Re-Examination: No True Tabidia Snellen, 1880 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in China, with Descriptions of Two New Genera and Three New Species
Many species within the genus <i>Tabidia</i> Snellen, 1880 exhibit significant differences in wing pattern and genital morphology, which are inconsistent with the definition of <i>Tabidia</i>, indicating that the genus is not monophyletic. To address this, the present study revises the taxonomy of the Chinese species previously placed in <i>Tabidia</i> based on wing morphological characteristics, differences in male and female genitalia, and phylogenetic relationships inferred from the mitochondrial <i>COI</i> gene and mitochondrial genomes. As a result, two new genera are established: <i>Melanoleuca</i><b>gen. nov.</b> and <i>Scintilla</i><b>gen. nov.</b> These new genera are confirmed to belong to the tribe Agroterini Acloque, 1897. Furthermore, three cryptic new species are discovered: <i>Melanoleuca luteamacula</i><b>sp. nov.</b>, <i>Melanoleuca qianshanensis</i><b>sp. nov.</b>, and <i>Melanoleuca yingshanensis</i><b>sp. nov.</b> Based on the morphological characteristics of adult appearance and genitalia, an identification key to the species of these two new genera is provided. Illustrations of adult specimens and their genital structures are provided, along with a world catalog of the species for the three relevant genera: <i>Tabidia</i>, <i>Melanoleuca</i>, and <i>Scintilla</i>.
Authors
- Jun Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1081-4829)
- Wanlu Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6616-7036)
- Yun-Li Xiao
- Jia-Xin Wang
Institutions
- Huanggang Normal University (CN)
- Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Northeast Forestry University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Insects
- Published
- 2026-01-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020149
- Primary Topic
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Smithsonian Institution
- Hubei Provincial Department of Education
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center
- National Museum of Natural History