Dichagyris (Albocosta) antevolans Gyulai, 2021, sp. n.
Creators: name: Gyulai, Péter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Dichagyris
Dichagyris antevolans

description: Dichagyris (Albocosta) antevolans sp. n.   
(Figs 20-22, 40-41, 55-56)  
 Holotype. Male (Fig. 20) Nepal, Annapurna region, Sudame, 1250 m, 83°45' E 28°20' N, 24-25.III. 1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh, slide no. GYP 5349 (coll. PGYM, later to be deposited in the HNHM).   
 Paratypes. 1 male, 1 female, with same data (coll. PGYM); 1 male, same data, (coll. MH / HNHM); 1 female, Nepal, Annapurna region, Nangethanti, 2445 m, 19-20.III.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. PGYM); 1 male, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 2 km E of Yürekharka, 3000 m, 3.IV.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. PGYM); 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 2 km E from Yurekharka, 3000 m, 5.IV.1995, 85°15' E, 28°10' N, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. MH / HNHM); 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 3 km SE from Somdang, 3450 m, 6.IV.1995. 85°13' E, 28°11' N, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. MH / HNHM); 1 male, 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 2 km S of Somdang, 3000 m, 85°12' E, 28°10'N, 8.IV.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. PGYM); 1 female, same data (coll. MH / HNHM); 3 males, 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 12 km S of Somdang, 2500 m, 85°12' E, 28°08'N, 9.IV.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. PGYM); 2 males, 2 females, same data (coll. MH / HNHM); 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 1 km E from Gadrang, 2520 m, 3-4.IV.1995, 85°16' E 28°09'N, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. MH / HNHM); 2 males, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 1 km E of Gadrang, 2520 m, 9.IV.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. PGYM); 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 2 km E of Thangjet, 2165 m, 1.IV.1995, 85°19' E 28°11'N leg. M. Hreblay & L. Németh (coll. MH / HNHM); 2 males, East Nepal, Tinjure Danda, 2 km SW of Chauki, 2980 m, 22.III.1999, leg. Márton Hreblay (coll. MH / HNHM).   
Slide nos.: GYP 5346female, GYP 5347male, GYP 5348female  
 Diagnosis. The closest relatives of the new species (Figs 20-22,) are D. (A.) stentzi (Figs 23-24) and D. (A.) triangularis (Fig. 17). In the external features, new species is more reminiscent of typical D. (A.) triangularis, however in the genitalia structure, of D. (A.) stentzi (Figs 23-24). In comparison of D. (A.) triangularis, it is lighter reddish-brown and concolorous in forewings, without blackish or violet glimmering; with lighter, slightly broader costal stripe, more defined, double reddish transverse lines, from which the antemedial line is not zigzag but only slightly sinuous; hindwings reddish brown suffused and not brown. In average, it is somewhat larger than D. (A.) stentzi; forewing length 17-20 mm, wingspan 34-42 mm, while those are in D. (A.) stentzi 13-19 and 28-37 mm, respectively. The new species is well distinguished from stentzi at first sight by the clear light yellowish costal area and the conspicuously lighter and concolorous reddish - brown forewings, without blackish or violet glimmering, and the lighter, reddish brown suffused hindwings.   
 In the male genitalia, compared to D. (A.) triangularis triangularis (Figs 36-37), the new species (Figs 40-41) has somewhat longer, but slimmer uncus, without the distal long extension; almost evenly broad valva, much less convex medial section in the dorsal costa and more concave in the ventral side, while the „cucullus” section is much more extensive. Aedeagus is somewhat longer and thinner, vesica and the medial diverticulum less ample, while the apical cornutus in it is significantly smaller, thinner, straight and not hook-like, as in the D. (A.) triangularis triangularis. It is less distinctive from that of D. (A.) stentzi, due to the individual variability in the shape of valva. The best key for separation are the conspicuously longer subterminal diverticulum, longer, slimmer aedeagus and the longer distal tube of vesica. In the female genitalia, it well differs from that of the typical D. (A.) triangularis triangularis by the smaller papilla anales, more sclerotized antrum, significantly thinner ductus bursae, less ample corpus bursae and the foot-shaped appendix bursae. The differences are the same in comparison with D. (A.) triangularis sinangularis ssp. n. (Figs 38, 39), with the exception of the rather thin ductus bursae in both taxa (but it is somewhat longer in the new species) and the broaden distal section in D. (A.) sinangularis ssp. n.. From D. (A.) stentzi (Fig. 42), new species well differs in the more sclerotized antrum, significantly thinner, longer ductus bursae and less ample, foot-shaped appendix bursae.   
 It is worth to mention, that the single type of D. (A.) triangularis ab. rufata Warren, 1912 is somewhat also similar, but it is only the reddish form of D. (A.) triangularis triangularis, and collected in May, with one and half month later, than all of the D. (A.) antevolans sp. n.. Furthermore, lighter reddish forms occur very rarely in other Albocosta (see e.g. D. (A.) sugii, Figs. 16, 33). The correct identification is supported by the phenology and distribution pattern; the new species has the earliest flight period (March and beginning of April) in Albocosta; while its two sister species are typical summer ones, only the D. (A.) triangularis triangularis starts in the Indian Himalaya in the second half of May. Both of relatives are known in late autumnal, rather worn specimens also, probably after the summer diapause. Sympatric occurrence is known only with D. (A.) triangularis triangularis in the Nepali Himalaya.   
 Description (Figs 1-3). Forewing length 17-20 mm, wingspan 34-42 mm. Eyes globular, black; antennae light brown, filiform, but finely and densely ciliated in males. Palpi covered with long brown vesture, but third joint only with brown scales. Vertex pale yellowish or pale brown, collar black with broad whitish-pale yellowish base; thorax vesture and legs red-brown, with long rows of dorsal setae; abdomen vesture pale brownish. Forewings triangle, apex rounded. Ground colour of forewings solid color red-brown. Wing pattern shows the typical characters of Albocosta; costa broadly whitish-pale yellowish until the tip of the reniform stigma, conjoining with the same coloured orbicular macula and the pale yellowish-brownish reniform stigma. Claviform stigma not visible. Basal dash shortly triangle, black, conspicuous. Transverse lines conspicuous, double, lighter than ground colour; antemedial line oblique, slightly wavy only, postmedial line slightly arched, subterminal line lighter, almost straight, finely wavy; fringe brown. Hindwings brown, reddish brown, discal spot darker brown, slight, medial line not distinctive; fringe reddish.   
Male genitalia (Figs 40-41). Characterized by the long, thin uncus with a long bunch of long hairs terminally; broad tegumen; broadly heart shape juxta with slight dorsal-medial depression; rather short, strong clavus, V-shaped vinculum; almost evenly broad valva, with convex dorsad costa and concave in ventral side medially, with large, curved, apically rounded harpe; long but slight ampulla and small, apically rounded pollex; cucullus section broad, elongate dorsad, without corona; tube-like, distally slightly ventrad curved aedeagus with sclerotized carina. Vesica membranous, globularly twisted, then long, tubular and evenly thinning and curved distally, bearing a medial drop-like diverticulum, which apically armed with a small, straight cornutus; while the subterminal diverticulum long, tubular, curved.  
Female genitalia. (Figs 55-56). Papillae anales setose, short and angular; apophyses anteriores and apophyses posteriores thin, last ones somewhat longer; antrum plate strongly sclerotized, V-shaped, with sclerotized, bilateral, symmetrical lobi. Ductus bursae tubular, long, posteriorly longitudinally slightly sclerotized-wrinkled. Appendix bursae elongate, distally foot-shaped, long; corpus bursae long, distally evenly more ample.  
 Bionomics and distribution. The new species is known from the Nepali Himalaya.   
 Etymology. The name of new species refers to the earliest flight period among Albocosta („flies earlier than the rest of the relative taxa“).
description: Published as part of Gyulai, Péter, 2021, Notes on the subgenus Albocosta Fibiger & Lafontaine 1997, with descriptions of five new taxa from Asia (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), pp. 26-45 in Ecologica Montenegrina 40 on pages 43-44, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.40.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13232968