Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) intermedia, Chen & Pan & Volynkin & Saldaitis & Benedek & Zhou, 2025

Chen, Enyong, Pan, Zhaohui, Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Benedek, Balázs & Zhou, Yonghong, 2025, On the taxonomy of the subgenera Tatsipolia, Chalapolia, and Kitapolia of the genus Dasypolia Guenée with the description of six new species from southern Xizang, China (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), ZooKeys 1244, pp. 249-280 : 249-280

Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) intermedia sp. nov.

Figs 18–20 , 46 , 47–48 , 63

Type material.

Holotype (Figs 18 , 46 ): China • ♂, “ TU -00936 | Mira Mountain , Gaxing | Township, Gongbu Jiangda | County, Linzhi City, Xizang | N29°51'1.09" | E92°20'27.55" | 27.9 [ix]. 2024 h [altitude] 4902.8 m (coll. [leg.:] | Chen Enyong) ” ( TU) . Paratypes (3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, all in TU). China • 1 ♂, same data as in holotype, unique ID: TU -00935 ; • 1 ♀, same data as previous but 29°50'6.15"N, 92°20'37.06"E, 10. ix. 2024, 4980.3 m, unique ID: TU -00964 ; • 2 ♂♂, Mira Mountain, Bungay Pond , Gaxing Township, Gongbu Jiangda County, Linzhi City, Xizang, 29°53'59.85"N, 92°20'59.36"E, 24. viii. 2024, 4530.2 m (Chen Enyong leg.), unique IDs: TU -00779 , 00892 .

Diagnosis.

Dasypolia intermedia sp. nov., with its larger size, elongate forewing and bipectinate male antenna, is externally readily different from other species in the D. vignai species group and is reminiscent of certain members of the D. nivalis species group, namely D. diffusa sp. nov., from which D. intermedia sp. nov. is distinguished by the more elongate forewing with a darker ground colour and more distinct markings. The male genital capsule of the new species is most reminiscent of the externally dissimilar D. ruficilia but differs in the narrower uncus, the longer and broader valva, the shorter cucullus with a narrower setose area, the thicker ampulla directed more distally, and the broader clasper with a slightly larger harpe directed anteriorly (inwards). Additionally, unlike D. ruficilia , the juxta of D. diffusa sp. nov. is more weakly sclerotised, anteriorly narrower, and bears a shorter and triangular medio-dorsal process, which is thumb-shaped in D. ruficilia . The phallus of D. diffusa sp. nov. is distally narrower than in D. ruficilia , and the vesica has a considerably longer proximal section and bears only one cluster of larger cornuti whereas there are two clusters in D. ruficilia . As the female of D. ruficilia is unknown, the female genitalia of D. diffusa sp. nov. were compared with other species of Tatsipolia s. str., from which the new species differs clearly in the markedly longer posterior sclerotised region of the ductus bursae forming a glass-shaped antrum (whereas in other species of the D. vignai species group, it is short and belt-like), and the gelatinous and globular anterior section of the corpus bursae bearing a sclerotised plate, which is similar to that of certain species of the D. nivalis species group, whereas in other species in the D. vignai species group, the anterior section of the corpus bursae bears a larger and flattened sclerotised plate. Additionally, the anterior section of the corpus bursae of the new species lacks the signum, which is present in other members of the D. vignai species group but also absent in the D. nivalis species group.

Description.

External morphology of adults (Figs 18–20 ). Forewing length 15.0 mm in males and 14.5 mm in female. Antenna bipectinate in male and filiform in female. Body brownish grey with admixture of pale grey. Forewing elongate and narrow, with convex outer margin and rounded apex. Forewing ground colour slate grey, darker in medial area. Forewing pattern diffuse, blackish-grey. Basal line branchy, black, short. Antemedial line irregularly sinuous, edged with pale grey along inwardly. Claviform marking strongly elongate and protruding into medial area, diffuse ochreous yellow. Orbicular marking small, circular. Reniform marking with blackish margins and filled with off-white sparsely suffused with grey scales. Costal margin with series of small pale grey spots. Postmedial line smoothly question mark-like curved, shortly dentate on veins, edged with pale grey outwardly. Subterminal line irregular, interrupted into triangular spots of different sizes. Subterminal area with intense pale grey suffusion. Terminal line interrupted into small and irregular blackish spots between veins. Forewing cilia pale grey. Hindwing pale brownish-grey with weak grey suffusion along costal and outer margins. Discal spot grey, broad semilunar, diffuse. Hindwing cilia pale ochreous grey. Male genitalia (Figs 46 – 48 ). Uncus short, triangular, dorso-ventrally swollen, distally tapered, and apically pointed and downcurved. Tegumen short with swollen and semiglobular penicular lobes. Vinculum longer than tegumen, robust, U-shaped. Valva longer than annulus, Proximally upcurved and with straight distal section with almost parallel margins. Costa narrow and moderately sclerotised, distally reaching cucullus. Cucullus short, rounded, densely covered with setae. Editum long, stretching along costa but distally evenly diverging from it ventrally, with digitiform and apically rounded distal ampulla protruding beyond ventral margin of valva below cucullus ventral edge. Sacculus ~ 1 / 2 of valva width, somewhat tapered distally. Clasper oblique, almost straight, dorsally dilated and bearing short tubercle-like harpe directed proximally. Valvula elongate and not protruding ventrally. Juxta trapezoidal, with conical and apically rounded medio-dorsal process. Phallus cylindrical, medially somewhat downcurved, with dilated and rounded coecum. Proximal section of vesica weakly granulose, tubular, proximally as broad as phallus but distally dilated. Distal section of vesica more or less globular and dorsally bearing bunch-like cluster of spine-like cornuti of different sizes. Vesica ejaculatorius membranous, originating apically and directed distally-dorsally. Female genitalia (Fig. 63 ). Ovipositor broad and conical. Papilla analis short, trapezoidal, weakly sclerotised, setose. Apophyses elongate and thin but well-sclerotised, rod-like; anterior one slightly longer than posterior one. Ostium bursae broad, with concave ventral margin. Ductus bursae elongate, its posterior sclerotised region large and transformed into glass-shaped antrum. Medial section of ductus bursae short and membranous. Anterior section of ductus bursae tapered posteriorly, its posterior part with weak medial sclerotisation while anterior part dilated, globular, gelatinous with sclerotised plate anterio-laterally. Corpus bursae egg-shaped, membranous, shorter than ductus bursae. Appendix bursae vestigial.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning intermediate and refers to the external and genital morphology of the new species, which appears as intermediate between the D. vignai and D. nivalis species groups.

Distribution.

The new species is currently known from its type locality in southern Xizang, China.

Figures

Figures 11–20. Adults of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. Depositories of the specimens: 11–14. In TAAHU; 15. In AFM; 16. In HNHM (photo by B. Tóth); 17. In ZSM; 18–20. In TU.

Figures 43–46. Male genitalia of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 43. In TAAHU; 44. In AFM; 45. In ZSM; 46. In TU.

Figures 47–50. Male genitalia of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 47, 48, 50. In TU; 49. In ZSM.

Figures 59–66. Female genitalia of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 59, 60, 63–66. In TU; 61. In TAAHU; 62. In HNHM (photo by B. Tóth).