Catoptria nikai, Bassi & Huemer, 2025

Bassi, Graziano & Huemer, Peter, 2025, Taxonomic and nomenclatorial notes on the Catoptria coulonellus (Duponchel) species group with description of five new species from Western Balkans (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae), Zootaxa 5719 (3), pp. 301-326 : 314-315

Catoptria nikai sp. nov.

( Figs 15, 16 , 35 )

Holotype male: Albania, Nikai [Nikaia, Klos, 41°33'N 20'10'E], 1800m, ende Juli 1944, ex Coll. H. G. Amsel, Catoptria kasyi Bł. det. Błeszyński, GS 2047 GB, deposited in SMNK.

= C. kasyi : Błeszyński (1965: Pl. 19, Fig. 233; misidentification)

Etymology: The new species derives its name from that of the type locality and is treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: See diagnosis under C. domaviellus .

Description: Male: ( Figs 15, 16 ) Wingspan 30 mm. Labial palpi 3.5 X longer than widest diameter of eye, with inner and upper side pale yellow and outer side grey brown sprinkled with yellow. Maxillary palpi pale yellow. Antennae thickened, brown with bright yellow costa. Frons subconical, pointed, off-white. Ocelli not traceable. Chaetosemata poorly developed. Head pale yellow. Patagia and tegulae pale yellow sprinkled with white. Thorax yellow. Wings with pattern and colours as illustrated ( Fig. 15 ). Underside of forewing bright pale brown with edge yellow. Underside of hindwing pale yellow with costa suffused brown.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 35 ) Uncus and gnathos of the same length, uncus strongly pointed and downcurved apically, gnathos blunt and moderately upcurved apically. Tegumen subtriangular, with arms basally rounded. Vinculum stout, half as long as valva, distally upcurved. Pseudosaccus narrow. Juxta small, v-shaped. Valva subrectangular, widened medially, narrowing distally; pars basalis larger in width than valva, with folded sub-basal lamella, distally directed downwards and tapering. Phallus slightly shorter than valva, with phallobase slightly downcurved and vesica with about 28 short and stout cornuti.

Female unknown.

Distribution: Albania.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Catoptria spp., habitus. 9–10. C. trichostomus (Christoph), male, Russia, “Sarepta” (9); female, Russia, Polar Ural, 9.vii.1977, K. F. Sedych legit (10). 11–12. C. lythargyrella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), male neotype, Germany, Bavaria, Schwaben, Donau-Ries, Nördinger Ries, 48.8504, 10.4874, 475 m, 02.ix.2016, R. Heindel legit, photo A. Segerer (SNSB) (11); female, Italy, Piedmont, Susa Valley, Giaglione, 630 m., 10.ix.2018, G. Bassi legit (12). 13. C. richteri sp. nov., holotype. 14. C. domaviellus (Rebel), lectotype, photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW). 15–16. C. nikai sp. nov., holotype (15); the same, head in lateral view (16).

FIGURES 33–40. Catoptria spp., male genitalia. 33. C. lythargyrella ([Denis & Schiffermüller]), Italy, Piemonte, Val Susa (TO), Giaglione, 700 m, 19.ix.2019, G. Bassi legit, GS 6857 GB. 34. C. domaviellus (Rebel), holotype, photo S. Gaal-Haszler and H. Bruckner (NHMW). 35. C. nikai sp. nov., holotype. 36. C. richteri sp. nov., holotype. 37. Catoptria kasyi Błeszyński, paratype, Macedonia Occ., 22.VII-5.VIII.1959, Peristeri Mons, Golemo Ezero, 2200 m, F. Kasy, GS 5123 GB, SNSB. 38. C. korab sp. nov., paratype, North Macedonia, Korab, Kobilino Pole, 26-27.vii.2019, I. Richter legit, GS 7418 GB. 39. C. sarplanina sp. nov., holotype. 40. C. plat sp. nov., paratype.