Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) albothoracica, 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 : 55-61

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.15563249
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DDA77A-FFE2-FFF9-FF0E-3E44F594179D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) albothoracica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) albothoracica sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E42B0052-32A5-41FD-B9A2-B7E6C2DA354A

( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 41–50 , 76 View FIGURES 73–83 , 111 View FIGURES 107–113 , 126 View FIGURES 122–129 , 144 View FIGURES 140–146 )

Holotype. Female , Laos, Phu Soai Dao, 1250 m, vi.1996, leg. Steinke & Lehmann, slide No.: KA1225f ( GB).

Paratype. Vietnam. 1 male, Plato Tay , Nguyen, Mt. Ngok Linh, 1400 m, 15°02'N, 107°59'E, 10–25.viii.1996, leg. Siniaev & Afonin GoogleMaps , slide No.: KA 2072m ( MfN) .

Diagnosis. Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) albothoracica ( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 41–50 ) is externally similar to C. (N.) jubingica ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 41–50 ), C. (N.) warreni ( Figs 31, 32 View FIGURES 31–40 ) and the male of C. (N.) fuscothoracica ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 41–50 ). It can be distinguished from them by the somewhat larger, more oval black anterior spot of the thorax; from C. (N.) jubingica by the paler, more uniform forewing without pinkish shading on the antemedial field or warm brownish patches; the more crenulate postmedial line; the lighter hindwing; the lighter head; and the whitish thorax; from C. (N.) warreni by the somewhat more angled medial line; and the whitish thorax; from the male of C. (N.) fuscothoracica by the white head and thorax; the less brownish forewing with a lighter antemedial field; the somewhat more crenulate postmedial line; the more indistinct, crenulate subterminal line; and the paler hindwing.

The male genitalia ( Fig. 76 View FIGURES 73–83 ) can be distinguished from those of C. (N.) boursini ( Fig. 74 View FIGURES 73–83 ) and C. (N.) jubingica ( Fig. 75 View FIGURES 73–83 ) by the more parallel, ventral margins of the gently curved valvae and the somewhat more sclerotized, longer medial sclerite with a pronounced patch-like sclerotized basal protrusion.

The female genitalia ( Fig. 111 View FIGURES 107–113 ) have, compared to those of C. (N.) dieteri ( Fig. 112 View FIGURES 107–113 ) and C. (N.) atrazonaria ( Fig. 113 View FIGURES 107–113 ), a slightly shorter, somewhat more heavily ribbed ductus bursae; a longer junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; and a wider distal part of the appendix bursae with an expanded terminal twist.

In the male terminal abdominal segments ( Fig. 126 View FIGURES 122–129 ), compared to those of C. (N.) jubingica ( Fig. 125 View FIGURES 122–129 ), the 8 th sternite is quadrangular with more parallel lateral sides and more or less semi-circular sclerotized distal patch; has a more rounded window with a somewhat wider, lens-shaped, slightly more constricted sclerotized proximal stripe. The 8 th tergite has a somewhat more triangular shape with a wider proximal edge; more abruptly narrowing lateral sides; and a narrower, more or less spade-shaped window with a conspicuous peak proximally.

In the female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 144 View FIGURES 140–146 ), compared to that of C. (N.) dieteri ( Fig. 145 View FIGURES 140–146 ) and C. (N.) atrazonaria ( Fig. 146 View FIGURES 140–146 ), the sternite has more concave lateral sides with slightly more pointed distal corner; and a uniformly narrower, slightly more elongate, sclerotized semi-circular distal band.

Description. Imago ( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 41–50 ). Wingspan 29–32 mm. Head. Relatively large; 2 nd segment of the palpus longer than the 3 rd in both sexes; antennae of both sexes filiform. Thorax. Moderately wide, whitish-grey with relatively large oval black anterior spot; patagia whitish-grey; tegulae whitish-grey with some blackish scales. Abdomen. Whitish-grey with some darker middorsal scale tufts. Wing. Forewing moderately wide, apically obtuse, light whitish-grey; basal spot blackish, small, irregularly shaped; basal streak indistinct, blackish, wide, short, wedge-shaped; tornal streak blackish, long, thin between medial and postmedial lines, wide and somewhat triangular between postmedial and terminal lines; apical dash reduced, represented by some blackish scales; basal line blackish, double, outer line thin in male, wide in female, inner line barely detectable, very short, dot-like, filled with whitish-grey-ochre; antemedial line double, in male reduced, with three indistinct, blackish, larger spots at costal area, indistinct thin greyish line at inner margin filled with off-white and tiny blackish spot at vein A1+2, in female completely reduced only with larger indistinct spots at costal area; medial line blackish, wide but variable in thickness, zigzag; medial fascia wide, blackish, outwardly slightly fading; postmedial line double, crenulate, inner line greyish, reduced, outer line blackish, more prominent with narrow black stripe between veins R3 and M2, filled with whitish; subterminal line relatively wide, indistinct, more or less zigzag, off-white; terminal line whitish, interrupted by tiny, black on veins; basal field whitish-grey, narrow, fused with interior of basal line and joined to subbasal and suprabasal patches; subbasal patch whitish-ochre, wide and long; suprabasal patch indistinct, greyish, irregularly shaped; antemedial field greyish suffused with whitish and ochreous scales, with large blackish patch at costa and darker greyish field at inner margin; medial field inwardly off-white suffused with some greyish-ochre scales in costal area, outwardly ochreous suffused with greyish, inner part wide, outer part narrow; subterminal field greyish-ochre with large, blackish-grey, squarish patches in costal area, obscure between veins M1 and M2 and around tornal streak; terminal field greyish, narrow, indistinct; orbicular stigma reduced, represented by some blackish, scales inwardly, or absent; reniform stigma moderately large, reduced, ochreous, inwardly suffused with greyish scales, 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, slightly pointed apically; fully greyish-brown; marginal band, postdiscal line and discal spot slightly darker greyish-brown; tornal patch absent; fringe whitish with greyish patches.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 76 View FIGURES 73–83 ). Uncus moderately short, sclerotized, widest at base, 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, narrow, basally somewhat wide then more or less parallel, moderately sclerotized; sacculus narrow, sclerotized, ventral margin gently curved; clavus slightly curved; valval androconial apparatus absent; medial sclerite moderately long, straight and sclerotized with patch-like sclerotized basal protrusion; apex 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. 111 View FIGURES 107–113 ). Ovipositor rounded, slightly longer than wide, tapering posteriorly. Papillae anales weakly sclerotized, oval, densely hairy. Anterior and posterior apophysis weakly sclerotized, rod-like; posterior apophysis with slightly extended distal end, about 1.5× as long as anterior 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 short and wide; junction with corpus bursae long, relatively narrow.

Male 7 th and 8 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 126 View FIGURES 122–129 ). 7 th sternite quadrangular, wider than long, uniformly sclerotized; proximal edges slightly wavy, laterally extended; lateral sides proximally concave, distally convex with contrasting margins; distal edge slightly concave. 7 th tergite roughly trapezoidal, wider than long; proximal half slightly sclerotized, distal half slightly more sclerotized semi-circular band; proximal edge more or less straight with two fused, long, curved sclerotized rods; lateral sides slightly concave with contrasting margins; distal edge slightly concave. 8 th sternite quadrangular with rounded corner, somewhat longer than wide; window relatively large, more or less rounded, with narrow, laterally pointed, slightly constricted sclerotized stripe; proximal edge arched with more sclerotized patch in middle; lateral sides parallel, strongly widened and fused distally, with more or less semi-circular sclerotized patch; distal edge concave. 8 th tergite triangular, proximally more sclerotized than distally, about 1.5× as long as wide; window narrow, spade-shaped, with conspicuous peak proximally; proximal edge short and more or less wide; lateral sides abruptly narrowing toward distal edge, narrowest in middle and ended in wide and triangular section; distal edge more or less straight. Anterolateral sclerites of 8 th segment relatively long, sclerotized, slightly curved rods with membranous spur-like extension close to junction with 8 th sternite.

Female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 144 View FIGURES 140–146 ). 7 th sternite quadrangular, as long as wide, weakly sclerotized with uniformly narrow, slightly elongate, slightly more sclerotized semi-circular distal band; proximal edge straight; lateral sides concave with slightly pointed distal corner and somewhat contrasting margins; distal edge concave. 7 th tergite roughly trapezoidal, as long as wide, weakly sclerotized with slightly more sclerotized semi-circular distal band, and with narrow window in middle; proximal edge more or less straight with two curved, somewhat sclerotized rods; lateral sides slightly concave, and slightly wavy with slightly contrasting margin; distal edge straight.

Distribution. Indo-Chinese. The species probably inhabits the mountainous regions of the Indochinese Peninsula, partly sympatrically with C. (N.) fuscothoracica .

Etymology. The name “ albothoracica ” refers to the colouration of the thorax as a distinctive character from the externally very similar C. (N.) fuscothoracica .