Xestia carissima Gyulai 2017, sp. n.
Creators: name: Gyulai, Péter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Xestia
Xestia carissima

description: Xestia carissima sp. n. (Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 11)
Holotype. ♂, Bhutan (West), prov. Paro, weg Z. Jemolhari N. Shinkarap, S. Takengthanka, (Seitental bei Sejande Zumba), LF, 3610 m, N 27°41’56”, E89°18’39”, 15. V. 2010, leg. Ratzel, Hauenstein, M. Falkenberg & Trusch; slide No. GYP 4585m (coll. PGM, later to be deposited in the HNHM).
Paratypes. 4 ♀, same data, coll. U. Ratzel, (Karlsruhe, Germany); 2 ♂, 2 ♀ coll. P. Gyulai (Miskolc, Hungary). slide Nos: GYP 4762m, GYP4606f.
Diagnosis. Xestia carissima sp. n. (Figs 1–4) can be easily distinguished from the other members of the genus, no really externally similar Xestia species is known. It is closely related to the X. lithoplana (Figs 5, 6) from which the best keys for separation are the much stronger bipectinated antennae of the males, much darker ground color of wings and body, much broader medial area in the forewings, less elongated orbicular stigmata and significantly larger black patch in the forewing costa close to the apex in both sexes.
In the male genitalia, the differences between the two species are found in the shape and size of uncus, valvae, harpe, pollex, and aedeagus and in the configuration of the vesica. Xestia carissima sp. n. (Fig. 9) differs from X. lithoplana (Fig. 10) by its medially not broadened uncus, much higher, subpentagonal juxta, bearing dorso–medially a small extension (which is low, subtriangular, dorso–medially deeply incised in the X. lithoplana); straight, somewhat shorter, in the ventral edge medially not contracted valvae with somewhat shorter terminal section; falciform, distally less ventrally curved harpe and shorter but stronger acutely not pointed pollex. Additionally, the subbasal plate in the broadly tubular vesica less sclerotized, very differently shaped, not triangular as in the X. lithoplana, but broadly subquadrangular, having a tiny cornutus medially; furthermore, carina does not continue in the wall of vesica with a fine sclerotized bar and oppositely lacks the fine, slightly serrate bar, which are present in the X. lithoplana. In the females (Fig. 11), the anthrum plate differently shaped, flower–like, the medial depression is much weaker, “V”-shaped the appendix bursae is less prominent, the corpus bursae larger, much ample with three signae and not a single one as in the X. lithoplana (Fig. 12).
Description (Fig. 1). Wingspan 23–29 mm, length of forewing 11–14 mm. The sexual dimorphism is well discernible; the antennae of males slightly bipectinated, those of the females filiform. Collar black outlined and greyish in both sexes, vesture of body and forewing ground colour dark brown in the males, with broadly reddish suffused in the subterminal and terminal area; whereas in the females, forewing ground colour much lighter, whitish, somewhat pale greenish suffused in the basal and subterminal field while the reddish suffusion located only to the subterminal line and partly in the terminal field. In both sexes, the medial area is the darkest, the orbicular stigmata somewhat elongated, the reniform stigmata large, partly ochreous (males) or yellowish (females) suffused, claviform stigmata conjectural, antemedial lines slightly wavy, postmedial line arcuated, subterminal line conspicuous, reddish; the black patch in the forewing costa close to the apex large, conspicuous in both sexes. Hindwings rather unicolorous dark brown in the males, however much lighter brown in the females, cellular spot fine, brown.
The male genitalia (Fig. 9) can be characterized by the almost straight, apically evenly flattened uncus; high subpentagonal juxta, bearing dorso–medially a small extension; straight, evenly broad valvae with finger-like terminal section; falciform harpe and short, apically obtuse pollex. Aedeagus curved, vesica broadly tubular, recurves dorsad, subbasal plate weakly sclerotized, broadly subquadrangular, having a tiny cornutus medially.
In the females (Fig. 11), the ovipositor lobes quadrangular, setosed, apically hairy, the apophyses short, fine, apophyses posteriors about two times longer than the anterior ones; the anthrum plate flower–like, medial depression a weak incision, “V”-shaped, ductus bursae straight, with two strongly sclerotized longitudinal plates on the wall; appendix bursae prominent, conical, corpus bursae large, saccate, with three signae.
Distribution. A short series is known only from the type locality.
Etymology. The specific name indicates the fine external appearance of the new species.
description: Published as part of Gyulai, Péter, 2017, Two new species of Xestia Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) from Bhutan and China in Zootaxa 4358 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4358.1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/1067387