A revision of the genus Belciana Walker, 1862 with description of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Pantheinae) from East and South East Asia. Revision of Pantheinae, contribution XII
Author
Behounek, G.
Author
Han, H. L.
Author
Kononenko, V. S.
text
Zootaxa
2015
4027
3
341
365
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4027.3.2
89c5bda8-87ad-4f90-a154-2de036e9c71e
1175-5326
241473
8B613537-E7D0-4BDB-B168-943C5B54B0BD
Belciana pratti
(Bethune-Baker, 1906)
(
Figs 10, 11
,
35
,
47
)
Polydesma pratti
Bethune-Baker, 1906
,
Novitates Zoologicae
13: 250.
Holotype
: New
Guinea
, Kebea Range (NHM).
References:
Poole 1989
: 160 (
Belciana
).
Material examined.
PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA
:
4 males
,
1 female
, Central Prov., Fane,
1300-1400 m
,
05°00′ S
,
142°45′ E
, Willner B. leg.,
14-18.x.1985
, slides, GB7364, GB7382 males, GB7700 female, coll. GB/
ZSM
;
4 specimen
, breed material, from Morobe and Madang (
USNM
).
Note.
The species has been identified by Dr. Scott E. Miller (Smithsonian Institute,
USA
) in the NHM. The barcoding and photographs of imago, male and female can be accessed in the
BOLD
data base (http: //www. boldsystems. org/). The specimen labelled as
USNM
ENT
0 0 797518 has been used for
DNA
barcoding analysis. Molecular distance based on the Kimura two-parameter model for
COI
DNA
barcodes between nearest
B. pratti
and
B. hreblayi
is 4,55%.
Diagnosis. Adult
(
Figs 10, 11
). Wingspan
37–39 mm
.
B. pratti
and the next species represent
pratti
species group which compared with
biformis
-group could be characterised by stronger sclerotisation and well formed valva with sclerotised ventral margin, weakly developed basal coremata and by short thick shape of aedeagus.
B. pratti
, especially female externally close to species of
biformis
-group having pale bluish-green ground colour of forewing and blackish-brown subbasal field and patches in subapical-apical and tornal areas; costal mark compared with other species is rather small; central part of wing with marked blackish medial line, which not reach costal mark and traceable whitish ante- and post medial lines; subterminal line blackish, broken, outlined with whitish; subterminal and terminal field with brown-blackish patches. Hindwing dark greyish outwardly, pale greyishyellow inwardly and along tornal margin, with traceable discal spot and indistinct medial band; terminal line blackish, continuous, with thin whitish bordering; cilia brownish-grey.
Male genitalia
(
Fig. 35
). Compared with species of
biformis-
group
B. pratti
has more solid uncus, well formed valva with normally sclerotised ventral margin, bigger sacculus, strong clasper with short pointed bifurcated harpe, fused by lover branch with surface of valva. Aedeagus rather short, but thick, extended apically; carina consisting with two sclerotised scobinate bands; vesica bulbous basally, with two broad basal diverticula, bearing two small cornuti ad small patch of tiny spines in joining with one branch of carina.
Female genitalia
(
Fig. 47
). In the the female genitalia antrum well formed, ante and postvaginal plates deeply cut, their margins not form protuberance; ductus bursae very short, sclerotised ribbed area in joining of ductus with corpus bursae small and well defined; corpus bursae sack-like, with rounded bottom and short caudal extension.
Distribution and bionomics.
Papua New Guinea
. The species occurs in mountain regions at elevation 1300– 1400. Moths flying in October. The foodplant of the larvae is
Sterculia ampla
(Malvaceae)
according to pers. com. Scott E. Miller, USNM, Washington (2012).
Belciana hreblayi
sp. n.
(
Figs 12, 13
,
36
)
Type
material
.
Holotype
.
TAIWAN
: male, Prov. Taitung, Taroko National-Park, Tupan,
2 km
N,
500-700 m
,
22°29′ N
,
120°52′ E
,
29.v.1995
, Hreblay M. & Stéger P. leg., slide GB7358 male, coll. GB/
ZSM
.
Paratypes
:
1 male
,
Taiwan
, Prov. Taitung, Chihpen Hot Springs,
400 m
,
10-11.vi.1997
, B. Herczig & L. Ronkay leg., coll. GR;
1 male
,
Taiwan
, Shanping,
600 m
,
11-20.iv.1988
J. Rawlins, C. Young, R. Davidson leg. (
CMNH
);
1 male
,
Taiwan
, Prov. Prov. Kaohsiung, nr Chuang-liu,
22°13′ N
,
120°45′ E
, Chen M.-Y. & Buchsbaum U. leg.,
17.v.2001
, slide GB/
ZSM
N4299 (
ZSM
).
Note.
The specimen labelled as
BC
ZSM
Lep 65177 has been used for barcoding. Molecular distance based on the Kimura two-parameter model for
COI
DNA
barcodes between nearest
B. hreblayi
and
B. hemodi
is 3,17%.
Diagnosis.
The new species differs from its congeners by smaller size, more robust habitus, details of wing pattern, particularly by having of broad, diffuse medial line, more developed whitish elements of wing pattern; in the male genitalia it differs from other
Belciana
spp. by shorter vinculum, shorter, but much stronger and less curved uncus; shorter, rounded sclerotised valva, small basal coremata and by strong short triangular harpe; vesica of aedeagus armed with patch of thin needle-like cornuti, not observed in other species.
Description.
Adult (
Fig. 12, 13
). Wingspan
38 mm
. Tegulae and patagia bluish-green, bordered with blackish, the thorax dorsally between patagia bluish-green. Ground colour of forewing pale bluish-green, like in
B. biformisgroup
; subbasal field filled with black-brown, broader and darker than in
B. biformis
and
B. hemodoides
; medial field bluish-green, with light dusting of blackish scales; antemedial line whitish, diffused; orbicular and reniform marked by whitish spots, reniform with blackish dot in bottom; medial line wide, diffused, formed by blackish scales, not reaching triangular costal spot, more distinct in tornal margin; submedial line as row of diffused whitish spots; subterminal line blackish, broken, outlined with whitish; subapical-apical batch brown with blackish shadow; subtornal patch brown, bordered with black; terminal line as a row of blackish vertical streaks; cilia brownish-grey, pale in base, interrupted with bluish-green opposite veins. Hindwing with dark greyish terminal band, pale greyish-yellow inwardly, with well traceable discal spot and medial band; terminal line blackish, cilia grey, interrupted with yellowish-grey opposite veins.
Male genitalia
(
Fig. 36
). Compared with
B. pratti
the new species has relatively short, strong solid less curved uncus which is abrupt and hooked apically, shorter rounded valva, strong triangular harpe and plate-like juxta. Aedeagus strong, robust, slightly extended apically, abrupted, bearing; carina bilobate, with strong broad lobes; vesica with basal globular diverticula, bearing 18–20 thin needle-like cornuti and dense patch of spines in joining with carina; apical part of vesica tubular.
Female genitalia.
Female unknown.
Etymology.
The species name is dedicated to our friend, famous Hungarian
Noctuidae
specialist on the Oriental
Noctuidae
the late Dr. Marton Hreblay.
Distribution and bionomics.
Taiwan
. The species was collected in primary forest at elevation
500–700 m
in April and May.