Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) pallidobrunnea, 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 : 37-38

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.15563237
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DDA77A-FFF0-FFE0-FF0E-3C20F219176D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) pallidobrunnea
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) pallidobrunnea sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:94A52EC9-0CDD-4B49-A0C5-510E89AA660E

( Figs 41 View FIGURES 41–50 , 107 View FIGURES 107–113 , 142 View FIGURES 140–146 )

Holotype. Female , Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, 1600–1800 m, 2.vi.1967, leg. Dierl, Forster & Schacht, slide No.: KA1221f ( ZSM).

Diagnosis. The only known specimen of this species ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 41–50 ) most closely resembles C. (N.) delattini ( Figs 29, 30 View FIGURES 21–30 ), C. (N.) boursini ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 41–50 ), C. (N.) falcata ( Fig. 54 View FIGURES 51–54 ) and especially C. (N.) dierli ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 31–40 ). The main distinctive characters of C. (N.) pallidobrunnea are the relatively wider forewing with a more greyish-brown colour; the evenly greyish-brown basal, medial and terminal fields; the reduced antemedial line with an indistinct blackish-grey dot and with a bluish-tinged whitish scales at the inner margin; the somewhat more angled, zigzag medial line; the somewhat more densely crenulate postmedial line with greyish-brown filling at the tornal streak; the completely reduced orbicular stigma, only slightly different in its colour; and the almost completely reduced reniform stigma outlined only with some blackish scales.

The female genitalia ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 107–113 ) can be distinguished from those of its relatives (C. (N.) punakhae ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 107–113 ), C. (N.) fuscothoracica ( Fig. 110 View FIGURES 107–113 ) and C. (N.) castanea ( Fig. 109 View FIGURES 107–113 )) by the longer, narrower ductus bursae; the relatively wider, shorter junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; the basally more laterally turned appendix bursae with a larger turn of the sclerotized section; and the smaller terminal twist of the appendix bursae.

In the female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 142 View FIGURES 140–146 ), the sternite has more irregular, straighter and parallel lateral sides with a less pointed distal corner; and a reduced, rather absent semi-circular distal band.

Description. Imago ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 41–50 ). Wingspan 32 mm. Head. Relatively large; 2 nd segment of palpus longer than 3 rd; antennae filiform. Thorax. Moderately wide, greyish-brown with two indistinct blackish spots; patagia and tegulae concolorous with thorax with thin blackish outlines. Abdomen. Whitish-grey with some darker middorsal scale tufts. Wing. Forewing wide, slightly elongate, apically obtuse, greyish-brown; basal spot blackish, tiny, irregularly shaped; basal streak blackish, moderately long, somewhat indistinct, line-like; tornal streak blackish, long, widest between postmedial and terminal lines, thin and indistinct between medial and postmedial lines; apical dash blackish, reduced, spot-like; basal line blackish, double, outer line conspicuously wider than inner line, filled with greyish-brown; antemedial line reduced, thin, indistinct blackish-grey, with three blackish, larger spots at costal area, and with bluish-tinged whitish scales and tiny blackish spot at outward edge of inner margin; medial line blackish, thin, zigzag; medial fascia wide, blackish, outwardly fading; postmedial line double, densely crenulate, inner line greyish-black, thin, reduced; outer line blackish, more prominent, with narrow black stripe between veins R3 and M2, filled with whitish and greyish-brown at tornal streak; subterminal line absent; terminal line whitish, interrupted by black on veins; basal field greyish-brown, narrow, joined to subbasal patch; subbasal patch whitish, wide and short; suprabasal patch greyish-brown, more or less oval; antemedial field greyish-brown suffused with blackish and whitish scales, and with blackish patch at costa; medial field entirely greyish-brown suffused with some blackish scales, both inner and outer parts narrow; subterminal field greyish-brown with large, blackish-grey, squarish patches in costal area, obscure between veins M1 and M2 and around tornal streak; terminal field whitish-grey, narrow with whitish-grey patches on veins; orbicular stigma reduced, slightly lighter brown; reniform stigma moderately large, reduced, warm brownish, darker brownish inwardly, outlined with tiny blackish spots; four somewhat indistinct 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, greyish-ochre; marginal band slightly darker greyish-ochre; postdiscal line faint; discal spot absent; tornal patch faint, greyish-ochre fringe whitish with greyish patches.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 107–113 ). 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; posterior apophysis with slightly extended distal end. 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 much shorter than corpus bursae, coiled, moderately sclerotized, ribbed except in distal third, terminal twist short and wide, outwardly turned; junction with corpus bursae long and narrow.

Female 7 th abdominal segments ( Fig. 142 View FIGURES 140–146 ). 7 th sternite quadrangular, as long as wide, weakly sclerotized with reduced semi-circular distal band; proximal edge straight; lateral sides straight, parallel with less pointed distal corner and somewhat contrasting margins; distal edge concave. 7 th tergite roughly trapezoidal, slightly wider than long, weakly sclerotized with faint but more sclerotized semi-circular distal band, and faint and narrow window in middle; proximal edge more or less straight with two curved, somewhat sclerotized rods; lateral sides wavy with less contrasting margins; distal edge concave and constricted.

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

Etymology. The name “ pallidobrunnea ” refers to the greyish-brown forewing of the new species.