The new species, Casminola subseminigra sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Nolinae), is described from China. It is similar to C. seminigra (Hampson, 1896), but can easily be distinguished from it by the forewing lacking an antemedial line; the male genitalia with an uncus broad medially with a curved and pointed apex; and the signa being absent in the female genitalia. Illustrations of adults and genitalia are provided.
Casminola is a small genus recently erected by László et al. (2010) with Poecilonola chionobasis Hampson, 1901 as the type species. This genus is mainly distributed in Nepal and Thailand. László et al. (2010) arranged 10 species of the genus, including 4 known species C. chionobasis (Hampson, 1901), C. pulchella (Leech, 1889), C. yoshimotoi (Inoue 2000), C. seminigra (Hampson, 1896), and 6 new species described at that time, i.e., C. arminbecheri László et al. 2010, C. johannstumpfi László et al. 2010, C. breviharpe László et al. 2010, C. splendida László et al. 2010, C. spinosa László et al. 2010, C. rubropicta László et al. 2010. In our surveys, we found 1 new species which is described in this paper.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The new species was collected by light trapping in Nanling National Nature Reserve (Guangdong, China) and Mt. Damingshan (Guangxi Autonomous Region, China). Specimens were cleared in 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and mounted in glycerine (C3H8O3). Photographs of adults were taken by Sony T100 digital camera and those of genitalia were taken by Carl Zeiss Discovery V12. The plates were compiled by Adobe Photoshop software 6.0.
RESULTS
Casminola subseminigra sp. nov. (Figs. 1–5)
HOLOTYPE: Male, Nanling National Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China, 5-VI-2011, leg. Hai-ming XU. Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype; 1 female, Damingshan, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, 8-VIII-2011, leg. Min WANG, Yan-qing HU, Wen-tang WANG and Houshuai WANG. The type specimens are deposited in the Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. seminigra (Hampson, 1896), but can be distinguished from it by the narrowed wing without an antemedial line, the uncus broad medially with a curved and pointed apex, and valva slightly curved versus straight in seminigra; cucullus round, narrower than in seminigra; harpe robust with spur at apex; aedeagus longer than in seminigra; ductus bursae longer than in seminigra; corpus bursae without signa.
Description. Adult (Figs. 1 and 2). Wingspan 18 mm. Head white; antenna brown except white near base; labial palpus short, covered with black scales. Thorax and collar white. Abdomen grayish brown. In forewing, costal margin of forewing dotted with some black spots; basal half white, front half brown; basal and antemedial lines absent; medial line black, excurved to Cu1, then straight to inner margin; postmedial line faint, absent at costal margin, incurved and fused with medial line; subterminal line faint, excurved to M2, then incurved to inner margin; cilia blackish brown. Hindwing grayish brown, gradually darkened from inner margin to costal margin; veins high-lighted; cilia grayish brown.
Male genitalia (Figs. 3 and 4). Uncus almost as long as harpe, bulbous in distal half, abruptly narrowing to curved and pointed; tegumen broad; valva thin, shrinking at middle; cucullus smooth and arched; costal margin slightly excurved medially; sacculus margin smooth; harpe narrow at base, slightly bulbous at middle, apex curved and pointed, reaching to 2/3 of valva; saccus U-shaped. Aedeagus cylindrical; coecum short tubular; vesica membranous with many small cornuti.
Female genitalia (Fig. 5). Papillae anales short and broad; apophyses posteriores thin and long; apophyses anteriores short and small, trianglar at base; ostium bursae slightly sclerotized; ductus bursae long, 1.5 times as long as corpus bursae, slightly flat; corpus bursae oval, membranous, signa absent; appendix bursae oval, smaller than corpus bursae. Note. The lowest parts of the female genitalia are the broken parts of corpus bursae.
Distribution
China (Guangdong Province, Guangxi Autonomous Region).
Etymology
The specific name is taken from the name of the similar species C. seminigra (Hampson, 1896).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to Gyula M. László for supplying photos of C. seminigra (Hampson, 1896).
