Palpifer bazi Xu, Gan & Grehan, 2025

Xu, Zhen-Bang, Grehan, John R., Yang, Zi-Yi, Gan, Hao-Lin & Hu, Shao-Ji, 2025, Two new species of Palpifer Hampson (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 5621 (5), pp. 560-570 : 567

Palpifer bazi Xu, Gan & Grehan sp. nov. ĀƗẗŝãš

( Figures 2C–D , 3C–D , 4B , 5B , 6B , 7D , 8B , 9B , 10B )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Mengzi, Honghe, Southern Yunnan, China, 2024-VI, Y.-F. Li leg. [ KIZ 0139652 ] [GenBank accession no: PQ966560 ].

Paratype (in total 4 ♂). 1 ♂, same data as holotype [ KIZ 0139653 ] [GenBank accession no: PQ966561 ] ; 2 ♂, same data as holotype [ GHL] ; 1♂, same data as holotype [ BAZI Yi F. Li 2308] .

Diagnosis. Distinguished from all other Palpifer species by yellowish-orange colour of the hindwing restricted to anterior basal portion, not reaching posterior margin. Most similar to P. boonei , but this species differs by having a small basal patch of yellowish orange extending to basal posterior margin. ( Figure 11D ).

Description: Male ( Figure 2C–D ). Wingspan: 2.8–3.0 cm; forewing length: 1.5 cm.

Head: As for P. qinglai sp. nov.

Thorax: Scales of body and legs piliform, coloured as for head Wings: Venation as for P. qinglai sp. nov. ( Figure 5B ). Forewing dorsal ground colour greyish-brown ( Figure 2C–D ), sub-rectangular white spot at base of anterior discal cell, two sub-rectangular white spots near wing base near CuP and A, black marginal spot on posterior margin between CuA 2 and CuP. Hindwing pale yellowish brown between R and costa, yellowish-white fringe on outer margin between Rs 3 and M 1. Costal margin nearly straight, apex, outer and dorsal margins forming a continuous curve. Wing scales and venation as for P. qinglai sp. nov. Legs ( Figure 4B ); pro-, meso-, and metalegs length subequal, tibial scales, about half length of tibia, dorsal scales of tarsi about twice segment length, ventral tarsal scales short, arolium and narrowly triangular epiphysis present.

Pregenital abdomen: Coloured as head, anterior segments dorso-ventrally taller, and segments narrowing posteriorly. Tergum VIII subrectangular, narrowing posteriorly, four times longer than wide; sternum VIII subtriangular with concave lateral edges and digitiform shape of the posterior half ( Figure 6B ).

Genitalia: Pseudotegumen rim with single densely sclerotized, ventrally projecting spine ( Figure 7D ); pseudoteguminal arms with slightly rugose anogenital margin, saddle-shaped-shaped, fused across median, strongly sclerotized apically. Valva blade ovoid with shallow apical point; Fultura superior sclerotized, forming a V-shape, fultura inferior elongate, about twice long as wide, anterior lateral margin concave, posteriorly narrowing to convex point; medial and posterior sclerotization an inverted ‘T’. Saccus with broadly U-shaped anterior margin, posterior margin a shallow curve.

Female: Unknown.

Habitat and Phenology: Subtropical monsoon climate, mild and humid conditions year-round, with small temperature differences between seasons. The collection site is primarily agricultural land, and surrounded by ornamental plants and vegetables.

Host Plant: Larval host in the type locality is Alocasia odora (G. Lodd.) Spach ( Araceae ).

Distribution: Currently known only from type locality, Mengzi, Honghe Prefecture, South Yunnan, China.

Etymology: The new species is named after the name of collector’s institution, the Bazi Collection & Botanical Garden [ĀŦöţDz与DZū园], Mengzi, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, China (the name is to be treated as a noun in apposition).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Holotypes of Palpifer qinglai Xu, Yang & Grehan sp. nov. (A—ventral view; B—dorsal view) and Palpifer bazi Xu, Gan & Grehan sp. nov. (C—ventral view; D—dorsal view) Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 3. Head structure of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (3A–3B), P. bazi sp. nov. (3C–3D) and P. climoi (3E–3F).

FIGURE 4. Legs of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A, pro-, and metaleg, from left to right), P. bazi sp. nov. (B, pro-, meso-, and metaleg, from left to right).

FIGURE 5. Wing venation and patterns of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A), P. bazi sp. nov. (B). Black ovoids mark positon of dark spots, blue dashed ovals mark position of dorsal white spots.

FIGURE 6. Posterior abdominal tergite (top) and sternite (bottom) of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A), P. climoi (B), P. bazi sp. nov. (C) and P. boonei (D).

FIGURE 7. Ventral view of male genitalia of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A—ventral open [fultura hinge in flat plane], B—ventral closed [fultura hinge closed]) with valva blades folded over pseudotegumen, P. climoi (C), P. bazi sp. nov. (D), P. sexnotatus (E, Tindale 1942: figs 18–19; with the valva blade and digitiform arm outlined in blue for one half) and P. boonei (F).

FIGURE 8. Dorsal view of male genitalia of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A), P. bazi sp. nov. (B) and P. climoi (C).

FIGURE 9. Lateral view of male genitalia of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A), P. bazi sp. nov. (B), P. climoi (C), and P. boonei (D, adapted from Grehan & Mielke 2019).

FIGURE 10. Posterior view of male genitalia of Palpifer qinglai sp. nov. (A), P. bazi sp. nov. (B) P. climoi (C), and P. boonei (D, adopted from Grehan & Mielke (2019).

FIGURE 11. A. Lectotype (designated by Tindale 1942: 160) of Palpifer sexnotatus (Moore, 1879), NHMUK (© David Lees, NHMUK), here designated as the Lectotype; B. Palpifer sexnotatus (Moore, 1879) from Maxwell collection, NHMUK (© Carlos Mielke, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Gainesville, Florida, USA); C. Holotype of Palpifer climoi Ignatev, Grehan & C. Mielke, 2023, ZFMK (© Marianne Espeland, ZFMK); D. Holotype of Palpifer boonei Grehan & Mielke, 2019, BPBM, and 10 mm scale (© Neal Evenhuis, BPBM). Measurement reference for 11A–C in millimeters.