Sycacantha diserta (Meyrick, 1909) comb. nov.

(Figs. 5, 10, 11)

Argyroploce diserta Meyrick, 1909: 593.

Olethreutes diserta: Clarke, 1958: 504.

Phaecasiophora diserta: Diakonoff, 1973: 116.

Material examined. China: 1♂, Ruili Rare Arboretum (24°01’N, 97°85’E), Ruili, Yunnan Province, alt. 1000 m, 7.VIII.2005, leg. Yingdang Ren; 1♂, Sun River nature reserve (22°48’N, 100°58’E), Pu’er, Yunnan Province, alt. 1626 m, 8.VII.2013, leg. Shurong Liu, Yuqi Wang and Kaijian Teng; 1♂, Yinggeling (19°08’N, 109°50’E), Hainan Province, 28.VIII–3.IX.2005, leg. Min Wang and Liusheng Chen.

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Hainan); Indonesia; India.

Remarks. In Phaecasiophora, the socius in the male genitalia is often entire, without a cleft and not divided into two distinct parts. In diserta the socius is distinctly cleft and forming two triangular processes like that of Sycacantha (Fig. 11). Additionally, the valva in the male genitalia is constricted beyond the sacculus and with a basal prominence of the cucullus, which is characteristic of Sycacantha. The molecular data also support the position of diserta within Sycacantha, although the support value is low (37%). Consequently, the new combination, S. diserta (Meyrick, 1909) comb. nov., is proposed.

This species is very similar to S. beatana Kuznetzov, 2003 both in the male genitalia and in appearance. Superficially, both are characterized by a dark brown forewing with three striking leaden blotches with white edges. In the male genitalia, the character of phallus can be used to separate them. In S. diserta the phallus is stout, about 1.5 times as long as wide; while in S. beatana the phallus is about 3 times as long as wide

Note. This species is newly recorded from China.