Description of two new species of Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from China

Abstract Two new Cossidaespecies from China‘s Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces are described. The new species Phragmataecia monika sp. n.and Patoptoformis rimsaite sp. n. superficially resemble related congeners but can be distinguished by differences in wing pattern, genitalia and distribution. Checklists of the genera Phragmataecia and Patoptoformis are presented.


Introduction
During a study of the Cossidae collection at the Zoologische Staatssammlung der Bayerischen Staaten (Munich, Germany)/Museum of Thomas Witt (Munich, Germany) the authors found two unknown specimens from China belonging to the genera Phragmataecia and Patoptoformis. After examining their morphology relative to related species the authors are describing the new species herein.

Materials and methods
The material was collected in 2010, during May and July, using artificial light. Taxonomic nomenclature and checklists used in this study were compiled pursuant to consulting expert taxonomists and relevant literature (Schoorl 1990, Yakovlev 2011.

systematic accounts
Genus Phragmataecia Newman, 1850 http://species-id.net/wiki/Phragmataecia Phragmataecia Newman, 1850, Zoologist 8: 2931 Type species. Noctua arundinis Hübner, [1808] Members of this genus are generally medium sized with very long abdomens, especially in females, and long bipectinate antennae. In males the length of pecten abruptly shortens to the distal part of tip, while in females pecten length is short to the tip of antenna as near invisible papilla. Coloration is white to black with unexpressed wing patterns except small black dots between the vein of the forewing in females.
Distribution. 39 species distributed in Old world excluding Papuan and Australian ranges.

Diagnosis.
Externally the new species is most similar to sibling species Phragmataecia cinnamomea Wileman, 1911, Phragmataecia hummeli Bryk, 1942and to Phragmataecia fusca Wileman, 1911. Ph. cinnamomea differs by having a yellow-brown body and wings, veins covered with dark brown scales in the postmedian forewing and dark brown dots in the terminal area (Fig. 5) and male genitalia valvae which widen to the apical part (Fig. 6). Ph. hummeli has a grey-brown body and unicolor wing pattern with forewings lighter brown and hindwings grey brown (Fig. 7). Its male genitalia differ by the pointed shape of the valvae, the rounded and very wide saccus and straight aedeagus (Fig. 8). Ph. fusca has a dark yellow-brown body (Fig. 9), forewings dark brown in postmedian part, and reddish-brown hindwings. Its male genitalia valvae are rounded at the apical part (Fig. 10).
Description. Male ( Fig. 1): Forewing length of holotype 14 mm, wingspan 31 mm. Antennae one-third the length of forewing; last third strongly bipectinate with very short triangular pecten. Ground color of forewings blackish brown; median part of wing from base to inner edge yellow brown extending to j-shaped wing edge; cilia yellow mixed with brown scales; hindwing unicolor yellow, cilia greyish brown; dorsal forewing dark brown, anal edge grey; dorsal hindwing dark brown, costal area black brown. Head, thorax blackish brown.  Male genitalia (Figs 2, 3): Uncus wide, strong narrowing to acute tip; valvae almost the same width as length, flat tips with long blunt outgrowths at base; tegumen wide in medial part with plunging wide neckline; saccus long, narrow, rounded; juxta wide with a pair of lateral processes; aedeagus longer than valva, thin, curved and at the tip twice wider than base.
Female genitalia. Unknown. Bionomics and distribution. Known only from the Qin Liang Feng Shan mountains in Zhejiang province of eastern China (Fig. 4) Yakovlev, 2006. Small dark colored moths with dark hair densely covering the body. Antennae bipectinate. Forewing with a scarcely seen streaky pattern; hindwing dark without pattern; fringe evenly dark on both wings. Sexual dimorphism weakly expressed but female somewhat larger than male with wider wings and non-pectinate antennae.
Male genitalia. Uncus long, narrowly triangular with pointed apex; gnathos arms long and densely covered with spinules; valva with costal crest, blunt apex and scarcely noticeable transition between sclerotized and membranous parts, sclerotization gradually weakening towards apex; arms of transtilla small, pointed; juxta small; saccus very poorly expressed; aedeagus short, vesica opening occupies a dorso-apical position and comprises half of aedeagus length; vesica without cornuti.
Distribution. Three species distributed in NE India (Assam), Nepal, SE China (Sichuan). Diagnosis. Externally the new species is most similar to sibling species Patoptoformis ganesha (Yakovlev, 2004) and Patoptoformis hanuman Yakovlev, 2006. Unlike the new species, P. ganesha has dark forewings generally with a row of narrow transversal bands in medial and submarginal zones and black hindwings with a black fringe (Fig. 15). Male genitalia in P. ganesha differ as its uncus is triangular, broad gnathos is densely set with spinules, valvae are cut near apex, arms of transtilla are hook-like and saccus is rounded (Fig. 16). In P. hanuman the forewings are brown with a faint black streaky pattern with a clear submarginal streak and spot in the distal area and hindwings are dark brown, almost black (Fig. 17, 19). Male genitalia differ in shape of the valvae which are narrower, the gnathos arms which are thicker and aedeagus which is somewhat curved in the middle (Fig. 18).

Patoptoformis rimsaitae
Description. Male (Fig. 11): Forewing length of holotype 11 mm; wingspan 24 mm. Antennae almost half as long as forewing, strongly bipectinate and last third with very short triangular pecten; ground color of forewings grey blackish with large yellow patch in middle of basal area, middle part of wing from base to inner edge yellow brown, cilia yellow mixed with brown scales; hindwing unicolor yellow, cilia greyish brown; upper side of forewing dark brown, anal edge grey; upper side of hindwing dark brown, costal area black brown; head, thorax blackish brown.
Male genitalia (Figs 12, 13): Uncus wide with blunt tip; gnathos wide but arms narrow; valvae short, very wide at base narrowing to middle then widening abruptly at tip; arms of transtilla hook-like, thin, acute in tip; saccus wide, rounded; aedeagus almost the same length as valva, weakly curved with sharp curved tip; vesica like equilateral sack with opening size more than half of aedeagus length. Female genitalia. Unknown. Bionomics and distribution. Known only from the China's Sichuan province on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. Patoptoformis rimsaitae is likely endemic to West Sichuan. A single male was attracted to light at an altitude of 3700 m. The new species was collected in the shrubby transition between the mountain primary mixed forest and the alpine grassland zones (Fig. 14). Nothing is known about the early stages.