Micardia distincta Chen & Xue, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Chen, Fuqiang
name: Xue, Dayong
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Micardia
Micardia distincta

description: Micardia distincta Chen & Xue, sp. nov.
Figs. 6, 13
Eustrotia pulcherrima (Moore), sensu Chen, 1982, Icon. Het. Sin., 3: 331 (part misidentification). Micardia pulcherrima (Moore), sensu Chen, 1999, Fauna Sinica, 16: 912 (part misidentification).
Description. Head. Frons pale yellowish brown, darker on both edges; labial palpi upturned, fuscous on outer side and pale yellowish brown on inner side, slightly longer than diameter of compound eyes, the second segment covered with long scales ventrally; antennae yellowish brown. Thorax. Dorsally, laterally and legs yellow. Forewing length 14mm. Wing pattern. Antemedial line straight arising from costa to ventral margin of cell, then outcurved to 1A+2A, incurved to inner margin at last; the posterior basal area pale yellow; a pale yellow longitudinal stripe present between costa and vein Sc; a triangular white stripe on terminal 2/5 of ventral margin of cell; discocellular fascia fuscous, crescentic; a white oblique line arising from apex to middle of inner margin, terminal half covered with pink scales, terminal 1/4 crescentic; outer area of the oblique line pale yellow, but fuscous between M2 and CuA2, three pale yellow longitudinal stripes between them; terminal line a series of dark grayish brown spots between veins; fringes pale yellow, but fuscous between M2 and CuA2; underside mostly area fuscous, except for pale yellow apex and anal angle. Hindwing. Ground color fuscous; discocellular spot and postmedial line indistinct; terminal line a series of dark grayish brown spots between veins; fringes fuscous; underside pale yellow mixed with fuscous scales, discocellular spot present; postmedial line indistinct. Abdomen. Yellow. Male genitalia. Uncus slender and elongate, curved ventrally; base broadened; terminal half with dense long setae dorsally; tip sharply pointed. Tegumen trapezoidal, peniculus densely covered with long setae; vinculum almost as long as tegumen; saccus small, projecting dorsally. Juxta pyriform. Valva asymmetric; transtilla platelike, extending towards uncus; left valva with base wide, constricting toward apex, apex bifid, costa well developed, strongly sclerotized, a small finger-like harpe present at middle of costa, sacculus well developed, a tuberculiform process present at basal 1/4; right valva obviously broader than left one, with slightly bifurcated apex. Aedeagus sclerotized ventrally; ductus ejaculatorius arising from middle of aedeagus. Female genitalia. Unknown.
Diagnosis. The species is close to M. pulcherrima, but differs by the presence of distinct antemedial line on forewing and a triangular white stripe on the terminal 2/5 of ventral margin of cell. In the male genitalia, the tip of uncus does not have the additional acute hook as in M. pulcherrima; the left valva is bifid apically, right valva apex is slightly bifurcated.
Material Examined. Holotype, 3 (Slide No.: Noct-00272), CHINA, Sichuan: Mt. Emei, Jiulaodong, 1800–1900m, 31.VII.1957, coll. Lu Youcai (IZCAS). Paratype, 13, Sichuan: Mt. Emei, Jiulaodong, 1800–1900m, 28.VII.1957, coll. Huang Keren (IZCAS).
Distribution. China (Sichuan).
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin " distinct ", corresponding to the distinct antemedial line on forewing.
description: Published as part of Chen, Fuqiang & Xue, Dayong, 2012, A review of Micardia Butler, 1878 from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Eustrotiinae, pp. 45-52 in Zootaxa 3417 on pages 48-49, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.281959