Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) warreni, 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 : 27-29

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5640.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0A887E65-2B6E-4F61-A0C8-33F019F397E0
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15563225
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DDA77A-FFCE-FFD9-FF0E-3EA8F5A916D1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) warreni
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) warreni sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8C9FA875-3445-41A6-B09F-44E549EB3A1F

( Figs 31, 32 View FIGURES 31–40 , 69 View FIGURES 67–72 , 100 View FIGURES 96–106 , 121 View FIGURES 114–121 , 139 View FIGURES 130–139 )

Holotype. Female , Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, 1600–1800 m, 7.vi.1967, leg. Dierl, Forster & Schacht, slide No.: KA970f ( ZSM).

Paratype. Nepal. 1 male, same locality as holotype, 6.viii.1967, leg. Dierl & Schacht, slide No.: KA 969m ( ZSM) .

Diagnosis. Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) warreni ( Figs 31, 32 View FIGURES 31–40 ) differs externally from C. (N.) dierli ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 31–40 ), C. (N.) senjelungma ( Figs 33, 34 View FIGURES 31–40 ), C. (N.) punakhae ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 41–50 ), C. (N.) albothoracica ( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 41–50 ) and the males of C. (N.) fuscothoracica ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 41–50 ) and C. (N.) keeskleini ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 31–40 ) by its lighter greyish-brown forewing with more ochreous shading in the basal and outer areas; the somewhat narrower, less contrasting medial fascia; the more reduced, lighter filled reniform stigma; from C. (N.) dierli by the less crenulate and less contrast postmedial line; from C. (N.) senjelungma by the somewhat more reduced antemedial line; the more whitish, less contrast postmedial line; from C. (N.) punakhae , C. (N.) albothoracica and the males of C. (N.) fuscothoracica and C. (N.) keeskleini by the narrower inner part of the medial field; and the somewhat wider, less contrast postmedial field. In male, the forewing narrower and the medial line somewhat wavier than in female.

The male genitalia ( Fig. 69 View FIGURES 67–72 ) have, compared to C. (N.) senjelungma ( Fig. 70 View FIGURES 67–72 ), a more or less straighter, thicker uncus; a somewhat more robust valvae but narrower at the basal one-third then widening stepwise towards the apex with two breaks on the costa, and with a ventrally gently curved rounded apex; and the somewhat higher, more angled sacculus.

The female genitalia ( Fig. 100 View FIGURES 96–106 ) can be distinguished from those of C. (N.) dierli ( Fig. 101 View FIGURES 96–106 )and C. (N.) senjelungma ( Figs 102, 103 View FIGURES 96–106 ) by the somewhat shorter, wider ductus bursae; the narrower, somewhat longer junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; the straighter appendix bursae with a smaller curve, and a longitudinally oriented, straighter end of the sclerotized section; and a uniformly wide, longitudinally oriented terminal twist of the appendix bursae.

In the male terminal abdominal segments ( Fig. 121 View FIGURES 114–121 ), compared to C. (N.) senjelungma ( Fig. 122 View FIGURES 122–129 ), C. (N.) warreni has a longer 8 th sternite with a cloverleaf-shaped sclerotized distal patch, with a wider, slightly constricted, lens-shaped sclerotized stripe, and with a longer window; has a slightly wider 8 th tergite with a more pointed proximal edge, a larger distal end of the lateral sides, and a proportionally wider window. The anterolateral sclerites of the 8 th abdominal segment are longer than those of C. (N.) senjelungma .

In the female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 139 View FIGURES 130–139 ), compared to those of its relatives, the sternite has more convex, slightly wavier lateral sides; and a narrow, conspicuously widened in the middle semi-circular distal band.

Description. Imago ( Figs 31, 32 View FIGURES 31–40 ). Wingspan 28–29 mm. Head. Relatively large; 2 nd segment of palpus longer than 3 rd in both sexes; antennae of both sexes filiform. Thorax. Moderately wide, greyish-white with two blackish spots; patagia concolorous with thorax with thin blackish outline; tegulae slightly darker greyish-white with thin blackish outline. Abdomen. Whitish-grey with some darker middorsal scale tufts. Wing. Forewing moderately narrow, narrower in male than in female, elongate, apically obtuse, light greyish-brown with ochreous shading in basal and marginal areas; basal spot blackish, small, more or less semi-circular; basal streak blackish, short, indistinct, wedge-shaped or line-like; tornal streak blackish, thin, long, between medial and postmedial lines obscure, between postmedial and terminal lines wide, stripe-like; apical dash blackish, tiny, spot-like; basal line blackish, double, outer line short, conspicuously wider than inner line, inner line very short, dot-like, filled with whitish-grey-brown; antemedial line reduced, with three blackish spots at costal area and at inner margin with short, somewhat contrast section filled with whitish scales, and tiny blackish spot outwardly; medial line blackish, moderately wide, zigzag, in male somewhat wavier than in female; medial fascia relatively narrow, blackish, outwardly fading; postmedial line double, crenulate, inner line greyish-black, thin, reduced, outer line blackish, more prominent, with narrow black stripe between veins R3 and M2, filled with whitish colour; subterminal line off-white, indistinct, zigzag; terminal line whitish, interrupted by black on veins; basal field whitish-grey-ochre, very narrow, fused with interior of basal line and joined to subbasal patch; subbasal patch whitish, moderately wide and long; suprabasal patch brownish-ochre, obscure, stripe-like; antemedial field greyish-brown, narrow at costa with indistinct, blackish patch and ochreous shading at inner margin; medial field inwardly off-white suffused with greyish at costal area, outwardly greyish-brown, both inner and outer parts narrow; subterminal field greyish-brown with some ochreous shading and large, blackish-grey, squarish patches in costal area, obscure between veins M1 and M2 and around tornal streak; terminal field greyish, narrow, indistinct with hastate spots; orbicular stigma reduced, somewhat lighter whitish spot with short, black curved line or tiny dots inwardly; reniform stigma moderate, light greyish-brown inwardly somewhat darker, outlined with series of tiny blackish spots; four more or less quadrangular whitish spots at costa between medial fascia and terminal line, gradually decreasing in size towards apex; tornal patch blackish, small; fringe whitish with greyish patches. Hindwing rounded, apically slightly pointed; fully greyish-brown; marginal band slightly darker greyish-brown; postdiscal line faint; discal spot faint; tornal patch faint, darker greyish-ochre; fringe whitish with greyish patches.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 69 View FIGURES 67–72 ). Uncus moderately short, sclerotized, basally wide then uniformly narrowing, hairy; apex hooked. Scaphium moderately sclerotized, pliers-like; subscaphium weakly sclerotized. Tegumen long with lobe-like peniculus covered with dense long hairs. Saccus sclerotized, V-shaped. Juxta simple, moderately sclerotized, widest at base, shield-shaped. Manica double, moderately sclerotized lobe-like extension with spinulose structure supporting numerous small spinules. Transtilla short, rod-like, uniformly wide, sclerotized. Valvae elongate, narrowest in basal one-third then widening stepwise towards apex with two breaks on costa, moderately sclerotized; sacculus narrow, sclerotized; clavus slightly curved; valval androconial apparatus absent; medial sclerite moderately long, straight and sclerotized; apex ventrally gently curved and rounded with wide, dense corona. Phallus simple, tubular, moderately sclerotized; carina slightly more sclerotized, wide, short, wedge-shaped. Vesica as long as phallus, moderately wide, essentially tubular with three basal diverticula one of them bearing spinulose patch, distal diverticulum larger, elongate; tooth-like cornuti absent from mid-lateral surface.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 139 View FIGURES 130–139 ). Ovipositor rounded, slightly longer than wide, tapering posteriorly. Papillae anales weakly sclerotized, oval, densely hairy. Anterior and posterior apophysis equal in length, weakly sclerotized, rod-like; anterior apophysis with slightly widened lobe-like distal extension. 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 slightly shorter than corpus bursae, coiled, moderately sclerotized, ribbed except in distal third, terminal twist straight and uniformly wide; junction with corpus bursae long and narrow.

Male 7 th and 8 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 121 View FIGURES 114–121 ). 7 th sternite roughly trapezoidal, wider than long, uniformly sclerotized with slightly more sclerotized, narrow semi-circular distal band; proximal edges slightly wavy, laterally extended; lateral edges slightly convex with less contrasting margin; distal edge slightly concave. 7 th tergite quadrangular, wider than long; proximal half slightly sclerotized, distal half slightly more sclerotized semi-circular band with in middle indistinct window; proximal edge more or less straight with two long, curved, slightly stronger sclerotized rods; lateral edges concave, wavy with less contrasting margin; distal edge slightly concave. 8 th sternite quadrangular with rounded corner, longer than wide; window relatively large, more or less quadrangular with rounded proximal margin and angled distal corner, in middle with narrow, laterally pointed, slightly constricted sclerotized stripe; proximal edge slightly arched with more sclerotized patch in middle; lateral sides proximally uniformly narrow, distally strongly widened and fused, with cloverleaf-shaped sclerotized patch; distal edge concave. 8 th tergite sclerotized, bell-shaped, about 1.5× as long as wide; window spade-shaped, long, with more or less contrast margin; proximal edge short, pointed; lateral sides proximally wider, narrowest in middle and distally wide and bulbous; distal edge straight. Anterolateral sclerites of 8 th segment relatively long, straight sclerotized rods.

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

Distribution. Himalayan. Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) warreni is only known from the southern part of the Kathmandu valley (Godavari), and occurs sympatrically with C. (N.) delattini , C. (N.) dierli and C. (N.) pallidobrunnea at mid-elevation (1600–1800 m).

Etymology. The species is dedicated to William Warren, a famous English lepidopterologist, and who worked on different groups of Lepidoptera worldwide.