Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta ( Draudt, 1950 ), 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 : 12-13

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-FFDF-FFC9-FF0E-3B30F360121D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta ( Draudt, 1950 )
status	stat. nov.

Treatment

Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta ( Draudt, 1950) stat. rev.

( Figs 6–10 View FIGURES 1–10 , 57, 58 View FIGURES 55–60 , 79 View FIGURES 73–83 , 87, 88 View FIGURES 84–89 , 130 View FIGURES 130–139 )

Craniophora inquieta Draudt, 1950 View in CoL , Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft 40: 7, pl. 1: fig. 22 (female adult), pl. 10, fig. 4 (male genitalia). Type-locality: China, Prov. Chekiang [Zhejiang], West Tien-Mu-Shan [Tianmushan]. Lectotype: female, in coll. ZFMK, here designated.

Lectotype designation. Lectotype of Craniophora inquieta Draudt, 1950 View in CoL : female, labelled as “ Allotype ”, ”West- Tien-Mu-Shan / (1600 m) Pz.Chekiang / 30.8.1932. H.Höne ” [“30.8.” blue inked, white label], “ Allotype. [double underlined] / Craniophora View in CoL / inquieta View in CoL / ♀ Draudt. ” [handwritten letters, reddish label], “ Craniophora View in CoL / inquieta View in CoL / ♀ Draudt. ” [handwritten letters], “ Genital-Unters. / 1315/78 / W. Heinicke ” [handwritten letters with printed frame], “ gen. Hampsonia View in CoL [underlined, handwritten] / Kozh. [handwritten] / det. Wolfgang Heinicke [printed letters]” [white label with printed frames] . Lectotype is deposited in the ZFMK.

Material examined. China. Beijing. 1 male, 2 females, Xiaolongmen, 17.vii.2008, leg. H.-L. Han & M.J. Qi, slide Nos: HHL6190, HHL6194, HHL6198 ( NEFU) . Prov. Hubei. 1 female, Dabie Shan , 20 km N of Fengshan, 30°58'N, 115°26'E, 1200 m, 12–27.vii.2006, leg. V. Siniaev & Team, slide No.: KA2527f ( PG) GoogleMaps . Prov. Jilin. 1 male, 1 [abdomen missing], Changbaishan , 25–28.vii.2008, leg. H.L. Han & J.W. Li, slide No.: HHL6187 ( NEFU) . Prov. Zhejiang. Paralectotype, male, West Tien-Mu-Shan [Tianmushan], 1600 m, 5.viii.1932, leg. H. Höne, ex. coll. H. Höne ( ZFMK) .

Notes. Unfortunately, Draudt (1950) has not designated properly the type specimens in his work. Only the single one female specimen was stated as allotype in the diagnosis (“der Raum hinter der Nierenmakel ist hell, bei einem ♀, der Allotype, ganz weiss” [the space behind the reniform stigma is light, in one ♀, the allotype, completely white]), and was also pictured by Draudt (1950: pl. 1, fig. 22). Later, W. Heinicke prepared its genitalia under slide number “1315/ 78 W. Heinicke”. Furthermore, it is not revealed exactly how many male specimens were available at the description: “Wenige Stücke von West-tienmu-shan” [a few pieces from West-tienmu-shan]. A male genitalia were pictured by Draudt (1950: pl. 10, fig. 4), however, the only current male specimen, labelled as holotype, is lacking the full abdomen and the slide number if the latter has ever existed. At the same time, the male genitalia slide is still missing, most probably destroyed during the World War II (D. Stüning, pers. comm.).

Because of the incomplete type designation, lectotype designation is necessary. Since the female specimen is the iconotype, and has the genitalia slide, it was selected for lectotype.

Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta exhibits four geographically separated and externally also distinguishable populations. From south to north, the ground colour of the forewing become darker and more brownish, however, it is possible that the green colour turning into brown. On the other hand, the available material is insufficient for further taxonomical decisions.

The male terminal abdominal segments were not prepared together with the genitalia.

Diagnosis. Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta ( Figs 6–10 View FIGURES 1–10 ) can be separated from its relatives by the darker thorax (except in C. (C.) muscosa ( Figs 11–13 View FIGURES 11–20 )); the much darker forewing (except in C. (C.) muscosa ) occasionally with a rose-tinted reflectance; the more pronounced basal streak with a more lightly coloured rounded spot at its end; the tiny, somewhat more complete orbicular stigma; from C. (C.) muscosa by the generally more pronounced, brownish suprabasal patch; the somewhat less crenulate postmedial line; in males, the somewhat more uniform forewing; in females, the somewhat more variegated forewing; and the generally more conspicuous whitish medial field between the reniform stigma and postmedial line; from C. (C.) oda ( Figs 14–20 View FIGURES 11–20 ) by the darker medial field; the darker reniform stigma; and the more contrasting postmedial line. Wingspan 29–32 mm.

In the male genitalia of C. (C.) inquieta ( Figs 57, 58 View FIGURES 55–60 ), compared to C. (C.) muscosa ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 55–60 ), the valvae are narrower, and apically somewhat more rounded; the medial sclerite is straighter, longer. Compared to C. (C.) aurata ( Figs 55, 56 View FIGURES 55–60 ), the valvae are somewhat narrower and slightly more curved; and the sacculus is more uniformly wide. Compared to C. (C.) oda ( Figs 60–64 View FIGURES 55–60 View FIGURES 61–66 ), the valvae are apically somewhat more rounded; the sacculus is somewhat wider; and the medial sclerite is somewhat more sclerotized in three quarters. Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta ( Fig. 79 View FIGURES 73–83 ) has 4(?)–5, more or less equally sized, sclerotized, tooth-like cornuti surrounded by sparse tiny, sclerotized spinulose structures on the mid-lateral surface of the vesica.

The female genitalia of C. (C.) inquieta ( Figs 87, 88 View FIGURES 84–89 ) can be distinguished from those of the species of the oda group ( Figs 84–86, 89–93 View FIGURES 84–89 View FIGURES 90–95 ) by the shorter sclerotized, ribbed part of appendix bursae; and the somewhat straighter, uniformly wide terminal twist of the appendix bursae.

In the female 7 th abdominal segments of C. (C.) inquieta ( Fig. 130 View FIGURES 130–139 ), the sternite has a more convex lateral side distally with a larger curved end; and a slightly more sclerotized, semi-circular distal band compared to C. (C.) moganshanica ( Fig. 128 View FIGURES 122–129 ), C. (C.) aurata ( Fig. 129 View FIGURES 122–129 ) and C. (C.) muscosa ( Fig. 131 View FIGURES 130–139 ).

Distribution. Cranionycta (Cranionycta) inquieta is represented by four distinct populations in China: Prov. Zhejiang, Tianmushan (locus typicus); Prov. Hubei, Dabie Shan; Beijing, Xiaolongmen (sympatrically with C. (C.) muscosa ); and Prov. Jilin, Changbaishan (possibly sympatrically with C. (C.) oda oda ).