a small bulge 2/3 from basal part of valva); the costa with a smoothly arched bulge in apical 1/2 of valva (in A. ussurica the costa with round bulge); the uncus short, as long as 1/2 of tegumen, slightly curved apically vs. 2X longer than tegumen, hooked apically uncus in A. ussurica ; the aedeagus is narrow and long vs. short and broad in A. ussurica ; the carina with spines (in A. ussurica the carina without spines); the vesica with two sclerotised cornute patches (in A. ussurica the vesica with a large cornute band formed by numerous thin, small spines).

Description.

Adult (Fig. 3 ). Wingspan 11.0-12.5 mm. Antennae filiform. Head, patagia, tegulae, and thorax covered with white scales; abdomen greyish white, mixed with orange. Forewing pale greyish yellow, mixed with brown; forewing apex blunt, rounded; basal line present as a black dot at costal margin, its other part distinct, grey with small yellow scales; antemedial line oblique, thin, wavy, brown with yellow at costal area; median line double, indistinct, thin, wavy, smoky-brown between double lines, and as distinct black dot at costal margin; postmedial line broad, brown, rising to M3, slightly curved, then bending and going obliquely to inner wing margin; subterminal line as brownish green dots at costal margin, its other part fused to brownish apical patch; terminal line pale brown to brownish green, with black dots on vein; reniform stigma dark, black, formed by two diffused dots; terminal area pale brown to brownish green; fringe grey, mixed with brown, in basal part with yellow. Hindwing pale greyish with white, slightly darker than forewing; antemedial line smoky-brown, indistinct; median line blackish brown, indistinct, weakly waved; postmedial line slender, brown to brownish black, wavy, sharp at Cu1 area; subterminal line smoky-brown, slightly mixed with black, wavy, indistinct; terminal line and fringes same as on forewing; discal spot prominent, dark brown, slightly diffused.

Male genitalia (Fig. 9 ). Tegumen triangular, narrow dorsally. Paratergal sclerits thin, broaded apically. Vinculum thick, sclerotised, U-shaped, flat, and broader posteriorly. Saccus U-shaped, weakly sclerotised. Valva constricted basally; sacculus thin, sclerotised, gradually narrower medially, then gradually broader and rounded apically, exceed cucullus; clasper fused to sacculus, with pointed and tapered harpe in its apical third; costa slightly sclerotised, with minute grains, thin basally, gradually arched and swollen apically. Uncus relatively short and solid, ca 1/3 length of tegumen, slightly curved, sclerotised. Juxta large, plate-like, with bulb at centre, and broad outer frame. Aedeagus long, cylindrical, slightly curved, carina with short spines, slightly sclerotised; coecum as long as 1/2 length of aedeagus; vesica with weakly sclerotised grainy band and plate.

Female genitalia. Female unknown.

Distribution.

(Fig. 13 ). The species is known only from its type locality: China, Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet), Motuo (= Medog) County.

Etymology.

The species name refers to the Tibetan name of the type locality Medog in Tibet, China.

Bionomics.

(Figs 14 , 15 ). The new species has been collected in Motuo County of Xizang in April in the intermediate zone between subtropical rain forest and broad-leaf forest zones, at an altitude 1121 m.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Adults of Araeopteron spp. 1 A. dawai sp. nov. holotype 2 A. rufescens. Malaysia, Borneo 3 A. medogensis sp. nov. holotype 4 A. ussurica (Russia, Primorye, after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008) 5 A. tibeta sp. nov. holotype 6 A. amoena (Russia, Primorye, after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008).

Figures 7 - 12. Male genitalia of Araeopteron spp. 7 A. dawai sp. nov. holotype, gen. prep. no. hhl- 4010 - 1 8 A. rufescens, Malaysia, Borneo, gen. prep. no. hhl- 4587 - 1 9 A. medogensis sp. nov. holotype, gen. prep. no. hhl- 4022 - 1 10 A. ussurica (Russia, Primorye, after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008) 11 A. tibeta sp. nov. holotype, gen. prep. no. hhl- 4026 - 1 12 A. amoena (Russia, Primorye, after Fibiger and Kononenko 2008).

Figures 13 - 15. The map (13) and habitat (14, 15) of Araeopteron spp. in the Xizang Autonomous Region, China