Merulempista similirubriptera Liu and Li 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Liu, Hongxia
name: Zhang, Xiuying
name: Li, Houhun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Pyralidae
Merulempista
Merulempista similirubriptera

description: Merulempista similirubriptera Liu and Li, sp. nov.
LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E0C1F7A3-7B91-48DE-956F-888BFCDA3721
(Figs. 1, 3, 6)
Type material. Holotype: CHINA: ♂, Erdaoqiao, Ejina Banner (41°95′N, 101°05′E), Inner Mongolia. alt. 927 m, 17.vii.2006, coll. Xin-pu Wang and Xiang-feng Shi, genitalia slide no. LHX13253.
Paratypes: CHINA: 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, same locality as the holotype, 17–18. Vii.2006, coll. Xin-pu Wang and Xiang-feng Shi, genitalia slide no. LHX13254; 22 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀, Chengguan Town, Darat Banner (40°39′N, 110°02′E), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, alt. 960 m, 13.viii.2002, coll. Zhi-qiang Li and Dan-dan Zhang; 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Baliqiao, Wuyuan County (41°11′N, 108°27′E), alt. 960 m, 17.viii.2002, coll. Zhi-qiang Li and Dan-dan Zhang; 2 ♂ ♂, Fuxing Town, Wuyuan County (40°94′N, 107°95′E), alt. 960 m, 16.viii.2002, coll. Zhi-qiang Li and Dan-dan Zhang; 1 ♂, Dongfeng Forest Farm, Hangjinhou Banner (40°77′N, 107°02′E), alt. 1000 m, 21.viii.2002, Zhi-qiang Li and Dan-dan Zhang; 1 ♂, Chengguan village, Dengkou Country (40°30′N, 106°99′E), alt. 1000 m, 18. viii.2002, coll. Zhi-qiang Li and Dan-dan Zhang. Tianjin: 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Beidagang Reservoir (38°83′N, 117°46′E), 25.viii.2004, coll. Jia-sheng Xu and Jia-liang Zhang. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region: Zhongning Horticultural Field (37°48′N, 105°67′E), alt. 1170 m, 16.vii.1993, coll. Hou-hun Li; 1 ♀, Zhongning (37°48′N, 105°67′E), alt. 1160 m, 26.vii.1993, coll. Hou-hun Li; 1 ♀, Shabianzi, Yanchi County (37°92′N, 107°41′E), alt. 1320 m, 8.vi.2006, coll. Xin-pu Wang; 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Erdaohu, Habahu Nature Reserve, Yanchi County (37°74′N, 107°09′E), alt. 1397 m, 20.vii.2013, coll. Hou-hun Li. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region: 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, Burjin County (47°70′N, 86°89′E), 21.vii.2007, coll. Xin-pu Wang; 2 ♂♂, Beitun County (47°33′N, 87°84′E), 20.vii.2007, coll. Xin-pu Wang; 2 ♀♀, Jinghe County (44°60′N, 82°89′E), 23–24.viii.1994, coll. Duoliken; 1 ♂, Ürümqi City (43°36′N,88°31′E), alt. 920 m, 3.viii.1994, coll. Hou-hun Li and Hong-yan Qin; 1 ♀, Fukang City (44°15′N, 87°98′E), 13.vi.1998, breed; 15 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Kashi (39°42′N, 76°02′E), alt. 1214 m, 3.viii.2019, coll. Hou-hun Li and Xiu-ying Zhang; 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Alar Park, Ta County (40°59′N, 80°67′E), alt. 3066 m, 1.viii.2019, coll. Hou-hun Li and Xiu-ying Zhang.
Description. Adult (Fig. 1) Wingspan 18.0–22.0 mm. Vertex with yellowish white scales. Antennae with reddish brown scales on dorsal surface, with one white longitudinal band on ventral surface; flagella in male grayish white on dorsal side and brown on ventral side, cluster of scales on base of flagella reddish brown on dorsal surface, basal half white and distal half black on ventral surface. First segment of labial palpi in male yellowish brown, second reddish brown, third length equal to 1/5 of second one, laterally reddish brown and yellowish white inside; female labial palpi yellowish brown, length equal to 1/3 of second one. Patagium yellowish brown. Tegulae and thorax red in male, grayish brown in female. Forewing red, distally often with dispersed white scales; antemedian line white, ranging from basal 1/4 of costa to basal of posterior margin, inside with black scales, outer part of which near the posterior margin covered with ochre yellow upright scales; discal spot round, black; postmedian line white, situated from distal 1/6 of costa to distal 1/5 of posterior margin, along which dispersed white scales; fringe rosy, mixed with grayish brown. Hindwing grayish brown, fringe basal 1/3 grayish brown, distally white. Legs yellowish white on dorsal side, ventral surface mixed red scales, tarsus with each segment white distally.
Male genitalia (Fig. 3). Uncus semi-elliptic, length about 1.2 times of basal width. Gnathos length about 3/8 of uncus, distal half gradually narrow and incurved. Valva basal 2/5 narrow, distal part gradually wide to narrow; setiferous lobe at basal 1/4 of valva near costa, nearly digitiform; costa reaches end of valva, well sclerotized, basal 1/3 with a semi-elliptic process; sacculus about 2/5 length of valva; saccus densely covered with long setae, rounded at apex. Lateral arms of juxta digitiform, densely setose distally. Vinculum U-shaped, length about 1.5 times of posterior width, anterior margin slightly concave. Phallus cylindrical, approximately equal to length of valva, vesica from medial to distal 1/4 with granules, laterally and distally partly with a 1/4 row of serration. With one thorn-shaped cornutus, located from basal 1/5 to center. Complex male 8 th segment with scale tufts.
Female genitalia (Fig. 6). Papillae anales triangular, length about 1.4 times basal width, with dense bristles. Apophyses posteriores 1.2 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Eighth abdominal segment concave medially on anterior margin and V-shaped medially on posterior margin. Antrum weakly sclerotized. Ductus bursae membranous, about 1/2 length of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous, pear shaped, posterior 1/3 with some small spines. Accessory sac arising from posterior part of corpus bursae, sclerotized and with tiny spines. Ductus seminalis from posterior of accessory sac.
Diagnosis. This species is similar to M. rubriptera Li and Ren, 2011, but can be distinguished by the following characters: in the male genitalia, the basal 1/3 of the costa has a semi-elliptic process, phallus with one cornutus; in female genitalia, the ductus bursae without spines. In comparison, in M. rubriptera, the male genitalia basal 1/3 of the costa has a triangular process, the phallus has three cornuti; and in the female genitalia, the ductus bursae has many spines.
Distribution. China (Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tianjin, Xinjiang).
Etymology. This species is derived from the Latin simili - (similar) and rubriptera (scientific name of Merulempista rubriptera Li and Ren, 2011), meaning the new species is similar to Merulempista rubriptera Li and Ren, 2011.
description: Published as part of Liu, Hongxia, Zhang, Xiuying & Li, Houhun, 2022, Two new species of the genus Merulempista Roesler, 1967 from China (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae), pp. 293-300 in Zootaxa 5150 (2) on pages 294-296, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5150.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/6621354