Prays semicircularis Li, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Cong, Peixin
name: Li, Houhun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Yponomeutidae
Prays
Prays semicircularis

description: Prays semicircularis Li, sp. nov.
(Figs. 16, 32, 44)
Type material. CHINA: Holotype ♂, Hainan Province: Tianchi [18.73°N, 108.87°E], Jianfengling, 787 m, 14.I.2016, coll. Kaijian Teng et al., genitalia slide No. CPX16003. Paratypes: 1 ♀, 15.I.2016, others same data as holotype, genitalia slide No. CPX16016; 1 ♀, Diaoluoshan Nature Reserves, Lingshui, 980 m, 24.IV.2014, coll. Tengteng Liu et al., genitalia slide No. CPX16013.
Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other known Prays species in the male genitalia by the gnathos medially produced to a heart-shaped process bearing dense fine setae on posterior margin; in the female genitalia by the antrum with unequally sized ventral and dorsal plates. It is similar to P. tineiformis Sohn et Wu, 2011 in appearance, and the differences between them are stated under the latter species.
Description. Adult (Fig. 16): Wingspan 11.0 mm. Head with vertex greyish brown, mottled white; frons white, mixed with pale brown scales laterally. Labial palpus white on dorsal surface, dark brown on ventral surface, third segment white apically. Antenna with scape white, mixed with pale brown on dorsal surface; flagellum greyish black. Thorax blackish brown mixed with white; tegula blackish brown in basal half, white in distal half; patagium white. Forewing with ground color white, covered with dense blackish brown scales and stripes; costal margin with approximately nine blackish brown strigulae alternated with white in basal 2/3, outer two strigulae larger, with indistinct white interruption between them, almost forming a large spot, posteriorly extending obliquely inwards to about distal 1/3 of fold by a narrow band, then expanded to form a large rectangular spot between fold and dorsum; wide white transverse band extending along outer margin of outmost blackish brown strigula from costal margin to dorsum, parallel with termen; wide blackish brown band extending along outer margin of white transverse band from before apex of costal margin to termen, then curved to tornus by a right angle, forming a transverse L-shaped pattern as a whole; dorsum with approximately six ill-defined blackish brown strigulae; cilia pale brown mixed with blackish brown. Hindwing and cilia pale brown. Foreleg with coxa greyish brown mixed with white, femur greyish brown on ventral surface, white on dorsal surface, tibia blackish brown except outer surface with a white streak before apex, tarsus blackish brown; midleg with coxa and femur white, tibia blackish brown, with white streak on outer surface at base and middle respectively, tarsus blackish brown on outer surface, white on inner surface; hindleg with coxa white, femur yellowish brown, tibia yellowish white except greyish brown on outer surface, tarsus greyish white on inner surface, dark brown on outer surface, each tarsomere with a greyish white streak apically.
Male genitalia (Fig. 32): Socius widened basally, gradually narrowed distally, with a thorn apically, bearing long setae; outer margin with a short thumb-like process near base. Tegumen medially extended for half length of lateral band, anterior margin slightly concave medially; lateral band slightly arched inwards. Gnathos produced to a heart-shaped process medially, its posterior margin slightly concave at middle, covered with dense fine setae. Valva wide at base, narrowed to about middle, then slightly widened to 3/4, narrowed from distal 1/4 to rounded apex, covered with dense slender thorns and setae on distal half; transtilla triangular, connected by a sclerotized fanshaped plate medially; sacculus 3/5 length of valva, semicircular, covered with dense short setae, protruded ventrally, bluntly rounded at apex; small membranous area between sacculus from basal 1/4 to before middle and valva. Vinculum U-shaped; saccus almost same length as socius, club-shaped, slightly expanded before rounded apex. Juxta arched; anellus lobe narrowly banded. Aedeagus straight, almost as long as valva, thickened basally, slightly thinned distally; cornutus being a stout thorn, about half length of aedeagus, bearing dense teeth around distal part, placed at about middle.
Female genitalia (Fig. 44): Apophyses posteriores about three times length of apophyses anteriores. Lamella postvaginalis being a pair of elliptical processes, bearing numerous spinules. Antrum conspicuous, with unequally sized ventral and dorsal plates: dorsal plate trapeziform, ventral plate concave at middle anteriorly, produced to a sub-rectangular process at middle posteriorly; ductus bursae approximately same length as antrum, narrowed in posterior half, widened in anterior half; ductus seminalis arising from connection between ductus bursae and corpus bursae. Corpus bursae elongately oviform, with many wrinkles in basal half; signum absent.
Distribution. China (Hainan).
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin semi- and circularis, referring to the shape of the sacculus in the male genitalia.
description: Published as part of Cong, Peixin & Li, Houhun, 2017, Review of the genus Prays Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Praydidae) from China, with descriptions of twelve new species, pp. 201-227 in Zootaxa 4263 (2) on pages 216-217, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4263.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/573055