Molecular and morphological evidence reveals hidden new taxa in Ochlodesochraceus (Bremer, 1861) (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) from China.

Two new species of Ochlodes Scudder, 1872, Ochlodespseudochraceus Zhu, Fan & Wang, sp. nov. and Ochlodescryptochraceus Zhu, Fan & Chiba, sp. nov., are found in China and described, and Ochlodesrikuchina (Butler, 1878) stat. rev. is restored. A lectotype is designated for Pamphilaochracea Bremer, 1861, and a neotype is designated for Pamphilarikuchina Butler, 1878. Overall, the two new species are similar to Ochlodesochraceus (Bremer, 1861). They, however, can be distinguished from the latter and other species in the genus: O.pseudochraceus has long radial spots in spaces R3-5, and the lateral process of the phallus gradually widens at the distal half in male genitalia; O.cryptochraceus has the lateral process of the phallus enlarged only at the distal tip. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene, members of currently defined O.ochraceus are grouped into four clades. The genetic distances between O.pseudochraceus and O.ochraceus, O.cryptochraceus and O.ochraceus, O.rikuchina and O.ochraceus, and O.pseudochraceus and O.cryptochraceus are 3.2%, 2.1%, 1.9%, and 2.7%, respectively. Based on the molecular and morphological evidence, O.pseudochraceus, O.cryptochraceus, and O.rikuchina are treated to be distinct species. The adult habitus and male and female genitalia of the new species are illustrated as well as those of O.ochraceus and O.rikuchina.

Molecular phylogeny, historical biogeography, and classification of Pseudocoladenia butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).

The range of the butterfly genus Pseudocoladenia includes several biodiversity hotspots, such as the Himalayas, mountains of southwestern China, and Sundaland. However, the taxonomic status of some of its species/subspecies remain controversial, and no previous phylogenetic or biogeographic analyses have been conducted. Herein, we determined the systematic relationships and biogeographic history of this genus by reconstructing its phylogeny based on six genes and 69 specimens as representatives of all known species/subspecies. Two species delimitation methods (Bayes Poisson Tree Processes and Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography) were also employed to assess the status of each taxon. Based on these results and morphological evidence, we identified 12 species and three subspecies in the genus and subsequently classified these into three species groups: P. fatih, P. dea, and P. dan. Five taxa, P. sadakoe (Sonan and Mitono, 1936) stat. nov., P. celebica (Fruhstorfer, 1909) stat. nov., P. fulvescens (Elwes and Edwarda, 1897) stat. nov., P. eacus (Latreille, 1823) stat. nov., and P. fabia (Evans, 1949) stat. nov. were all recognized as independent species. Additionally, two taxa, P. eacus sumatrana (Fruhstorfer, 1909) comb. nov. and P. eacus dhyana (Fruhstorfer, 1909) comb. nov., were placed under P. eacus (Latreille, 1823) stat. nov. as subspecies. Another new species distributed in N. Yunnan, Pseudocoladenia yunnana Fan, Cao & Hou sp. nov., was discovered and described. Divergence time and ancestral range estimation indicated that the most recent common ancestor of Pseudocoladenia was distributed in the Himalayas-Hengduan Mountain region and Indochina and diverged approximately 14.00 Ma. Continuous and episodic dispersal, vicariance, and extinction were used to determine the current geographic distribution of the genus. The P. fatih group had a prominently disjunct distribution between the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountain and Taiwan. Meanwhile, the P. dan group was first derived in Indochina and subsequently dispersed into the southeastern Asian archipelagoes. This study provides a reference for the evolutionary route of transoceanic distributed species in Asia and elaborates on the causes of biodiversity.

Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses provide novel insights into the taxonomic problems of several hesperiid taxa (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).

Here, we present new molecular and morphological evidence that contributes towards clarifying the phylogenetic relations within the family Hesperiidae, and overcomes taxonomic problems regarding this family. First, nine new complete mitogenomes, comprising seven newly sequenced species and two samples of previously sequenced species collected from different localities, were obtained and assembled to analyze characteristics. The length of the mitogenomes ranges from 15,284 to 15,853 bp and encodes 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region. Two model-based methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships. Based on the mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses and morphological evidence, we claim that the lineage that comprises two Asian genera, Apostictopterus Leech and Barca de Nicéville, should be a tribe Barcini stat. nov. of the subfamily Trapezitinae, Pseudocoladenia dea (Leech, 1894), P. festa (Evans, 1949), and Abraximorpha esta Evans, 1949 are considered distinct species. Finally, we suggest that Lotongus saralus chinensis Evans, 1932 should belong to the genus Acerbas de Nicéville, 1895, namely Acerbas saralus chinensis (Evans, 1932) comb. nov..

First record of the family Neopseustidae from Yunnan, China with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Neopseustidae).

The family Neopseustidae is reported from Yunnan Province, Southwest China, for the first time, with a new species, N. gaoligongensis Huang & Chen, sp. n., described from Mt. Gaoligong, West Yunnan, based on molecular and morphological evidence. The new species was found to belong to the N. bicornuta species-group and is closely related to N. fanjingshana Yang, 1988, but can be distinguished from it by the differences in morphology and a 3.2% COI distance. Adults and genitalia of the new species and N. fanjingshana are illustrated, and the molecular phylogeny based on COI barcoding of the genus Neopseustis is also updated.

Molecular and morphological evidence reveals a new genus of the subfamily Heteropterinae (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) from China.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that the genus Carterocephalus is not monophyletic. Based on combined molecular and morphological evidence, we propose a new genus, Pulchroptera Hou, Fan & Chiba, gen. nov., for Pamphilapulchra Leech, 1891. The adult, wing venation, and male genitalia of Pulchropterapulchra comb. nov., Carterocephaluspalaemon, and related genera are illustrated.

?Description of a new species of the genus Neopseustis Meyrick, 1909 from China, with a new classification of the genus (Lepidoptera, Neopseustoidea, Neopseustidae).

A new species of the genus Neopseustis Meyrick, 1909, Neopseustischentangensis S.Y. Huang & Chen sp. nov., which was confirmed by both morphological and molecular methods, is described from Xizang, China. This is currently the westernmost species in Asia of the primitive lepidopteran family Neopseustidae. The new species is externally reminiscent of N.moxiensis Chen & Owada, 2009; however, it can be easily distinguished from the latter by comparison of the male genitalia and is further distinguished by the large genetic distance in DNA barcodes (COI). The adult and genitalia of the new and similar species have been illustrated. Utilizing our new data, a new classification of the genus is provided, with its members subdivided into four species groups: the meyricki-group, the moxiensis-group, the bicornuta-group, and the chentangensis-group, which are supported by both molecular and morphological evidence. A checklist of the genus and a key to the species groups are also provided.