Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) punakhae Gielis & Kiss, 2022

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 : 38

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) punakhae Gielis & Kiss, 2022

( Figs 42 , 108 )

Cranionycta punakhae Gielis & Kiss, 2022 in Gielis, Franssen, Groenen & Wangdi , Moths of Bhutan: 127, 150, pl. 164, fig. 1753, female genitalia: pl. 192, CG7657. Type-locality: Bhutan, Punakha, 2 km N Rimchu, 1440 m, 27.6944°N, 89.7683°E. Holotype: female, in coll. NBC.

Material examined. Bhutan. Holotype, female, Punakha, 2 km N Rimchu , 1440 m, 27.6944°N, 89.7683°E, 24.iv.2019, leg. C. & F.K. Gielis & K. Wangdi, slide No.: CG7657 ( NBC).

Note. The male sex and the fine structure of the female terminal abdominal segments (not preserved with the genitalia) are unknown.

Diagnosis. Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) punakhae ( Fig. 42 ) is externally similar to C. (N.) versicolor ( Figs 27, 28 ), C. (N.) mailungana ( Fig. 26 ), C. (N.) senjelungma ( Figs 33, 34 ), the male of C. (N.) fuscothoracica ( Fig. 44 ), and especially to C. (N.) keeskleini ( Figs 39, 40 ). It can be distinguished from those by its more lightly coloured forewing; the prominent, tiny whitish spot in the suprabasal patch; the conspicuous, darker greyish, elongate patch in the antemedial field at the inner margin of the forewing; the somewhat more blurred medial line and fascia; and the somewhat more vivid white postmedial line. Wingspan 32 mm.

The female genitalia ( Fig. 108 ) differ from those of C. (N.) pallidobrunnea ( Fig. 107 ) by the shorter, wider ductus bursae; and the longer, proportionally narrower junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; from C. (N.) fuscothoracica ( Fig. 110 ) and C. (N.) castanea ( Fig. 109 ) by the narrower junction of the appendix bursae with the corpus bursae; from those of C. (N.) pallidobrunnea , C. (N.) fuscothoracica and C. (N.) castanea by the straighter, wider distal part of the appendix bursae with a wider, straighter terminal twist.

Distribution. Himalayan. The species is known only from Bhutan, Punakha District on elevation 1440 m.

Figures

FIGURES 41–50. Adults of Cranionycta spp. 41. C. (N.) pallidobrunnea sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA1221f (coll. ZSM); 42. C. (N.) punakhae, HT, female, Bhutan, Punakha, 2 km N Rimchu, slide No.: CG7657 (photo C. Gielis; coll. NBC); 43. C. (N.) fuscothoracica sp. nov., HT, female, Thailand, 5 km NW of Pai, vicinity of Muang Pai Resort, slide No.: KA1925f (coll. GR); 44. C. (N.) fuscothoracica sp. nov., PT, male, Vietnam, Plato Tay, Nguyen, Mt. Ngok Linh, slide No.: KA2073m (coll. MfN); 45. C. (N.) castanea sp. nov., HT, female, China, Prov. Yunnan, Mt. Gaoligong, slide No.: HHL6186 (photo and coll. NEFU); 46. C. (N.) nigralbata, LT, female, India, Meghalaya, Khasia Hills (photo L. Ronkay; coll. BMNH); 47. C. (N.) boursini sp. nov., HT, male, Nepal, Thodung, slide No.: N956 (coll. ZSM); 48. C. (N.) jubingica sp. nov., HT, male, Nepal, Jubing, slide No.: KA1222m (coll. ZSM); 49. C. (N.) albothoracica sp. nov., HT, female, Laos, Phu Soai Dao, slide No.: KA1225f (coll. GB); 50. C. (N.) albothoracica sp. nov., PT, male, Vietnam, Plato Tay, Nguyen, Mt. Ngok Linh, slide No.: KA2072m (coll. MfN).

FIGURES 107–113. Female genitalia of Cranionycta spp. 107. C. (N.) pallidobrunnea sp. nov., HT, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA1221f (coll. ZSM); 108. C. (N.) punakhae, HT, Bhutan, Punakha, 2 km N Rimchu, slide No.: CG7657 (photo C. Gielis; coll. NBC); 109. C. (N.) castanea sp. nov., HT, China, Prov. Yunnan, Mt. Gaoligong, slide No.: HHL6186 (photo and coll. NEFU); 110. C. (N.) fuscothoracica sp. nov., HT, Thailand, 5 km NW of Pai, vicinity of Muang Pai Resort, slide No.: KA1925f (photo and coll. GR); 111. C. (N.) albothoracica sp. nov., HT, Laos, Phu Soai Dao, slide No.: KA1225f (coll. GB); 112. C. (N.) dieteri sp. nov., HT, China, Prov. Kuangtung, Linping, slide No.: KA679f (coll. ZFMK); 113. C. (N.) atrazonaria sp. nov., HT, China, Prov. Guangxi, Jinxiu, 1 km NW of Pingban, slide No.: KA2494f (photo and coll. GR).

FIGURES 21–30. Adults of Cranionycta spp. 21. C. (C.) formosana, HT, male, Taiwan, Nantou County, Hueisun Forest, MHNG ENTO 60282, slide No.: KA2620m (photo and coll. MHNG); 22. C. (C.) formosana, PT, male, Taiwan, Taichung, An-ma-Shan, Hooping, slide No.: KA169m (coll. HNHM); 23. C. (C.) formosana, PT, male, Taiwan, Taichung, An-ma-Shan, Hooping, slide No.: KA170m (coll. HNHM); 24. C. (C.) formosana, PT, female, Taiwan, Nantou County, Hueisun Forest Area, slide No.: KA2493f (coll. GR); 25. C. (N.) lobophorus sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Milke Danda, Gursa, slide No.: KA172f (coll. HNHM); 26. C. (N.) mailungana sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, Mailungkhala, slide No.: KA2529f (coll. PG); 27. C. (N.) versicolor sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Syangja district, Kahule village, slide No.: KA2428f (coll. GR); 28. C. (N.) versicolor sp. nov., PT, male, Nepal, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, near Tatopani, slide No.: KA2427m (coll. GR); 29. C. (N.) delattini sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA1224f (coll. GB); 30. C. (N.) delattini sp. nov., PT, male, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA1223m (coll. ZSM).

FIGURES 31–40. Adults of Cranionycta spp. 31. C. (N.) warreni sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA970f (coll. ZSM); 32. C. (N.) warreni sp. nov., PT, male, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA969m (coll. ZSM); 33. C. (N.) senjelungma sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kangchenjunga, Deorali Danda, Anpan, slide No.: KA2528f (coll. PG); 34. C. (N.) senjelungma sp. nov., PT, male, Nepal, Kangchenjunga, Deorali Danda, Anpan, slide No.: KA963m (coll. PG); 35. C. (N.) dierli sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kathmandu valley, Godavari, slide No.: KA1220f (coll. ZSM); 36. C. (N.) punctifera sp. nov., HT, female, Nepal, Kangchenjunga, Deorali Danda, Anpan, slide No.: GYP3991 (coll. PG); 37. C. (N.) gorkhalii sp. nov., HT, male, Nepal, Buri Gandaki, Machha Khola, slide No.: KA864m (coll. ZMUC); 38. C. (N.) gorkhalii sp. nov., PT, female, Nepal, Central Khanchowk, E Gorkha, slide No.: KA865f (coll. ZMUC); 39. C. (N.) keeskleini, HT, male, Bhutan, Chhukha, Darla, slide No.: CG7655 (photo C. Gielis; coll. NBC); 40. C. (N.) keeskleini, PT, female, Bhutan, Trashigang, Wamrong, slide No.: CG7656 (photo C. Gielis; coll. RMNH).