Merulempista pectinata Liu and Li, 2022

Merulempista pectinata Liu and Li View in CoL , sp. nov.

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

( Figs. 4, 5 View FIGURES 4–5 , 7 View FIGURES 6–7 )

Type material. Holotype: CHINA: ♂; Hebao Island ( 21°51′N, 113°17′E), Guangdong Province, alt. 30 m, 14.v.2010, coll. Bing-bing Hu and Jing Zhang, genitalia slide no. LHX13258. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: CHINA, Guangdong Province: 1 ♂, same data as the holotype GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, same locality as the holotype, 19.i.2010, coll. Hou-hun Li, genitalia slide no. LHX11128 GoogleMaps . Hainan Province: 1 ♀, Tianchi , Jianfeng County ( 18°43′N, 108°43′E), alt. 810 m, 2.iv.2008, coll. Bing-bing Hu and Hai-yan Bai, genitalia slide no. LHX11187 GoogleMaps . Yunnan Province: 1 ♂, Pingbian County, Honghe Prefecture ( 22°58′N, 103°42′E), alt. 2067 m; 7.viii.2019, coll. Kai-jian Teng, Chen Liu and Ai-ling Wang, genitalia slide no. LHX19014 GoogleMaps .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 4–5 ). Wingspan 20.0–25.0 mm. Vertex with yellowish white scales. Antennae in male with grayish brown scales, length of scape about twice of width; basal flagella with two rows of grayish black scale clusters on dorsal side, basal 2/3 of ventral side pectinate; antennae in female grayish white with brown rings. Labial palpi in male dark brown, second segment appressed to forehead and upcurved over vertex, third segment length equal to 1/5 of second one; female labial palpi grayish brown mixed with white scales, second segment apart from forehead and upcurved over vertex, third segment grey, length about 1/3 of second one. Patagium, tegulae, and thorax grayish brown. Forewing grayish brown mixed with white scales; antemedian line white with black scales laterally, ranging from basal 1/3 of costa to middle of posterior margin, basally with a yellow round spot; discal spot black, separated; postmedian line grayish white, situated from distal 1/5 of costa to distal 1/4 of posterior margin, bending at vein M 1 and A; fringe basal 1/3 yellowish brown, distally grey. Hindwing grayish brown, along outer margin and vein dark brown, fringe basal 1/3 dark brown, distal part grey. Legs yellowish white on dorsal side, ventral surface dark brown mixed white scales, tarsus with each segment white distally.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–5 ). Uncus equilaterally triangular, distal part round. Gnathos length about 5/8 of uncus, distal half gradually narrow and incurved. Valva basal 2/5 narrow, distal 3/5 wide, nearly rectangular, densely covered with long bristles; setiferous lobe located at basal 2/5 of valva near costa, nearly rectangular, terminal densely bristled; costa well sclerotized, gradually wide, distally with a small thorn; sacculus about 1/3 length of valva; saccus near rectangular, covered with long bristles. Lateral arms of juxta digitiform, basal 1/3 bent outward at near right angles, densely setose distally. Vinculum V-shaped, length about twice of posterior width. Phallus cylindrical, about 1.2 times length of valva, distal 3/5 with sclerotized folds. Cornutus a cluster of long bristles. Complex male 8 th segment with scale tufts.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 6–7 ). Papillae anales triangular, length about 1.2 times of basal width, with dense bristles. Apophyses posteriores about same length as apophyses anteriores, basal 1/4 wide. Eighth abdominal segment length equal to width, V-shaped medially on posterior margin. Both sides of antrum torch-shaped, posterior margin serrated. Corpus bursae membranous, elliptical-shaped, posterior 2/5 weekly sclerotized. Ductus seminalis origin from middle of corpus bursae.

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of this genus by the the pectinate basal 2/3 of the male antenna flagellum. This species is similar to M. cyclogramma ( Hampson, 1896) , but can be distinguished by the following characters: in male genitalia the end of the costa with a small thorn-like projection, lateral arms of juxta thin, digitiform, phallus cornutus with one cluster of long bristles; in the female genitalia, both sides of the antrum torch- shaped, posterior margin serrated, and the ductus seminalis origin from the middle of corpus bursae; but in M. cyclogramma , the costa does not have a thorn-like projection, lateral arms of the juxta are stout, axe-shaped, phallus cornutus with two thorn-like bristles; in the female genitalia, both sides of antrum nearly rectangular, posterior margin smooth, and ductus seminalis origin from the posterior part of corpus bursae

Distribution. China ( Guangdong, Hainan, Yunnan).

Etymology. This species is derived from Latin pectinatus, referring to the basal 2/3 of the male antenna flagellumis pectinated.