Erechthias mirabilis, Park & Yagi & Hirowatari, 2025

Erechthias mirabilis sp. nov.

Figs 7 View Figures 1–8 , 8 View Figures 1–8 , 17 View Figures 17–24 , 18 View Figures 17–24 , 31 View Figures 31–34 , 39 View Figures 39–42 , 47 View Figures 43–50 , 51 View Figure 51 , 52 Japanese name: Chichijima tsumaorega View Figure 52

Type material.

Holotype: Japan: ♂, Tokyo Met., Ogasawara Isls., Chichijima Is., Kitafukurozawa , alt. 10 m, LT, 26.IX.2023, Y. Matsui leg., genitalia slide no. JP-312, DNA sample JHP-200, ELKU . Paratypes: Japan: [Tokyo, Ogasawara Isls.]: [Chichijima Is.]: 1 ♀, 16–17.VII.2002, K. Oyama leg., ELKU 1 ♂, Chichi-jima Is., Kiyose , 27.IX.2020, M. Kimura leg. • 1 ♀, same data, genitalia slide no. JP-321, DNA sample JHP-274, Museum ID ELKU -I-L-Bonin 000104 , ELKU • 1 ♀, Ogamiyama , 25.VI.2022, S. Yagi & S. Tomura leg., genitalia slide no. JP-018, DNA sample JHP-273, Museum ID ELKU -I-L-Bonin 000066 , ELKU • 1 ♀, Ohgiura , VI.2023, N. Tsuji leg., ELKU • 1 ♂, Higashimachi , LT, 23.XII.2023, Yu Hisasue leg., JP-326, JHP-153, ELKU • 1 ♂, Komagari , 2024.II.4, N. Tsuji leg., EKKU • 1 ♀, Okumura , 2024.VIII.19, N. Tsuji leg., EKKU • [Anijima Is.]: 1 ♂, Mt. Maru-yama , 14.XI.2022, T. Hirowatari, M. Kimura, & J. - H. Park leg., ELKU .

Diagnosis.

The new species is externally similar to Erechthias simulans (Butler, 1882) from the tropical Pacific and E. dissimulans (Meyrick, 1915 c) from Sri Lanka, but can be distinguished by the following characteristics: the basal area of the forewing is fully black in E. mirabilis sp. nov. (only black spots in E. simulans and E. dissimulans ). The male and female genitalia are also similar to those of E. simulans but they can be distinguished by the following characteristics: the valva is broad, oval, and slightly concave at the costal margin in the male genitalia (the valva is rounded, dagger-shaped, and bulged at the middle of the costal margin in E. simulans ); the ostium is smaller and weakly concave; and the anterior 1 / 2 of the signum is sharp and curved in the female genitalia (curved but rounded in E. simulans ).

Description.

Adults. Male. (Figs 7 View Figures 1–8 , 17 View Figures 17–24 ) Forewing length 6.8 mm, antenna length 6.0 mm in holotype. Forewing length 6.7, 7.8 mm (n = 2), antenna length 5.0, 5.7 mm (n = 2) in paratypes. Head. Frons and vertex whitish cream. Labial palpus whitish cream, first palpomere covered with black scales; second palpomere with robust brush hairs, outer surface black, with a few black bristles. Antenna filiform, notch present at base; scape whitish cream; flagellum black, gradually whiter toward tip. Thorax. Anterior 3 / 4 of mesonotum whitish cream, posterior 1 / 4 black. Tegula whitish cream, basally black. Foreleg black to dark gray, outer surface of tibia and basal 1 / 2 of tarsus cream white. Midleg black to dark gray, each tarsomere with cream band at distal end. Hindleg fuscous gray, tibia bearing with long hairs, basal 1 / 3 and subapical aera of tarsus black. Forewing venation with Sc, R 1–3 and R 4 + 5, M 1 and M 2 + 3, CuA 1–2 and CuP, 1 A + 2 A present; R 1 from basal 3 / 7 of discal cell to apical 1 / 3 of costa; 1 A fused with 2 A from basal 2 / 5 of wing to end; chorda weak. Apex of forewing weakly upturned. Forewing ground color white, with black pattern; basal 1 / 6 black; middle of anterior 1 / 2 with a large irregularly U-shaped spot; apex with a rectangular black spot; middle of dorsum with a small wedge-shaped black spot; tornus with one black scale; cilia white, middle of marginal area with a gray spot. Hindwing venation with Sc + R 1, Rs, M 1 and M 2 + 3 CuA 1–2 and CuP, 1 A + 2 A present; 1 A + 2 A strongly angled; frenulum a single slender bristle. Hindwing and cilia fuscous cream. Abdomen. Covered with fuscous cream scales.

Female. (Figs 8 View Figures 1–8 , 18 View Figures 17–24 , 47 View Figures 43–50 ) Forewing length 6.5–7.4 mm (n = 4), antenna length 5.4 mm (n = 1) in paratypes. Almost same as male except for antenna and forewing; notch absent in antenna; apex of forewing slightly upturned; chorda well-developed; forewing ground color black, with four white spots: basal 1 / 5, apical 1 / 3 of costa, tornus, and apex.

Male genitalia. (Fig. 31 View Figures 31–34 ) Uncus thick, short, a pair of membranous lobes, apical corner with a few bristles. Tegumen strongly sclerotized, fused with vinculum, formed into broad ring. Vinculum robust, ~ 1.5 × length of tegumen; saccus broad triangular. Valva broad oval, roughly covered with bristles; costa broad with short, dense spines, basicostal process absent; basal 2 / 3 of ventral margin almost straight, gently curved toward apex. Juxta a strongly sclerotized pouch. Phallus cylindrical, almost same length of valva; vesica with a robust needle-like cornutus and many small spicular cornuti.

Female genitalia. (Fig. 39 View Figures 39–42 ) Ovipositor 2.5 × length of segment VII, papillae analis with short bristles; apophysis anterioris thick, ~ 1 / 2 length of apophysis posterioris. Segment VIII long, posterior margin with ~ 15 bristles; tergum VIII with stout dorsal rami fusing with apophysis anterioris; ostium elongated piriform with dense small spines, located at anterior 1 / 2 of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae tubular, 1.4 × length of corpus bursae, anterior 1 / 6 broad, wrinkled and curved toward corpus bursae. Corpus bursae oval; signum large flatten claw-shaped with robust rounded rectangular projection.

Distribution.

Japan (Chichijima Is., Anijima Is.).

Biology.

Host is unknown. Adults have been collected in June, July, and September in Chichijima Island.

Etymology.

The name of this species is derived from the Latin mirabilis, because this species is the most marvelous Erechthias to occur in Japan.

DNA analyses.

The DNA barcodes of this species were most similar to Erechthias sp. ANIC 1 from Australia (ANICI 492-10) based on the identification engine of BOLD systems, and the similarity between them was 92.51 %. These DNA barcodes were also similar to Erechthias simulans from Moorea Island in the Society Islands ( French Polynesia) (PMANL 5097-16), with similarity of 90.67 %. The intraspecific pairwise distance of this species was 0.00 % (n = 3) (Suppl. material 2).

Remarks.

This species is endemic to the Chichijima Islands. The most similar species, E. simulans is widely spread in the tropical Pacific: Hawaii, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Elice Islands, Midway, Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, and Australia ( Clarke 1986). This new species may have originated in the Pacific Ocean and Australia.