Thubana is characterized by the combination of the following characters: forewing often having a white costal patch, costa gently curved with sharpened end, termen more or less concave, tornus broadly rounded, M3 usually stalked with CuA1+2, R4 and R5 often coincident (insome species R4 and R5 stalked basally), R3 stalked with R4+5; hindwing with M2 present, almost parallel to stalk of M3+CuA1; abdominal tergites with spinose zones; valva thumb-shaped, juxta plate-shaped, and aedeagus with diverse cornuti in male genitalia; antrum cup-shaped, ductus bursae usually with many internal spinules, signum with dense spinules in female genitalia.

Thubana is similar to the genus Torodora in the shape of the wings, the presence of M2 on the hindwing, the spined tergites of the abdomen and the structure of male and female genitalia. But Torodora usually lacks the costal patch on the forewing, and M3 is separated with CuA1+2, which can separate the two genera from each other.

China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

China (Sichuan).

China (Sichuan).

China (Taiwan).

China (Hunan).

China (Fujian, Taiwan).

China (Yunnan), Thailand.

China (Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Zhejiang).

China (Yunnan), Thailand, India, Sri Lanka.

China (Guangxi).

Holotype ♂ – China, Guangxi Province: Dongzhong Forestry Farm, Fangchenggang, (21°35'N; 108°22'E), 640 m, 9.IV.2002, coll. Shulian Hao & Huaijun Xue, genitalia slide No. ZYM06312; Paratype– 1 ♂, same data as holotype except dated 8.IV.2002, genitalia slide No.YLL08061.

The new species is similar to Thubana leucosphena, but can be distinguished from it by the juxta having a median membranous protuberance, the posterolateral lobes rounded apically, and the aedeagus longer than valva. In Thubana leucosphena, the juxta has a lobulate projection at middle near anterior margin and two large thornlike processes on caudal margin, the posterolateral lobes are inconspicuous, and the aedeagus is obviously shorter than the valva.

Adult (Fig. 1). Wingspan 20.5–21.0 mm. Head grayish brown on vertex, with grayish white scales around eyes. Antenna yellowish white, longer than forewing. Labial palpus brown; inner surface of second segment yellowish white mixed with grayish scales; third segment dark fuscous, longer than second. Thorax and tegula grayish brown, with shining luster. Forewing rectangular, costa gently curved, apex blunt, termen slightly concave inward at about 1/3; color brown with dark purple; costal patch triangular, yellowish white, extending to middle of cell; fringe grayish black, with yellowish white basal line. Hindwing grayish brown; fringe fawn black, with yellowish white basal line. Fore leg with dorsal surface dark grayish, ventral surface yellowish white; mid leg yellowish white, with scattered brown scales; hind leg yellowish white on inner surface, grayish brown on outside except tarsus and distal end of tibia yellowish white.

(Fig. 7). Uncus relatively stout, broad basally, narrowed to bluntly rounded apex. Gnathos large, broad in basal 2/3, strongly bent beyond basal 2/3, then narrowed toward apex; apex hooked, greatly curved ventrally. Valva broad at base, slightly narrowed to basal 1/3; distal 2/3 curved upward like a finger, with dense setae on inner surface; apex rounded; costa protruded basally, incurved medially; ventral margin concave inward at basal 1/3, gently arched outward medially. Sacculus weakly sclerotized, broad at base, narrowed distally, straight ventrally, terminating at basal 1/4 length of valva. Juxta quadrate, with a membranous protuberance at middle; posterolateral lobes like cat’s ear in shape, setose, rounded posteriorly. Vinculum narrow, weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus very stout, longer than valva, broad in basal 2/5, narrowed toward apex, with caducous setae at apex; vesica slightly sclerotized at base, medially with a bundle of numerous brushlike spines, a slightly arched plate and a slender dentate band.

Unknown.

China (Guangxi).

The specific name is derived from the Latin felinus (= feline) and auritus (= auricular), referring to the shape of the posterolateral lobes of the juxta.

1 ♂, China, Yunnan Province: Rare Botanical Garden, Ruili (24°00'N; 97°50'E), 1000 m, 6.VIII.2005, coll. Yingdang Ren, genitalia slide No. YLL08075.

This species is very close to Thubana leucosphena and hardly distinguishable from the latter by the superficial characters (Fig. 2) and the venation. However, it can be easily differentiated by the following characters of the male genitalia (Fig. 8): the valva broad at base, narrowed to before middle, gently raising obliquely upward in distal half, narrowed to blunt apex; the costa straight in basal 1/6, gently concave in distal 5/6; the juxta quadrate, with small, slender, almost straight posterolateral lobes; the aedeagus stout, shorter and broader than valva, with two dentate preapical lobes, and the cornuti consisting of a S-shaped fragment and a mass of short spines.

China (Yunnan), Thailand.

This species is recorded for the first time in China.

1 ♂, 7 ♀, China, Yunnan Province: Mengla (21°29'N; 101°33'E), 650 m, 23–25.VIII.2005, coll. Yingdang Ren; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Jinghong (22°01'N; 100°48'E), 585 m, 17–18.IV.1995, coll. Hongjian Wang & Guangyun Yan.

This species can easily be separated from its allies by the elongate narrow forewing without patch (Figs 3, 4), or with an orange-yellow cuneate (Fig. 5) or bandlike costal patch (Fig. 6); in male genitalia (Fig. 9), the juxta with digitate, setose posterolateral lobes and a large triangular median projection, the aedeagus as long as and broader than valva, and the cornuti consisting of two sclerotized bars: the distal one needlelike, about 1/2 length of aedeagus, the median one stouter, somewhat acinaciform; in female genitalia (Fig. 10), the caudal margin of 8th sternite deeply emarginate at middle, the ostium broad, the antrum fan-shaped and weakly sclerotized, the ductus bursae narrowed basally, with many short spines medially, and the signum strawberry-shaped.

China (Yunnan), Thailand, India, Sri Lanka.

Meyrick (1923) described Thubana xanthoteles on the basis of two female specimens and described Thubana melitopyga from one female specimen. Clarke (1965) regarded Thubana melitopyga as a junior synonymof Thubana xanthoteles. Thus previously only three female specimens of Thubana xanthoteles have been known and none of these has the costal patch on the forewing. Park (2003) described Thubana stenosis on the basis of the specimens collected from north Thailand, which bears the “golden yellow bandlike costal patch” on the forewing. He also noticed that the “female genitalia” of Thubana stenosis “are hardly distinguishable from those of Thubana xanthoteles”. In this study, we found that the male genitalia of the three specimens collected in south Yunnan undoubtedly match with those of Thubana stenosis described by Park, and the female genitalia match with those of Thubana stenosis and of Thubana xanthoteles. We also found deciduous needlelike cornuti in the ductus bursae of female genitalia. Superficially, the males have no costal patch, but the females usually have a bandlike or cuneate costal patch. Thus we treat Thubana stenosis as a junior synonymof Thubana xanthoteles, and regard the presence or absence of the costal patch as intraspecific variation.

This species is recorded for the first time in China.

China, Zhejiang Province: 13 ♂, Wuyanling, Taishun (27°33'N; 119°42'E), 790 m, 2–3.VIII.2007, coll. Qing Jin; 2 ♂, 2 ♀, same locality, 680 m, 930 m, 28–31.VII.2005, Yunli Xiao; 4 ♂, 2 ♀, Tianmushan (30°26'N; 119°34'E), Lin’an, 350 m, 7–8.VIII.2007, coll. Qin Jin, 10 ♂, 800 m, 19.VIII.1999, coll. Houhun Li et al., 5 ♂, 2 ♀, 500 m, 16.VIII.1999, coll. Houhun Li et al.; 1 ♂, Qingliangfeng (30°07'N; 118°51'E), Lin’an, 900 m, 12.VIII.2005, coll. Yunli Xiao. Anhui Province: 4 ♂, Mozitan, Huoshuan (31°24'N; 116°19'E), 12.VIII.2004, coll. Jiasheng Xu & Jialiang Zhang; 5 ♂, Huangshan (29°43'N; 118°18'E), 6–7.VIII.2004, coll. Jiasheng Xu and Jialiang Zhang; 6 ♂, Jiuhuashan (30°23'N; 117°48'E), 8–9.VIII.2004, coll. Jiasheng Xu & Jialiang Zhang. Fujian Province: 2 ♂, Wuyishan (26°54'N; 116°42'E), 740 m, 19–24.V.2004, coll. Haili Yu; 1 ♂, Qingyunshan, Yongtai (25°52'N; 118°57'E), 550 m, 18.IX.2002, coll. Xinpu Wang. Jiangxi Province: 4 ♂, Xiaoxidong, (26°57'N; 114°17'E), 1, 3–4.VII.1978; 2 ♂, Tonggu (28°32'N; 114°22'E), 28.VII.1982, 10.V.1983; 3 ♀, Ciping (26°34'N; 114°10'E), 13.VII.1978; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Xiashan, Yichun (27°47'N; 114°23'E), 7, 30.VII.1980; Jinpenshan (29°20'N; 117°00'E), 2 ♂, 18–19.VIII.2006, coll. Jiasheng Xu & Weichun Li. Henan Province: 3 ♂, 1 ♀, Xiaguan, Neixiang (33°02'N; 111°50'E), 650 m, 10, 12.VII.1998, coll. Houhun Li; 1 ♀, Huangshi’an (33°40'N; 111°37'E), Xixia, 890 m, 19.VII.1998, coll. Houhun Li. Hunan Province: 1 ♂, Zhangjiajie (29°49'N; 110°26'E), 650 m, 7.VIII.2001, coll. Houhun Li & Xinpu Wang. Hubei Province: 3 ♂, 2 ♀, Maoba (30°02'N; 109°02'E), Lichuan, 700 m, 28–29.VII.2007, coll. Houhun Li et al. Guizhou Province: 1 ♂, Jiangkou (27°41'N; 108°50'E), 600 m, 27.VII.2001, coll. Houhun Li & Xinpu Wang.

This species is characterized by the following characters: male genitalia (Fig. 15) with juxta having a lobulate projection at middle near anterior margin and two large thornlike processes on caudal margin, the posterolateral lobes inconspicuous (Fig. 15b-d), the aedeagus shorter than valva, the cornuti consisting of a long slender band, a bundle of brushlike spines, a dentate plate, and sometimes with a few dispersed deciduous spicules (Fig. 15a); female genitalia (Fig. 16) with apophysis anterioris about 1/2 length of apophysis posterioris, the caudal margin of 8th sternite slightly emarginate at middle, the ductus bursae long, twisted, with spicules on inner surface (Fig. 16a), and the signum spinulose, semiovate, slightly emarginate at upper margin. Thubana leucosphena is very close to Thubana felinaurita, but differs as noted in the description of the latter.

China (Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Zhejiang).

This species was described by Meyrick (1931) based on three specimens collected from Guanxian of Sichuan Province in China: “two males” and “a third example”. Clarke (1965) rectified the “two males” as Oecophoridae and chose the “third example”, a female, as the lectotype of Thubana leucosphena. Meyrick (1935) mentioned the occurrence of this species in Tianmushan of Zhejiang Province. Gozmány (1978) described Thubana microcera on the basis of a male specimen collected from Tianmushan and noticed that itcould be distinguished from Thubana leucosphena by the shape of the costal patch. In this study, however, we noticed that the costal patch varies from triangular to trapezoidal both within male specimens of Thubana microcera (Figs 11–12) and female specimens of Thubana leucosphena (Figs 13–14). We also found that males collected from Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Henan provinces match with those of Thubana microcera described by Gozmány, females match with those of Thubana leucosphena. Besides, we observed the deciduous spicules from the male aedeagus in the ductus bursae of Thubana leucosphena. What is more, no other species of Thubana were collected in these localities so far. Hence, we treat Thubana microcera as a junior synonymof Thubana leucosphena, and regard the variation of the shape of costal patch from triangular to trapezoidal as intraspecific variation.

The previous description did not mention the median projection on posterior margin of the juxta. Though this projection (Fig. 15b) is not present in most individuals, we found it present in some males, either inconspicuous (Fig. 15c) or small but visible (Fig. 15d). We consider this variation as intraspecific because other characters fit well with Thubana leucosphaena.