The genus Ptilophora (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) in China, with description of a new species

Abstract The genus Ptilophora Stephens in China is briefly reviewed, with the description of Ptilophora nanlingensis sp. n. The new species is most similar to Ptilophora horieaurea in wing pattern and to Ptilophora jezoensis in male genitalia, but they can be distinguished from each other by the following characters: forewing bright reddish brown in Ptilophora nanlingensis, chestnut brown in Ptilophora horieaurea; costa of male genitalia pointed, with a rounded subapical process ventrally in Ptilophora jezoensis, costa rounded, with apex inflated, and with pointed subapical process ventrally in Ptilophora nanlingensis. A key to the Ptilophora species from China and adjacent areas is presented and a distribution map is given. The holotype of the new species is deposited in the Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, P. R. China.


Introduction
Th e notodontid genus Ptilophora was established by Stephens in 1828 with Phalaena variegata Villers, 1789 as its type species. Currently, the genus consists of six species that are distributed in Europe (except northern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula), Caucasus, Asia minor, China, Far East Russia, Korea and Japan (Sugi 1982;Schintlmeister 1984;Wang 1996;Park et al. 1999;Wu and Fang 2003;Schintlmeister 2008). Hitherto, three species of the genus are restricted to China, P. rufula from Taiwan, and P. ala and P. horieaurea from mainland China. Adults of Ptilophora species emerge in late autumn. Schintlmeister and Fang (2001) described P. jezoensis ala as a new subspecies of P. jezoensis in Shaanxi Province; later, Kishida and Kobayashi (2002) revised the genus Ptilophora, divided the species into two species-groups: plumigera group and jezoensis group, and described two new species belonging to the jezoensis group from South West China: P. horieaurea Kishida and Kobayashi, 2002and P. fuscior Kishida & Kobayashi, 2002. Schintlmeister (2008 raised P. ala to species, based on comparing the types of P. ala with those of P. fuscior, and reduced P. fuscior to a junior synonym of P. ala. In this paper, a new species of Ptilophora is described from China. Notes. Th is species can be distinguished by the postmedian fascia of the forewing, which is distinctly whitish, and the darker shading beyond the postmedian fascia.

Key to the species of Ptilophora Stephens from China and adjacent areas
Distribution: China (Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces).

Ptilophora horieaurea Kishida & Kobayashi, 2002
Ptilophora horieaurea Kishida and Kobayashi 2002: 89. Notes. Th is species can be distinguished by external characters: frons, thorax, and abdomen covered with yellowish-brown hairs, the postmedian fascia is covered with yellowish brown in the posterior and costal areas.

Distribution: China (Sichuan Province).
Ptilophora nanlingensis sp. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DA4A2641-4B7C-4102-BAE7-28578EB7E833 Figs 1-6 Diagnosis. Th e new species belongs to the P. jezoensis species group based on the wing pattern and male genital structure: forewing with distinct, whitish postmedian fascia, costa infl ated and angulated apically. In the wing pattern, it seems to be closely related to P. horieaurea, whereas the male genital structures seem closer to those of P. jezoensis, but the two species can be distinguished from each other by the following characters: forewing bright reddish brown in P. nanlingensis, chestnut brown in P. horieaurea; uncus three-dimentional, and the costa of the valve with a rounded subapical ventral process in P. jezoensis, uncus three-dimensional, bifurcated apically, with serrated edges, and costa of valve rounded with apex infl ated and with pointed subapical ventral process in P. nanlingensis (see Figs 3-5). Description. Male. Forewing length 15-18 mm. Antenna plumose, about 0.5 x length of forewing, with yellowish-white hairs at base. Th orax and abdomen with dark reddish-brown hair. Forewing ground color from bright reddish brown to fuscous brown; chocolate toward costal and posterior margins, fuscous in terminal area; antimedian fascia visible, straighter than postmedian fascia; postmedian fascia distinct, whitish, slightly convex at vein M 1 , forming a triangular whitish spot at costa, brighter at veins; outer margin with ground color covered with pale blue-gray scales; cilia dark brown. Hindwing fuscous; postmedial fascia absent, a whitish spot near tornus, cilia from apex to middle of outer margin yellowish brown, fuscous brown toward tornus.
Male genitalia. Uncus three-dimensional, bifurcated apically, with serrated edges; a long triangular ventral process derive from middle of branches, smooth ventrally, slightly serrated dorsally. Socii heavily sclerotized with two horn-shaped processes. Tegumen short and broad. Valva broad with a large triangular subapical process ventrally; costa rounded with apex infl ated, cucullus quadrangular; sacculus with a triangular central process, with dense setae from middle to apex. Aedeagus slender, slightly curved dorsally near caudal end, carina penis serrated dorsally.
Holotype  Notes.  described P. rufula in Taiwan. Schinltmeister and Fang (2001) listed it as a subspecies of P. jezoensis without any explanation. Kishida and Kobayashi (2002) revalidated it as a species. It belongs to the plumigera group, based on the round valva in the male genitalia.
Distribution: Th is species is restricted to Taiwan.