Research Article |
Corresponding author: Hui-Lin Han ( hanhuilin@aliyun.com ) Academic editor: Jadranka Rota
© 2021 Jun Wu, Chun-Sheng Wu, Hui-Lin Han.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Wu J, Wu C-S, Han H-L (2021) Description of Striogyia simianshana sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Limacodidae) from Chongqing in southwest China. Nota Lepidopterologica 44: 153-158. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.44.64734
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The discovery of Striogyia simianshana sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) resulted from a research project investigating the biodiversity of the Simian Mountain Nature Reserve in Chongqing, Southwest China. This new species is characterised by several distinct features, namely the black, broken postmedial line of the forewing and the long filiform antenna found in males. The shape of its valva, transtilla, juxta and phallus also distinguish it from other congeners. Furthermore, images of the adult habitus and male genitalia are compared with similar species S. obatera Wu, 2011 and S. acuta Wu, 2020, which further illustrate characteristics unique to S. simianshana. A distribution map and key for Chinese Striogyia species are provided.
The genus Striogyia was erected by Holloway in 1986, with S. snelleni Holloway, 1986 as the type species. At the same time, Holloway transferred S. foliola (Snellen, 1900) to this genus, which was originally placed in the genus Heterogenea Knoch, 1783. Later, in 1990, Holloway described a third species S. spinosa from Sumatra, Indonesia (
The genus is generally characterised by the adult male filiform antennae and the oblique postmedial line running almost from the apex to the posterior margin of the forewing. In the male genitalia, the uncus and gnathos are weak or absent. The transtilla is well developed and strongly sclerotised.
This study focuses on the description of a new species, S. simianshana sp. nov., found in Mt. Simian of Chongqing Municipality, China. Although so far only two male specimens have been collected, their appearance differs from other congeners, particularly in the male genitalia. Hence, in this study, we formally describe these specimens as a new species.
The specimens were collected at a 220V/450W mercury light and a DC black light in Mt. Simian. Wingspan was measured from forewing apex-apex and the forewing length from the wing base to the apex. Standard methods for dissection and preparation of the genitalia slides were used (described by
NEFU Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
Striogyia Holloway, 1986. Malay. Nat. Jour., 40 (1–2): 136. Type species: Striogyia snelleni Holloway, 1986 (Malaysia: Sarawak).
1 | Forewing with a distinct bar-shaped discal spot | S. acuta Wu |
– | Forewing without distinct discal spot, but with an oblique postmedial line | 2 |
2 | Postmedial line obvious, pale grey, running from apex to 3/4 of the posterior margin; the apical process of juxta chimney-shaped | S. obatera Wu |
– | Postmedial line barely visible, black, broken, running from the apex to the 1/3 of the posterior margin; the apical process of juxta three pronged, with acute apex | S. simianshana Wu, Wu & Han, sp. nov. |
Holotype: ♂, CHINA; Chongqing Municipality, Mt. Simian; 28°34’55”N, 106°21’03”E; 13 Jul. 2019; C. Zhang, X.Y. Zhang, D. Feng leg.; genitalia No. WuJ-281-1; coll. NEFU.
Paratype: 1♂, CHINA; same data as for holotype; coll. NEFU.
The new species is similar in appearance to S. obatera Wu, 2011 (Fig.
In the male genitalia, the new species is similar to S. acuta (Fig.
Male. (Fig.
Striogyia spp., adults and male genitalia, with 8th sternite: 1, 2. S. simianshana sp. nov., male, holotype; 3, 4. S. obatera Wu, 2011, Prov. Jiangxi, China, genitalia No. WuJ-325-1; 5, 6. S. acuta Wu, 2020, holotype (after
Head. Vertex densely covered with greyish-white scales; labial palpus pale brown; the antenna filiform, yellowish-brown.
Thorax. Mainly grey with a few greyish brown scales; tegula pale grey. Forewing base colour greyish-brown, while the colors of the base, costal margin, and terminal areas are darker and mixed with black spots; the black, oblique, broken postmedial line running from the apex to 1/3 of the posterior margin; terminal line dark brown; fringe greyish-white to dark brown. Hindwing base colour dark brown, while the colour of costal margin area is paler; terminal line distinct, brown and the fringe is brown.
Abdomen. Dorsally yellowish-brown to dark brown, with mixed yellow and black; 8th sternite (Fig.
Male genitalia
(Fig.
Female. Unknown.
The species is named for its type-locality in Mt. Simian, Chongqing, China.
The moths fly in July. The specimens were collected with a light trap close to a subtropical mixed forest (Fig.
The Simian Mountain Nature Reserve is located in the southwest of Chongqing Municipality. The region has a subtropical humid monsoon climate with abundant rainfall, and the vegetation types are mainly tropical and subtropical coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests.
The main vegetation found around the site where the specimen was collected include Fagus longipetiolata Seemen (Fagaceae), Castanopsis fargesii Franch. (Fagaceae), Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. (Juglandaceae), Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) A.Henry & H.H.Thomas (Cupressaceae), different kinds of bamboo, and a large number of shrubs and ferns growing in the ground cover layer of the forest. However, the larval host of this species is yet to be determined as no specimens have been collected in its immature stage.
The distribution of the Chinese Striogyia species is provided (Fig.
S. acuta Wu, 2020 (China: Shaanxi)
S. foliola (Snellen, 1900) (Indonesia: Java)
S. obatera Wu, 2011 (China: Guizhou, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei)
S. simianshana Wu, Wu & Han, sp. nov. (China: Chongqing)
S. snelleni Holloway, 1986 (Malaysia: Sarawak)
S. spinosa Holloway, 1990 (Indonesia: Sumatra; ? Singapore)
The present study was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 31872261), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2572019CP11). We also thank Mr. Chao Zhang, Ms. Xin-Yu Zhang, and Mr. Du Feng, the staff of the Simian Mountain Nature Reserve in Chongqing, who collected these two specimens of the new species and Lewis Crannitch for checking the English.