Himalaea (Macrohimalaea), 2025

Chen, Enyong, Prozorov, Alexey M., Saldaitis, Aidas, Yakovlev, Roman V., Müller, Günter C. & Zhou, Yonghong, 2025, Description of a new subgenus for Himalaea batanga and its new sister species from Xizang Autonomous Region, China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Amphipyrinae, Psaphidini), ZooKeys 1244, pp. 293-303 : 293-303

Macrohimalaea Chen, Prozorov & Saldaitis subgen. nov.

Figs 2–4 , 6 , 7–8

Type species.

Himalaea (Macrohimalaea) silvana sp. nov., here designated.

Diagnosis.

The new subgenus differs from the nominotypical one in having shorter rami, and 1.3–1.5 times longer forewings with tapered apices (compare Fig. 1 with Figs 2–4 ). The male genitalia have an even-surfaced anellus, a dorsad elongated juxta, a sclerotized costa reaching the apex of the cucullus, a less-sclerotized ampulla lacking a harpe, an unpronounced carina, larger dorsal diverticulum bearing cornuti, and flat anterior elasma (compare Fig. 5 with Figs 6 – 8 ).

Description.

Adult male (Figs 2–4 ). Antenna bipectinate, rami gradually elongating towards mid third of antenna and then gradually shortening in distal third. Head, thorax, and abdomen dorsally brown-mottled, abdomen dark brown to blackish brown. Forewing 23.3 mm long; somewhat triangular, elongate and relatively narrow with obtuse tornal angle, slightly crenulate outer margin, prominence at M 3, and tapered apex. Pattern consists of basal, medial, subterminal and terminal fields, with subterminal field being the lightest; dark basal streak within claviform spot bordered with dark wavy antemedial line; orbicular spot a little smaller than reniform spot, both with dark contour; dark, crenulate postmedial line; blurred, dark streak from posterior margin of reniform spot towards apex of wing; blurred, dark, zigzag subterminal line; more or less pronounced dark tornal streak; and dark terminal line split interrupted at veins. Cilia brown-mottled. Hindwing somewhat triangular with rounded apex and slightly crenulated outer margin; light-colored, getting darker at distal margin of discal cell. Cilia brown-mottled. Male genitalia (Figs 6 – 8 ). Uncus somewhat digitiform, basally bent at around 90 °, apically narrowed to pointed apex. Tegumen a band narrowing towards connection with vinculum. Vinculum somewhat longer than tegumen, ventrally forming U-shaped saccus. Valva elongate, about the size of tegumen-vinculum complex, with well-pronounced sclerotized costa and sacculus, membrane between them, and membranous valvula, all sparsely covered with setae; distal third of costa less sclerotized, medially connected with relatively short (in comparison to Himalaea ) editum bearing ampulla; sacculus narrowing towards barely protruded rounded distal apex; both valvae joint with tendon. Juxta an elongated plate narrowing distally. Anellus small with smooth surface. Phallus as long as valva, slightly bent medially, with elongate coecum and wide entrance of ductus ejaculatorius; vesica somewhat conical, downcurved, with dorsal spherical diverticulum bearing three or four cornuti; at base of vesica ejaculatorius, anterior elasma flat, posterior elasma may be raised or flat. Adult female unknown.

Etymology.

The name Macrohimalaea is a derivative from Himalaea , the type subgenus of the genus, and prefix macro - for big or large to indicate that the specimens of Macrohimalaea are larger than the ones of Himalaea .

Figures

Figures 1–4. Adult males and enlarged antennae of Himalaea spp.; depositories of adults. 1. HNHM (photo © B. Tóth); 2. AFM; 3, 4. TU. Scale bars: 1 cm.

Figures 5, 6. Male genitalia of Himalaea spp.; depositories of slides. 5. HNHM (photo © B. Tóth); 6. AFM.

Figures 7, 8. Male genitalia; depository of slides: XU.