Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung 2020

Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung, 2020 [Japanese name: Shinonome-hoso-hamaki] (Figs. 1A–B, 2A–C, 3A, B) Eupoecilia koreana Byun et al. 2020; 721. Diagnosis. Eupoecilia koreana Byun and Jung, 2020 is identified by the following characteristics: the ground color of the forewing is creamy with scattered dull orange scales; the median process of the transtilla of the male genitalia is short and wide; a sclerotized line on the bursa copulatrix of the female genitalia runs from the central portion of the corpus bursae to the posterior portion of the ductus bursae and its basal part is bifurcated. In appearance, the species is similar to E. sanguisorbana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1856) and E. inouei. The examined species differs from E. sanguisorbana in that, the median process of the transtilla of the male genitalia is shorter and wider, and the sclerotized line on the bursa copulatrix of the female genitalia is shorter. The species differs from E. inouei in that, the sacculus of the valva of the male genitalia is shorter, and the sclerotized line on the bursa copulatrix of the female genitalia is shorter. Redescription. Adult (Figs. 1A, B). Head:Vertex and frons brownish white.Antenna filiform, dark brown. Labial palpus approximately 2 times length of diameter of eye, dark brown on outer surface, white on inner surface. Thorax: Dorsum and tegula pale brown. Forewing length: 7.0– 7.5 mm (n=5). Forewing: Costa slightly curved throughout, apex strongly rounded, termen oblique, dorsum strongly curved in basal portion; ground color creamy, scattered dull orange scales, basal half of costal margin dark bordered with brown; median fascia rather broad, tapering toward dorsum, extending from basal 2/5 of costa to 2/5 of dorsum, brownish black, scattered with brown scales; termen margined by brownish black band narrowing toward dorsum; subterminal blotch oval, dull orange; cilia dark brown. Hindwing: costa slightly curved; termen slightly dented; basal 1/4 of dorsum strongly curved subbasally; ground color and cilia dark gray. Abdomen: Dark brown. Male genitalia (Figs. 2A–C): Socius long, tapering toward pointed apex. Transtilla sclerotized, concave medially, median process rather wide and subtriangular. Valva trapezoid, moderately sclerotized, approximately 0.7 times width of tegumen, sparsely hairy throughout, costal margin slightly concaved, termen straightly, costa and sacculus narrow, sacculus reaching to 1/2 of valva. Juxta sclerotized and subtriangular. Vinculum short. Phallus spindle shaped, bearing one long cornutus approximately 1/3 width of the phallus, and a row of numerous minute spines. Female genitalia (Figs. 3A, B): Papilla analis broad, anterior 1/3 slender; apophysis anterioris 1.2 times length of apophysis posterioris. Sterigma sclerotized, approximately 0.7 times length as apophysis posterioris, wide and short. Ductus bursae slightly longer than corpus bursae, posterior half weakly sclerotized, anterior half membranous, left side bearing wrinkled band with small spines throughout, connecting to bifurcated wrinkled band reaching to central area of corpus bursae. Ductus seminalis arising from posterior 1/6 of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae ovalshaped, posterior half scattered with small spines, anterior portion with a weakly sclerotized band and a weakly sclerotized circle-shaped plate. Specimen examined. [Japan], Honshu: 1♀, Nagano Pref., Matsumoto-shi, Azumi [1,494 m], 36.1442°N, 137.622°E, 31.viii.2022, S. Suzuki leg., genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2022 -136, GenBank accession number PQ882477, coll. ELKU; 1♀, Nagano Pref., Matsumoto-shi, Shirakabatouge Pass [1,600 m], 36.140°N, 137.629°E, 29.viii.2014, U. Jinbo leg., coll. NSMT; 1♀, Shizuoka Pref., Koyama-cho, Suhara, Mt. Fuji [1,600 m], 31.viii.2012, T. Mano leg., coll. ELKU; 1♂, Shizuoka Pref., Shizuoka-shi, Aoi-ku, Tashiro, Riv. Ooigawa [1,290 m], 24.viii.2014, T. Mano leg., genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2020-11, coll. ELKU; 1♀, Tottori Pref., Tottori-shi, Kouchi, Azo Road [770 m], 35.3914°N, 134.0548°E, 12.ix.2017, Y. Matsui leg., genitalia slide no. Shinya Suzuki 2023-80, GenBank accession number PQ882478, coll. ELKU. DNA sequence data. The sequence data of the two female specimens were deposited in GenBank and BOLD system (Table 1). The K2P pairwise distances between the most similar species, E. sanguisorbana (JF854666.1) were 7.39%–7.52%, which is much larger than the generally accepted threshold of interspecific pairwise distances in the DNA barcode regions (ca. 2%, e.g. Hausmann et al. 2011). Thus, we conclude that this species is genetically distinct from E. sanguisorbana. As for E. koreana, there are no registered sequences. Distribution. Japan (Honshu) (new record), Korea (Gangwon-do). Remarks. Eupoecilia koreana was described based on a single female specimen, and the male has been unknown. In this study, we assigned a male specimen to this species. The male was collected in habitat similar to where the females were recorded in Japan, and is very similar in appearance to the female, although we failed to obtain the DNA barcode sequence to verify the combination of the sexes. Based on the similarity of the ground color of the forewing, a row of numerous minute spines on the phallus of the male genitalia, and a wrinkled band in the ductus bursae to the corpus bursae of the female genitalia, we considered that E. koreana to be closely related to E. sanguisorbana. This hypothesis is also supported by a molecular evidence; E. koreana was placed as a sister to E. sanguisorbana in the ML tree (Fig. 4) based on DNA barcode sequences. Japanese E. koreana specimens were collected at the forest edge of mountain terrains at more than 770 m elevation. The early stage is unknown; Sanguisorba officinalis (a host plant of the sister species E. sanguisorbana) and its related plant species, often found at the collection sites of E. koreana in Japan, are candidates of hostplants of this species.