Stenoloba oculibasis Li, Zhang, Han & Kononenko 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Li, Jian
name: Zhang, Chao
name: Han, Hui-Lin
name: Kononenko, Vladimir S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Stenoloba
Stenoloba oculibasis

description: Stenoloba oculibasis Li, Zhang, Han & Kononenko sp. nov.
Figs 3, 4, 9, 13
Type material.
Holotype: • 1 ♂, China, Chongqing Municipality, Mt. Simian, 4–8 May 2019, JJ. Fan, ZT Wang leg., slide HHL -4825-1, coll. NEFU. Paratype: • 1 ♂, China, Chongqing Municipality, Mt. Simian, 4–8 May 2019, JJ. Fan, ZT Wang leg., slide HHL -4825-s1, coll. NEFU.
Diagnosis.
The new species belongs to the S. basiviridis species-group. This group includes 10 species: S. basiviridis Draudt, 1950 (Figs 6, 10), S. assimilis (Warren, 1909), S. assimilina Han & Kononenko, 2018, S. gaoligonga Han & Kononenko, 2018, S. domina Kononenko & Ronkay, 2000, S. dominula Kononenko & Ronkay, 2000, S. siamensis Behounek & Kononenko, 2010, S. mossy Behounek & Kononenko, 2010, S. lampra Kononenko & Ronkay, 2000 and S. oculibasis Li, Zhang, Han & Kononenko, sp. nov.
In comparison to several other species within the S. basiviridis species-group, S. oculibasis exhibits several distinctive characteristics, specifically: the uncus is generally elongated; the valva is long and rod-like, nearly straight, with a base that maintains approximately equal width only at its terminal end. The cucullus is rounded and features dense, long, and strongly sclerotized (or hardened) cornua. The juxta is typically spindle-shaped. Furthermore, the terminal vesica of the aedeagus possesses a long, spiky basal plate associated with the ductus ejaculatorius.
From the perspective of wing surface characteristics, S. oculibasis is different from other species in this species-group. In the base area of the forewing, there exists a large oval spot. The center of this spot is orange-yellow, surrounded by gray-white. The middle part of the wing is darker and brown, while it turns to gray-white in the outer edge area. An orange-yellow reniform stigma is behind the submedial line. The male genitalia of S. oculibasis have similarities with both S. assimilina and S. basiviridis. It differs from S. assimilina by the shorter and tapered uncus and the missing strong ventro-subapical spine in the apical part of the valva [in S. assimilina (Han and Kononenko 2018, fig. 43) spine is present and the uncus short, flattened, rather massive, but not triangulate]. Compared with S. basiviridis, in S. oculibasis sp. nov. the uncus is short, pyramidal, sharp (in S. basiviridis long rod-like, tip fine); the vesica is generally kidney-shaped, with a wide base, oval shape, and a narrow middle and cornuti field is with intensive cornuti on the dorsal side (in S. basiviridis the vesica armed with one large spine-like cornutus).
Description.
Adult (Figs 3, 4). Wingspan 26–27 mm. Forewing overall grayish-white with ochre tint. Head grayish-white. Thorax grayish-white, mixed with taupe. Abdomen gray, mixed with brown. Forewing basal area with grayish-white scales, there is an oval spot at the base, orange yellow in the middle, gray white around, and black brown on the outer edge; basal line brown; subbasal line distinct, russet; antemedial line tan; antemedial area darker, brownish-yellow; median line and postmedial line tan; reniform stigma yellow surrounded by light grayish-white; postmedial area with longitudinal stripes along veins; apex rounded, with irregular tan apical patch; tornal patch orange; terminal line serrated, brown; fringe trim, brown. Hindwing, light coloured, grayish-white; discal spot brown. Forewing underside colour grayish-white, with different shades, scattered brown stripes, and wing veins clearly visible.
Male genitalia (Fig. 9). Uncus relatively short, tapered, with wide base, pointed apically; tegument U-shaped; saccus V-shaped; valva long, almost equal in width from base to apex, slightly convex from base, sclerotised in apical half; sacculus wide, extending to about 1 / 3 length of valva, cucullus smooth, circularly arched, apex of cucullus armed with thorns and surrounded by long hair-like seta; juxta approximately pentagonal, extending upwards, sclerotised. Aedeagus straighter; caecum round; vesica reniform, cornuti field has dense cornutus, ventral area wrinkled and sclerotised, dorsally armed with large, wide, nail-like cornutus, and terminal has a long spiky basal plate of ductus ejaculatorius.
Female genitalia. Unknown.
Bionomics.
The species is known only from its type locality in Southwest Chongqing Municipality, where it occurs in mountains at an altitude of 1100 m. Both male specimens were collected in May.
Distribution.
(Fig. 13) Southwest China (Chongqing Municipality).
Etymology.
The species name “ oculibasis ” refers to one of the two main distinguishing characters: the presence of the large white with a creamy centre rounded spot in the basal part of the forewing.
description: Published as part of Li, Jian, Zhang, Chao, Han, Hui-Lin & Kononenko, Vladimir S., 2025, Two new species of Stenoloba Staudinger, 1892 from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Bryophilinae), pp. 173-183 in ZooKeys 1228 on pages 173-183, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1228.140176