Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) falcata Kiss, 2025, sp. nov.

Cranionycta (Nefrendinycta) falcata sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E1F1C810-381D-42D7-8D4A-00E0B59FFFD7 (Figs 54, 77, 127) Holotype. Male, Nepal, Syangja district, 14 km E of Syangja, 1150 m, 25.vii.1995, leg. G. Csorba, No. 109, slide No.: KA 2429m (GR). Diagnosis. The single known male specimen of C. (N.) falcata (Fig. 54) is externally similar to C. (N.) lobophorus (Fig. 25), C. (N.) nigralbata (Fig. 46) and C. (N.) boursini (Fig. 47), however, it can be distinguished by its somewhat less variegated, cool ochreous shading of the forewing; the somewhat more contrasting medial fascia; the more conspicuous, thicker blackish remnant of the inner margin of the orbicular stigma; from C. (N.) lobophorus and C. (N.) nigralbata also by the somewhat wider inner part of the medial field; the more curved medial line; and the more or less evenly crenulate postmedial line. It may be also distinguished from C. (N.) boursini by the blackish spot on the thorax; the more indistinct wing pattern elements; the more greyish suffused forewing; and the darker, more conspicuous subterminal line. The male genitalia (Fig. 77) differ from those of the similar species by the widest at base, uniformly narrowing and apically much slender (not abruptly pointed) uncus; the widest in the basal one-third and strongly billhook-shaped valvae with straighter ventral margin, and somewhat wavier costa; and the medial sclerite almost reaches the ventral margin, not running parallel with the ventral margin. The male terminal abdominal segments (Fig. 127) can be distinguished from those of the similar species by the slightly more trapezoidal 8 th sternite with wider distal edge without sclerotized patch, and the somewhat more rounded but distally abruptly cut off window. Description. Imago (Fig. 54). Wingspan 28 mm. Head. Relatively large; 2 nd segment of palpus longer than 3 rd; antennae filiform. Thorax. Moderately wide, dark brownish-grey with whitish patches and large black anterior spot; patagia dark brownish-grey with blackish outline; tegulae blackish. Abdomen. Dark greyish with some darker middorsal scale tufts. Wing. Forewing moderately wide, apically obtuse, dark ochreous; basal spot blackish, small, irregularly shaped; basal streak indistinct, blackish, wide, short, wedge-shaped; tornal streak blackish, long, indistinct between medial and postmedial lines, uniformly wide between postmedial and terminal lines; apical dash absent; basal line blackish, double, outer line conspicuously wider than inner line, inner line very short, dot-like, filled with dark ochreous; antemedial line double, reduced with three larger indistinct blackish spots at costal area and tiny blackish spot at outward edge of inner margin, and filled with whitish scales; medial line blackish, zigzag, fused with wide blackish and outwardly diffuse medial fascia; postmedial line double, crenulate, inner line reduced, greyish-black, outer line blackish, more prominent with narrow black stripe between veins R3 and M2, filled with whitish and suffused with greyish scales; subterminal line wide, zigzag, indistinct, whitish-grey; terminal line whitish, interrupted by tiny black on veins, longer on veins M1, Cu1 and Cu2; basal field dark ochreous, relatively wide, joined to subbasal patch; subbasal patch whitish-ochre, wide and short; suprabasal patch reduced, darker ochreous, more or less oval; antemedial field dark ochreous with conspicuous blackish patch at costa and suffused with blackish at inner margin; medial field inwardly, whitish-ochre suffused with darker greyish-ochre in costal area, outwardly dark whitish-grey-ochre, inner part moderately wide, outer part narrow; subterminal field dark ochreous with large, blackish-grey, squarish patches in costal area, obscure between veins M1 and M2 and around tornal streak; terminal field narrow, blackish-grey suffused with whitish scales; orbicular stigma reduced, with blackish, curved line inwardly; reniform stigma moderately large, reduced, dark ochreous, inwardly suffused with blackish scales, outlined with series of tiny blackish spots; four whitish spots at costa between medial fascia and terminal line, gradually decreasing in size towards apex, first more or less rectangular, others narrow; tornal patch blackish, small; fringe whitish with greyish patches. Hindwing rounded, apically pointed; fully dark greyish-brown; marginal band slightly darker; postdiscal line and discal spot absent; tornal patch slightly darker greyish-brown; fringe whitish with greyish patches. Male genitalia (Fig. 77). Uncus moderately short, sclerotized, widest at base, hairy; apex hooked. Scaphium moderately sclerotized, pliers-like; subscaphium weakly sclerotized. Tegumen long with lobe-like peniculus covered with dense long hairs. Saccus sclerotized, V-shaped. Juxta simple, moderately sclerotized, widest at base, shield-shaped. Manica double, moderately sclerotized lobe-like extension with spinulose structure supporting numerous small spinules. Transtilla short, rod-like, uniformly wide, sclerotized. Valvae elongate, narrow, widest at base then more or less parallel, moderately sclerotized, strongly billhook-shaped, rounded apically with wide, dense corona; costa somewhat wavy; sacculus narrow, sclerotized, ventral margin curved; clavus slightly curved; valval androconial apparatus absent; medial sclerite long, straight, slightly wavy sclerotized running to ventral margin and with tiny sclerotized basal protrusion. Phallus simple, tubular, moderately sclerotized; carina slightly more sclerotized, wide, short, wedge-shaped. Vesica as long as phallus, moderately wide, essentially tubular with three basal diverticula one of them bearing spinulose patch, distal diverticulum larger, elongate; tooth-like cornuti absent from mid-lateral surface. Male 7 th and 8 th abdominal segments (Fig. 127). 7 th sternite quadrangular, wider than long, evenly sclerotized; proximal edges slightly wavy, laterally extended; lateral sides proximally concave, distally convex with contrasting margin; distal edge slightly concave.7 th tergite roughly trapezoidal, wider than long; proximal half slightly sclerotized, distal half with slightly more sclerotized semi-circular band; proximal edge more or less straight with two fused, long, curved, stronger sclerotized rods; lateral sides proximally concave, distally convex with contrasting margin; distal edge slightly concave. 8 th sternite trapezoidal with rounded corner, somewhat longer than wide; window relatively large, rounded, distally abruptly cut off, with wide, laterally pointed, slightly constricted sclerotized stripe; proximal edge slightly arched with more sclerotized tiny patch in middle; lateral sides widened distally, strongly widened and fused in distal half; distal edge concave. 8 th tergite triangular, more sclerotized proximally, longer than wide; window more or less rhomboidal with pointed peak proximally; proximal edge short and pointed; lateral sides abruptly narrowing towards distal edge, narrowest in middle with wide, triangular spur-like distal end; distal edge concave. Anterolateral sclerites of 8 th segment relatively long, sclerotized, slightly curved rods with tiny, membranous spur-like extension close to junction with 8 th sternite. Distribution. The new species is known only from its type locality, where occurs sympatrically with C. (N.) versicolor. Etymology. The name “ falcata ” refers to the billhook-shaped valvae of the male.