Eupoecilia yanbaruana Suzuki and Jinbo, 2025

Suzuki, Shinya, Jinbo, Utsugi, Yagi, Sadahisa & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2025, A new species and a new record of the genus Eupoecilia Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae, Tortricinae) in Japan, Zootaxa 5637 (1), pp. 155-166 : 159-165

Eupoecilia yanbaruana Suzuki and Jinbo , sp. nov.

[Japanese name: Yanbaru-hoso-hamaki]

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EA26273A-8BF1-42F6-9BA3-DCBA877D8B3D

( Figs. 1C–E , 2D–H , 3C )

Type material. Holotype. [ JAPAN] ♂, Okinawa Pref., Okinawa-Island, Higashi-Son, Takae , 26.701°N, 128.242°E, 1.x.2021, S. Tomura leg., genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2024-45, coll. ELKU . Paratypes. [ JAPAN] 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Benoki , 26.803°N, 128.269°E, 27.v.2013. U. Jinbo leg., coll. NSMT, collection no. NSMT-I-L-37312 ; 2♂ 1♀ Same locality, 27.v.2013, U. Jinbo leg., genitalia slide No. Shinya Suzuki 2023-33(♂), genitalia slide No. Shinya Suzuki 2019 -14(♀), NSMT, collection no. NSMT-I-L-37309 ; same data as for preceding NSMT , collection no. NSMT-I-L-37310; same data as for preceding NSMT, collection no. NSMT-I-L-37311 ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Hiji , 26.iii.2002, Y. Nasu leg., coll. NSMT, collection no. NSMT ; 1♀, same locality, 3.iii.2015. S. Yagi leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Ookuni Rindou , 26.731°N, 128.221°E, 2. vii. 2009 U. Jinbo leg., coll. NSMT, collection no. NSMT-I-L-35324 ; 2♂ 2♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Ookuni Rindou , 26- 27.v.2000, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♀, Same locality, 10.v.2016, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Ookuni Rindou , 18.x.2023, S. Arai leg., 26.7044°N, 128.1972°E, coll. ELKU ; 1♂ 2♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Okuyona Rindou , 12.v.2016, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Okuyona Rindou , 18.x.2023, S. Arai leg., 26.775°N, 128.2583°E, coll. ELKU ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Okuma, Mt. Yonaha , 30.v.2015, S. Yagi leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Hentona , 22.iii.2002, Y. Nasu leg., coll. YNC ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Uka , 26.iii.2021, S. Yagi, J. Oku, H. K. Kim, S. Tomura, K. Goto leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Hentona , 22.iii.2002, Y. Nasu leg., coll. YNC ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Fungawa dam , 29.v.2021, T. Mano leg., GenBank accession number PQ882479 , coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Kunigami-son, Aha , 11.v.2016, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♀, same locality, 1.xi.2021, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Japan: Okinawa Pref., Okinawa-Island, Kunigami-son, Ada , Mt. Terukubi , 26.768679°N, 128.263525°E; 17. iii. 2017, S. Yagi leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Higashi-son, Takae , 26.701°N, 128.242°E, 1.x.2021, K. Goto, S. Tomura, S. Yasukawa leg., genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2023- 50, GenBank accession number PQ882480 , coll. ELKU ; 6♂, same locality, 1.x.2021, S. Tomura leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♀, Okinawa Pref., Motob-cyou, Mt. Oppadake , 28.v.2013, U. Jinbo leg., 26.640°N, 128.021°E, coll. NSMT ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Nago-shi, Taira , 6.v.2023, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU ; 1♂, Okinawa Pref., Nago-shi, Mt. Hitotsudake , 17.x.2023, S. Arai leg., 26.5752°N, 128.1027°E, coll. ELKU .

Diagnosis. Eupoecilia yanbaruana sp. nov. is identified by the following characteristics: median part of the median fascia of the forewing is light ocherous, costal and dorsal 1/6 of the median fascia margined by brownish shade, apical part of the sacculus of the male genitalia protrudes upward from the valva; right side of posterior 2/5 of the ductus bursae of the female genitalia has large sclerotized plate.

This species is similar in appearance to four species, E. neurosoma (Meyrick, 1938) , E. wegneri (Diakonoff, 1941) , E. taneces ( Diakonoff, 1973) , and E. quinaspinalis Zhang and Li, 2008 ; each of these species is characterized by forewing markings and the presence of several strong cornuti on the basal part of the vesica of the male genitalia ( Figs 1C–D , 2F–H ; see also Razowski 1968; Diakonoff 1973, 1984; Zhang & Li 2008). E. yanbaruana sp. nov. differs from these four species in that the cornuti are represented by strong thorns of varying sizes basally fused with one another. E. neurosoma , E. wegneri , and E. taneces have several strong thorns on the vesica but they are not fused basally. In E. quinaspinalis , cortuni are represented by five strong thorns connected to a broad basal plate. This species is also similar to E. acrographa (Turner, 1916) from Australia. In E. yanbaruana , the median facia is light ocherous on the median part, costal and dorsal 1/6 margined by brownish shade, whereas in E. acrographa , the median facia is brown throughout. The genital morphology of E. acrographa has hitherto not been reported.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 1C–E ). Head: Vertex and frons pale yellowish white. Antenna filiform, yellowish brown, with sparse brownish black scales. Labial palpus approximately 2 times length of diameter of eye, yellowish ochreous on outer surface, yellowish white on inner surface.

Thorax: Dorsum and tegula pale yellowish white. Forewing length: 4–7 mm (n=36). Forewing: costa straight, apex strongly rounded, termen oblique, dorsum strongly arched in basal portion; ground color whitish cream, scattered with pale brown scales, basal half of costa margined by brownish shade, apical half of costal margin and dorsal margin scattered with dark brown dots; median fascia narrow, median part light ocherous, costal and dorsal 1/6 dark brown, extending from basal 2/5 of costa to 1/2 of dorsum, costal 2/5 gently curved; inner spot on apical 1/3; subterminal blotch oval shaped, light ochreous; apex with a small black spot; cilia concolorous with ground color. Hindwing: costa straight; termen strongly sinuate, basal 2/5 of dorsum strongly curved subbasally; ground color pale blackish gray; cilia pale brown.

Abdomen: Grayish black.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2D–H ): Socius long, apex rounded; transtilla sclerotized band, strongly constricted medially, with slender, long and triangular median process. Valva narrow, oval shaped, densely hairy; costal margin slightly curved, dorsal margin slightly bent and strongly curved inward at basal 2/5, costa narrow, reaching the apex of the valva, sacculus reaching 2/5 of the valva, apical part strongly curved and projecting upward, apex pointed. Juxta membranous with three sclerotized plates, central part oval shaped, parts on both side trapezoid. Vinculum short. Phallus spindle shaped, basal part rounded, carina short, apex rounded, caulis narrow, trapezoid; vesica with numerous minute spines; basal part of vesica has a combination of strong bases fused thorns of varying sizes, consisting of one slender and longest thorn, two or three large thorns and zero to four small thorns, the longest one approximately twice or three times length of other large thorns.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 3C ): Papilla analis broad, anterior 1/3 slender; apophysis posterioris 2/3 length of apophysis anterioris. Sterigma sclerotized, approximately 0.85 times length of apophysis posterioris, basal part slightly raised and concave toward ostium. Ductus bursae slightly longer than corpus bursae, weakly sclerotized and wrinkled except membranous right side of posterior 2/5, with large sclerite covered with numerous strong fine spines. Ductus seminalis arising from posterior 2/3 of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae nearly globular, with numerous minute spines throughout, anterior portion with a circle-shaped plate.

DNA sequence data. The sequence data of one male and one female specimen were deposited in GenBank and BOLD ( Table 1 ). Phylogenetic evidence (DNA barcode region) leads us to conclude that E. yanbaruana is closely to an Australian species E. acrographa (Turner, 1916) . The genetic distance between the two species is 6.47%.

Distribution. Japan (Okinawajima Island).

Etymology. The specific name yanbaruana is derived from the name of the type locality, Yanbaru, on the northern part of Okinawajima Island, the Ryukyus, Japan. The name Yanbaru means “a region of mountains and forest”.

Remarks. Razowski (1968) divided Eupoecilia into two groups ( E. ambiguella group and E. eucalypta group) based on characteristics of the socius of the male genitalia. E. yanbaruana is considered to be included in the E. eucalypta group and likely closely related to four Oriental and Australian species: E. neurosoma (Meyrick, 1938) , E. wegneri (Diakonoff, 1941) , E. taneces ( Diakonoff, 1973) , and E. quinaspinalis Zhang & Li, 2008 ( Figs 1C–D , 2F–H ; see also Razowski 1968; Diakonoff 1973, 1984; Zhang & Li 2008). E. yanbaruana forms a species cluster with these species, based on morphological evidence: light colored median fascia and the apical black spot of the forewing, as well as the presence of several strong cornuti on the basal part of the vesica of the male genitalia. In the Maximum likelihood (ML) tree ( Fig. 4 ) based on DNA barcode sequences, the two Eupoecilia species groups of Razowski (1968) were recognized as two clades, and an Australian species E. acrographa was placed as closely related to E. yanbaruana . Though the genitalia of E. acrographa remain unknown, E. acrographa shares with E. yanbaruana and its relatives the characteristics of light colored median fascia and the apical black spot of the forewing. Thus, E. acrographa may be included in the species cluster with E. yanbaruana and related species.

Eupoecilia yambaruana was collected from the forest margin areas in the northern part of the Okinawajima Island, the area known as “Yanbaru”. The area is mostly covered with old-growth subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest dominated by Castanopsis sieboldii (Makino) ( Enoki 2003) . The area is home to numerous endemic animal species such as Cheirotonus jambar Kurosawa, 1984 ( Coleoptera ) and Odorrana ishikawae (Stejneger, 1901) ( Amphibia) ( Itô et al. 2000; Kuramoto et al. 2011). Many of these endemic species in “Yanbaru” are closely related to species found in East and Southeast Asia. They are thought to be relict species that once inhabited the continental margins of the eastern part of the Eurasian continent when the Ryukyu Islands were still connected to the mainland ( Nature Conservation Division, Department of Environmental Affairs, Okinawa Prefectural Government 2017). Eupoecilia yanbaruana is also known to have a closely related species, E. quinaspinalis , which is distributed in the Fujian, mainland China ( Zhang & Li 2008). Although DNA barcode sequence is not sufficient to resolve the phylogenetics position of the species, E. yambaruana may represent an endemic species of the “Yanbaru” area, and a relict species of the E. eucalypta group that was once distributed along the margins of eastern continental Asia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The adult specimens of Eupoecilia spp. A, Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung, 2020, female; B, ditto, male; C, Eupoecilia yanbaruana sp. nov., holotype, male; D, ditto, paratype, female. Scale bars: 5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Eupoecilia spp. A, Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung, 2020, whole except phallus, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2020-11; B, C, ditto, phallus, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2020-11; D, Eupoecilia yanbaruana sp. nov., whole except phallus, holotype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2024-45; E, ditto, juxta, paratype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2023-50; F, ditto, phallus, holotype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2024-45; G, ditto, cornuti, holotype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2020-1; H, ditto, cornuti, paratype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2023-33. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–D, F); 0.1 mm (E, G, H).

FIGURE 3. Female genitalia of Eupoecilia spp. A, Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung, 2020, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2022-136; B, ditto, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2023-80; C, Eupoecilia yanbaruana sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2019-14; D, ditto, part of ductus bursae, paratype, genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2019-14. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Maximum likelihood (ML) tree of DNA barcode region in partial COI gene of Eupoecilia spp. Numbers in associated with branches are SH-aLRT support (%) / ultrafast bootstrap support (%).