Witteulisna, a new genus for a new species from North Vietnam (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)
Author
Volynkin, Anton V.
Altai State University, Lenina Av. 61, RF- 656049, Barnaul, Russia. E-mail: monstruncusarctia @ gmail. com & National Research Tomsk State University, Lenina Av., 36, RF- 634050, Tomsk, Russia
Author
.
Author
.,.
Author
Ht
Author
Inu
Author
Mwm
Author
Zsm
text
Ecologica Montenegrina
2020
2020-12-12
38
127
130
http://dx.doi.org/10.37828/em.2020.38.16
journal article
10.37828/em.2020.38.16
2336-9744
13232721
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:90A457F5-5F77-4766-A8D8-704CF08193E5
Witteulisna
Volynkin
,
gen. nov.
Type
species:
Witteulisna paraxena
sp. nov.
Diagnosis
. The male of the new genus (Fig, 1) is similar externally to members of the
Thysanoptyx brevimacula
species-group (
Fig. 2
) and the
Teulisna plagiata
species-group (
Fig. 3
). The male genital capsule of
Witteulisna
(
Fig. 5
) is reminiscent of that of the
Thysanoptyx brevimacula
species-group (
Fig. 6
) but is easily distinguishable by its wide, dorso-ventrally flattened uncus (that is thin in the
Th. brevimacula
species-group), the shorter vinculum and the much longer valva with a convex costal margin and a larger cucullus. Compared to
Teulisna plagiata
species-group (
Fig. 7
; also illustrated by
Holloway 2001
), the male genital capsule of the new genus has a dorso-ventrally flattened uncus (it is long and thin in the
T. plagiata
species-group), a short and narrow vinculum lacking androconial glands (it is broad, trapezoid and bearing two androconial glands in the
T. plagiata
species-group), a convex costal margin of the valva, a larger cucullus, and the distally tapered and apically pointed distal saccular process (it is curved and somewhat dilated distally and densely covered with tiny spinules in the
T. plagiata
species-group). The main autapomorphic feature of the new genus is in the aedeagus structure: the aedeagus of
Witteulisna
is short and extremely broad, and its dorsal part bears a robust thorn-like carinal process directed distally and fused with the base of the vesica. The similar large process of the aedeagus is known in the externally dissimilar genus
Microlithosia
Daniel, 1954
(the
type
species:
Microlithosia shaowuica
Daniel, 1954
) (
Figs 4
,
8
, also illustrated by
Bayarsaikhan & Bae 2018
; Bayarsaikhan
et al.
2018), but in this genus the process is not fused with the vesica base and the aedeagus is much smaller than that of
Witteulisna
in comparison to the genital capsule. Additionally, the male genital capsule of
Microlithosia
differs from that of
Witteulisna
by the long and thin uncus and the presence of a medial saccular process.
Figures 1–4.
Lithosiina
spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1–3 in MWM/ZSM; 4 in INU (photo by U. Bayarsaikhan).
Description
.
External morphology of male
(
Fig. 1
). Forewing length 12–12.5 mm. Antenna blackish, weakly ciliate. Head blackish with ochreous yellow frons. Thorax blackish, with ochreous collar; patagia ochreous yellow basally and blackish distally. Abdomen brown with admixture of ochreous scales. Forewing elongate and narrow, its anal margin convex medially and curved posteriad distally. Forewing ground color greyish brown. Costa ochreous yellow along the cell. Cell with long cluster of greyish androconial scales. Medial area with large square black spot with rounded corners encircled with yellow scales. Postmedial and terminal areas greyish brown with ochreous yellow costa. Cilia ochreous yellow. Hindwing greyish brown medially and distally and ochreous yellow basally. Cilia ochreous yellow.
Male genitalia
(
Fig. 5
). Uncus broad, triangular with rounded tip, almost fully fused with tuba analis except of its tip. Tuba analis broad, membranous. Tegumen short, with narrow arms. Juxta trapezoid with two curved longitudinal crests and an apical protrusion with a small medial incision. Vinculum weakly sclerotized, Vshaped with rounded apex having shallow medial depression. Valva lobe-like, its costal margin convex medially. Cucullus large, tapered distally and rounded apically. Sacculus relatively narrow, with weakly setose dorsal margin. Distal saccular process short but robust, somewhat curved dorsad and pointed apically, does not reach the tip of cucullus. Aedeagus short and extremely broad. Its dorsal section with a rugose sclerotized plate ending with a very large thorn directed distally. Vesica narrow and elongate, with a globular scobinated diverticulum laterally and a sclerotized plate covered in short denticles apically. Vesica ejaculatorius originates from the base of vesica and directed latero-anteriorly.
Figures 5–8.
Lithosiina
spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 5–7 in MWM/ZSM; 8 in INU (photo by U. Bayarsaikhan).
Female unknown.
Etymology
. ‘
Witteulisna
’ is a combination of the surname Witt and the genus group name
Teulisna
. The genus name is dedicated to the memory of Dr Thomas J. Witt, a famous lepidopterist and a founder of the Museum Witt Munich having one of the largest collections of Heterocera in the world. Gender feminine.