Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) diffusa, 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) diffusa sp. nov.

Figs 25–28 , 51 , 52 , 65

Type material.

Holotype (Figs 25 , 51 ): China • ♂, “ TU -00771 | Mira Mountain , Songdo village | (place name), Gaxing | Township, Gongbu Jiangda | County, Linzhi City, Xizang | N29°54'31.37" | E92°21'18.21" | 24.8 [viii]. 2024 h [altitude] 4501.5 m (coll. [leg.:] | Chen Enyong) ” ( TU) . Paratypes (5 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, all in TU). China • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, same data as in holotype, unique IDs: TU -00772 –00774 ; • 1 ♀, same data as previous but 29°53'1.70"N, 92°31'1.18"E, 26. ix. 2024, 4236.6 m (Chen Enyong leg.), unique ID: TU -00889 ; • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, same data as previous but 29°51'1.09"N, 92°20'27.55"E, 10. ix. 2024, 4902.8 m (Chen Enyong leg.), unique IDs: TU -00937 –00939 ; • 1 ♀, same data as previous but 29°50'6.15"N, 92°20'37.06"E, 10. ix. 2024, 4980.3 m (Chen Enyong leg.), unique ID: TU -00965 ; • 1 ♂, 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 ID: TU -00893 .

Diagnosis.

Dasypolia diffusa sp. nov. is externally clearly different from other species in the D. nivalis species group by its ash-grey forewing ground colour and the indistinct forewing markings. The male genital capsule structure of D. diffusa sp. nov. is most similar to D. luxuriosa sp. nov. but in the former the uncus is broader, the harpe is apically narrower, and the valvula is more protruding ventrally than in D. luxuriosa sp. nov. Compared to D. luxuriosa sp. nov., the vesica of D. diffusa sp. nov. has a markedly narrower proximal section and bears two elongate row-like longitudinal clusters of smaller cornuti whereas in D. luxuriosa sp. nov. the cornuti are gathered into short, bunch-like clusters. In the female genitalia, D. diffusa sp. nov. differs clearly from other species in the D. nivalis species group in the shorter ductus bursae with small and weakly sclerotised plates and lacking the gelatinous anterior dilation, and the shorter and broader corpus bursae.

Description.

External morphology of adults (Figs 25–28 ). Forewing length 14.0– 15.5 mm in males and 14.0–15.0 mm in females. Antenna bipectinate in male and filiform in female. Body grey with admixture of pale grey scales. Forewing triangular with somewhat elongate and rounded apex. Forewing ground colour dark grey. Markings dark grey, diffuse more distinct in female. Antemedial line sinuous, edged with pale grey inwardly. Orbicular marking small, dot-shaped. Reniform marking pale grey with indistinct margins and dark grey core spot. Postmedial line question mark-like curved, slightly dentate on veins. Subterminal line irregular and indistinct. Terminal line black and interrupted on veins. Forewing cilia dark grey with slight admixture of pale grey. Hindwing pale grey with weak dark brownish-grey suffusion along costal and outer margins. Discal spot semilunar and diffuse. Terminal line thin, dark brownish-grey. Hindwing cilia grey. Male genitalia (Figs 51 , 52 ). Uncus short, dorso-ventrally flattened and apically blunt. Tegumen with broad and rounded, swollen penicular lobes. Vinculum longer than tegumen, heavily sclerotised, U-shaped with rounded saccus directed anteriorly. Valva lobular, distally tapered and slightly upcurved. Costa narrow, distally dilated and distally reaching cucullus. Cucullus rounded and densely covered with setae. Editum thin, stretching along ventral margin of costa and dorsally fused with its ventral margin, bearing short, triangular, and apically blunt distal ampulla directed distally-ventrally, reaching the ventral margin of valva but not protruding beyond it. Valvula short but broad, forming short ventral protrusion. Sacculus trapezoidal and broad (~ 3 / 4 of valva width). Clasper oblique, ventrally straight but dorsally dilated and slightly upcurved, bearing narrow clavate harpe slightly protruding beyond dorsal margin of valva. Juxta narrow, trapezoidal, with short, triangular medio-dorsal process. Phallus narrow and cylindrical, with broad and rounded coecum and narrower medial and distal sections. Vesica tubular, narrower than phallus, ventrally with two longitudinal clusters of minute, spine-like cornuti stretching parallel to each other. Vesica ejaculatorius narrow, tubular, directed distally. Female genitalia (Fig. 65 ). Ovipositor short and conical. Papilla analis elliptical and setose. Apophyses elongate and thin, rod-like, equal in length. Ostium bursae narrow with membranous margins. Ductus bursae narrow, with short and weakly sclerotised plate posteriorly and broader, elliptical sclerotised plate anteriorly. Corpus bursae membranous, pear-shaped with constricted posterior section. Appendix bursae vestigial, conical, situated postero-ventrally at anterior edge of anterior sclerotised plate of ductus bursae.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning diffuse and refers to the indistinct forewing pattern of the new species.

Distribution.

The new species is currently known from two localities in southern Xizang, China.

Figures

Figures 21–28. Adults of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. Depositories of the specimens: 21. In ZSM; 22–28. In TU.

Figures 51–54. Male genitalia of Dasypolia (Tatsipolia) spp. The specimens dissected are deposited in TU.

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).