Syzeuxis subfasciaria (Wehrli, 1924)

Figs 8, 20, 32

Lobogonia subfasciaria Wehrli, 1924, Mitt. münch. ent. Ges., 14 (6–12): 133, pl. 1, fig. 4. Lectotype 3, Südchina: [Guangdong]: Lingping [Lianping], here designated. (ZFMK)

Syzeuxis subfasciaria: Parsons et al., 1999, Geometrid Moths of the World, a Catalogue, 2: 920.

Materials Examined. CHINA: 13, Lectotype (here designated), Guangdong: Lingping [Lianping], 22 May, coll. H. Höne (ZFMK); 43, Paralectotypes, Guangdong: Lingping [Lianping], 22 May, coll. H. Höne (ZFMK); 13, Paralectotype, Canton [Guangdong], no date, coll. H. Höne (ZFMK); 13, Paralectotype, labelled as ‘Paratype’ Guangdong: Lingping [Lianping], Südchina, 22 April, coll. H. Höne, Geometridae Genitalia slide no. 20321 (BMNH).

Description. Antennae with basal 2/3 bipectinate in male. Labial palpus yellowish brown, rough-scaled. Frons, vertex, dorsal side of thorax yellowish brown. Abdomen pale brown with diffuse black speckles. Wing pattern. Forewing length: 3 9 mm. Wings yellowish brown, sparsely diffused with black speckles. Outer margin of forewing smooth, curved outward slightly. Forewing with a small black patch on costa near base; antemedial and postmedial lines indistinct, each forming a strongly marked black triangular patch on costa; another slender black patch present near apex on costa; terminal line black, discontinuous, distinct between M1 and M3, CuA1 to anal angle; discal spot invisible. Hindwing: postmedial line very broad, black brown, more or less X-shaped, but indistinct (or with small extension); terminal line black, much thinner than that of forewing, discontinuous on vein ends; discal spot forming a small dark brown elongate patch. Hindwing in male without basal lobe. Fringes of forewing black where terminal line present, whitish brown where terminal line absent; dark brown on hindwing, whitish brown around apex. Underside: diffuse dark brown speckles denser; forewing with postmedial line more distinct than upperside; terminal line more continuous; hindwing similar to upperside. Venation similar to that of S. magnidica. Male genitalia. Uncus large and broad, narrowing steadily towards apex, concave slightly at apical margin. Gnathos with large median process much narrowing strongly distally and blunt. Valva small, tapered; costa without process. Juxta a pair of sclerotized processes protruding posteriorly. Aedeagus very short and broad, lapped with a circle of spines subposteriorly. Female genitalia. Unknown.

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to S. magnidica. But it can be distinguished from that species in the smaller size, the shorter costal patch on the antemedial line of the forewing, as well as the presence of a pair of sclerotized processes on the juxta of the male genitalia.

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Remarks. The original syntype series consists of seven males, among which six are deposited in ZFMK, with one labelled ‘Type’ and four labelled ‘Paratype’; the sixth is labelled ‘Canton’, but without type label. According to the description, the whole series should come from ‘Lianping, Guangdong, China’. Since the description itself does not distinguish between specimens labelled ‘type’ and ‘paratype’, they must all be regarded as syntypes. The specimen labelled ‘Type’ by Wehrli has been partly destroyed; it has no head, no abdomen and only a small part of the thorax is left. So it is not appropriate to be selected as the lectotype. There is only one other specimen with clear label data which is in good condition. We designate this specimen as lectotype with the agreement of Dr. D. Stüning, ZFMK. Only one syntype specimen is deposited in BMNH (Geometridae Genitalia slide no. 20321); it has the label data ‘Lingping, Südchina, iv.22, coll. H. Höne’ and was labelled as ‘Paratype’ by Wehrli, we treat this specimen as a paralectotype.