Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) lobophorus, Kiss, 2025

Kiss, Ádám, 2025, Taxonomic study of the genus Cranionycta de Lattin, 1949 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Acronictinae) with description of a new subgenus and 21 new species, Zootaxa 5640 (1), pp. 1-71 : 20-21

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5640.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0A887E65-2B6E-4F61-A0C8-33F019F397E0
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DDA77A-FFC7-FFD1-FF0E-3EACF56113B1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) lobophorus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) lobophorus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8A1D072C-16B7-4FE2-AB81-FDCAE7748823

( Figs 25 View FIGURES 21–30 , 96 View FIGURES 96–106 , 135 View FIGURES 130–139 )

Holotype. Female , Nepal, Milke Danda, Gursa [Gorja], 2100 m, 3.vii.1998, leg. M. Hreblay & B. Benedek, slide No.: KA172f ( HNHM).

Paratype. India. Sikkim: 1 female, Rumtek, Route de Song , 24.viii.1993, slide No .: ♀ 7313 ( GO) .

Diagnosis. The female of C. (N.) lobophorus ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 21–30 ) can be distinguished from its closest relatives (C. (N.) versicolor ( Figs 27, 28 View FIGURES 21–30 ), C. (N.) mailungana ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 21–30 ) and C. (N.) delattini ( Figs 29, 30 View FIGURES 21–30 )) by the following features: its more mottled forewing with dark brownish patches; the conspicuous, irregular blackish spot of the medial line at the inner margin; and the somewhat more crenulate postmedial line. The species has, compared to the externally very similar C. (N.) gorkhalii ( Figs 37, 38 View FIGURES 31–40 ), C. (N.) punctifera ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 31–40 ), C. (N.) pallidobrunnea ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 41–50 ), C. (N.) nigralbata ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 41–50 ), C. (N.) boursini ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 41–50 ) and C. (N.) falcata ( Fig. 54 View FIGURES 51–54 ), a slightly more brownish (except in C. (N.) boursini ), tangled, indistinct antemedial line in the costal area; a conspicuous, irregular blackish spot at the medial line at the inner margin; a more indistinct, almost absent reniform stigma; a uniformly narrower, inner part of medial field with a more hourglass-shaped section between the antemedial and medial lines next to the inner margin of the forewing; compared to C. (N.) punctifera and C. (N.) nigralbata , it has a somewhat less crenulate postmedial line with a simpler, moderately deep, V-shaped teeth between veins M1 and M2; a somewhat darker, in the inner half more indistinct medial fascia; compared to C. (N.) gorkhalii , C. (N.) punctifera and C. (N.) pallidobrunnea , has a more mottled forewing; a conspicuous, tiny blackish spot as a remnant of the inner outline of the orbicular stigma; compared to C. (N.) boursini , has a somewhat more crenulate postmedial line with a simpler, moderately deep, V-shaped teeth between veins M1 and M2; compared to C. (N.) gorkhalii , has a somewhat more conspicuous, indistinct basal streak; a somewhat more zigzag medial line; compared to C. (N.) pallidobrunnea , C. (N.) nigralbata and C. (N.) boursini , has a more indistinct suprabasal patch; compared to C. (N.) punctifera , C. (N.) pallidobrunnea and C. (N.) boursini , has a somewhat straighter, less curved medial line.

The female genitalia ( Fig. 96 View FIGURES 96–106 ) can be distinguished from those of C. (N.) versicolor ( Fig. 97 View FIGURES 96–106 ) and C. (N.) mailungana ( Fig. 98 View FIGURES 96–106 ) by the more regular, lobe-like distal extension of the anterior apophysis; the slightly inwardly curved, uniformly narrower terminal twist of the appendix bursae; from C. (N.) delattini ( Fig. 99 View FIGURES 96–106 ) by the entirely larger female genitalia; the wider junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; the shorter, sclerotized and ribbed part of the appendix bursae; and the rather straighter terminal twist of the appendix bursae.

In the female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 135 View FIGURES 130–139 ), the sternite has a proximally concave, distally convex lateral side with a more or less pointed distal corner; a barely detectable semi-circular distal band compared to its relatives.

Description. Imago ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 21–30 ). Wingspan 33 mm. Head. Relatively large; 2 nd segment of palpus longer than 3 rd; antennae filiform. Thorax. Moderately wide, blackish-grey; patagia greyish, outlined in black; tegulae concolorous with thorax and with thin blackish outline. Abdomen. Greyish-brown with some blackish middorsal scale tufts. Wing. Forewing moderately narrow, apically obtuse, greyish-brown mottled; basal spot blackish, tiny, irregularly shaped; basal streak blackish, moderately long, indistinct, wedge-shaped; tornal streak blackish, moderately long, reaching postmedial line, wide, stripe-like; apical dash blackish, short, reduced, line-like; basal line blackish, double, indistinct, filled with greyish-brown; antemedial line blackish, double, wavy, with three blackish, larger spots at costal area, filled with whitish and greyish scales, and with tiny blackish spot at inner margin; medial line blackish, thin, zigzag with conspicuous, irregular blackish spot at inner margin; medial fascia wide, blackish, outwardly fading; postmedial line double, crenulate, inner line greyish-black, thin, reduced, outer line blackish, somewhat more prominent with narrow black stripe between veins R3 and M2, filled with whitish; subterminal line whitish-grey, indistinct, zigzag; terminal line whitish, interrupted by black on veins; basal field greyish-brown, narrow, joined to subbasal patch; subbasal patch whitish, wide; suprabasal patch short, indistinct, stripe-like; antemedial field light brownish-grey, narrow at costa with blackish patch; medial field inwardly off-white with some greyish-ochre shading at costal area, outwardly light brownish-grey suffused with blackish scales, inner part narrow; subterminal field brownish-grey with large, blackish, squarish patches in costal area, between veins M1 and M2 and around tornal streak; terminal field light whitish-grey, narrow, forming more or less arrowhead-like patches; orbicular stigma reduced, marked with lighter off-white spot with inwardly indistinct, tiny, spot-like blackish line; reniform stigma large, reduced, inwardly slightly blackish, outwardly light brownish-grey, outlined with series of tiny blackish spots or lines; four whitish spots at costa between medial fascia and terminal line, gradually decreasing in size towards apex, first more or less rectangular, second wide and thin, last two spot-like; tornal patch blackish, small; fringe whitish with greyish patches. Hindwing rounded, apically slightly pointed; fully greyish-brown; marginal band barely dark greyish-brown; postdiscal line very pale, slightly dark greyish-brown; discal spot absent; tornal patch faint, blackish or dark greyish-brown; fringe whitish with greyish patches.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 96 View FIGURES 96–106 ). Ovipositor rounded, slightly longer than wide, tapering posteriorly. Papillae anales weakly sclerotized, oval, densely hairy. Anterior and posterior apophysis weakly sclerotized, rod-like; anterior apophysis with lobe-like distal extension shorter than posterior apophysis. Ostium longitudinally ribbed, moderately sclerotized. Antrum short, moderately sclerotized, more or less funnel-shaped. Ductus bursae short, moderately sclerotized, ribbed. Corpus bursae large, bulbous, weakly sclerotized with two opposing distal signa. Appendix bursae shorter than corpus bursae, coiled, moderately sclerotized, ribbed except in distal third, terminal twist slightly inwardly curved, uniformly narrow; junction with corpus bursae long and narrow.

Female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 135 View FIGURES 130–139 ). 7 th sternite quadrangular, as long as wide, entirely weakly sclerotized with barely detectable, barely sclerotized semi-circular distal band; proximal edge straight; lateral sides proximally concave, distally convex with more or less pointed distal corner and less contrasting margin; distal edge concave, V-shaped. 7 th tergite roughly trapezoidal, slightly wider than long, weakly sclerotized with slightly more sclerotized semi-circular distal band, and in middle with long, narrow, indistinct window; proximal edge more or less straight with two curved, somewhat sclerotized rods; lateral sides straight with less contrasting margin; distal edge slightly concave, constricted.

Distribution. Himalayan. Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) lobophorus is known only from the southern massif of Kangchenjunga ( Nepal: Milke Danda and India: Sikkim), and probably occurs sympatrically with C. (N.) punctifera and C. (N.) senjelungma .

Etymology. The name “ lobophorus ” means “bearing a rounded protuberance” referring to the distal rounded, lobe-like extension of anterior apophysis.