Thubana quadrilatera, Yu & Wang, 2025

Yu, Shuai & Wang, Shuxia, 2025, New species and new records of the genus Thubana Walker (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae) from China, with a checklist of the genus in the country, European Journal of Taxonomy 987, pp. 81-97 : 86-95

Thubana quadrilatera sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E2BC047A-FFC8-49B2-BA7F-1637B6545D45

Figs 2A , 4A , 6B

Diagnosis

The new species is similar to Th. dialeukos Park, 2003 in both appearance and male genitalia. It can be distinguished by the cucullus which is about half the length of the valva, the juxta with two small fusiform protuberances on the dorsal surface and a median process on the anterior margin; in Th. dialeukos , the cucullus is longer than half the length of the valva, the juxta has two large elliptical concavities but lacks a protuberance on the dorsal surface and lacks an anteromedian process ( Park 2003: 140, fig. 14).

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ‘ quadrilaterus ’, referring to the quadrate juxta in the male genitalia.

Type material

Holotype

CHINA • ♂; Yunnan Prov., Pu’er, Taiyanghe ; 22º37′ N, 101º06′ E; 1450 m a.s.l.; 13 Aug. 2016; K.J. Teng, G.E. Lee and T. Wang leg.; slide no. YS19773 ; NKU.

Paratypes

CHINA – Yunnan Prov. • 4 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same data as for holotype except dated 12‒14 Aug. 2016; slide no. YS20295 ♀; NKU • 1 ♂; Mang City, Mt Banggunjian ; 1758 m a.s.l.; 11 Aug. 2022; slide no. LCU006 ; LCU . – Sichuan Prov. • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Chengdu, Anzihe ; 1598 m a.s.l.; 22‒23 Jun. 2016; K.J. Teng and X.F. Yang leg.; slide nos. TKJ16184 ♂, YS20294 ♀; NKU • 8 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Yingjing County, Longcanggou ; 1405 m a.s.l.; 16‒18 Jul. 2021; S. Yu et al. leg.; slide nos. YUS178 ♂, YUS179 ♀, YUS180 ♀, YUS181 ♂, YUS185 ♀, YUS186 ♀; NKU .

Description

Adult ( Fig. 2A )

Wingspan 22.0‒ 23.5 mm. Head dark brown, tinged with purple, orange white along lateral sides. Antenna pale orange in basal 1/3, orange white from basal 1/3 to distal 1/4, and dark brown in distal 1/4. Labial palpus brown, third palpomere slightly longer than the second palpomere. Thorax and tegula dark brown, tinged with purple. Forewing with costal margin slightly arched, apex rounded, termen shallowly concave; ground colour dark brown; costal patch triangular, orange white, posteriorly narrowed and exceeding the upper margin of discal cell, situated at middle; fringe greyish black, basal line orange white. Hindwing greyish brown, darker along veins; fringe greyish brown, basal line orange white.

MALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 4A ). Uncus elongate, wide at the base, narrowed to blunt apex. Gnathos with basal plate semi-ovate distally; median process wide at the base, narrowed to basal 3/5 where it is curved, narrowed abruptly from distal 2/5 to pointed apex. Valva wide at the base, narrowed slightly to cucullus; cucullus extending obliquely dorsad, about half as long as valva, slightly expanded ventrobasally, narrowed toward rounded apex; costa concave; sacculus widened in basal 1/4, slender in distal 3/4, straight ventrally. Vinculum narrow; saccus triangular. Juxta quadrate, straight on posterior margin, with two small, symmetric fusiform protuberances on the dorsal surface, with an erect median process on the anterior margin; posterolateral lobe tiny, spiniform. Aedeagus nearly as long as valva, broad basally, narrowed toward apex, with a small ovate dorsal extension; cornuti consisting of a small plate at basal 1/4, a band about 1/4 length of aedeagus placed before middle, clusters of spines placed medially, a band about 2/3 length of aedeagus denticulate basally and apically, and a spined plate placed before apex.

FEMALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 6B ). Eighth abdominal sternite concave on the posterior margin forming two posterolateral lobes. Apophyses posteriores about 1.5 × length of apophyses anteriores. Antrum funnel-shaped, weakly sclerotised. Ductus bursae about 3 × length of corpus bursae, twisted, granulose anteriorly; ductus seminalis slender, arising from ductus bursae near antrum. Corpus bursae rounded, with a weakly sclerotised, elliptical zone; signum situated at middle, heavily sclerotised, large elliptical, spined, margined with denticles.

Distribution

China (Sichuan, Yunnan).

Thubana quadrilatera sp. nov.

TL: China (Yunnan). TD: NKU.

Distribution. China (Sichuan, Yunnan).

Figures

Fig. 2. Dorsal habitus of Thubana spp. A. Th. quadrilatera sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (slide no. YS19773, NKU). B. Th. rongjiangensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (slide no. LCU009, LCU). C. Th. similidalgona sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (slide no. YS20211, NKU). D. Th. yingjingensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (slide no. LCU198, NKU). Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

Fig. 4. Male genitalia of Thubana spp. A. Th. quadrilatera sp. nov., holotype (slide no. YS19773, NKU). B. Th. rongjiangensis sp. nov., holotype (slide no. LCU009, LCU). C. Th. similidalgona sp. nov., holotype (slide no. YS20211, NKU). D. Th. yingjingensis sp. nov., paratype (slide no. LCU195, NKU). E. Th. yingjingensis sp. nov., holotype (slide no. LCU198, NKU). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 6. Female genitalia of Thubana spp. A. Th. porcata sp. nov., paratype (slide no. YS20300, NKU). B. Th. quadrilatera sp. nov., paratype (slide no. YS20294, NKU). C. Th. viriabilis sp. nov., paratype (slide no. YUS184, NKU). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.