On the taxonomy of the genus Miltochrista Hübner with descriptions of five new species from India and China and notes on the genus Arctelene Kirti & Gill (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)
Author
Volynkin, Anton V.
Altai State University, Lenina Avenue, 61, RF- 656049, Barnaul, Russia.
Author
Huang, Si-Yao
0000-0002-9859-9212
Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, Guangdong, China. E-mail: huangsiyao 2007 @ aliyun. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 9859 - 9212 * Corresponding author. E-mail: monstruncusarctia @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 9447 - 4925
text
Ecologica Montenegrina
2022
2022-11-15
58
86
108
http://dx.doi.org/10.37828/em.2022.58.9
journal article
10.37828/em.2022.58.9
2336-9744
13240006
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EC827EB4
Miltochrista taragmena
sp. n.
https://zoobank.org/
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:
06D9E61F-F67D-440E-AA37-EB2FD7998391
(
Figs 36, 37
,
55
,
67
)
Type material
.
Holotype
(
Figs 36
,
55
): male, [
China
,
Yunnan
,
Lijiang
] “Li- kiang ca.
2000m
| Prov. Nord- Yuennan |
10.8.1934
.
H. Höne
” / “Lycl. rubri- | cosa Moore” / “
♂
” / “Slide | AV2132
♂
|
A. Volynkin
” (
ZFMK
).
Paratypes
:
8 males
,
6 females
, the same locality and collector as
holotype
,
2.VII.1934
(
1 male
),
9.VII.1934
(
1 female
),
28.VII.1934
(
1 male
),
31.VII.1934
(
1 female
),
3.VIII.1934
(
1 female
, gen. prep.
No.
:
ZFMK
Lep
153381),
5.VIII.1934
(
1 male
,
1 female
with gen. prep.
No. AV
2133),
6.VIII.1934
(
1 male
,
1 female
),
14.VIII.1934
(
1 male
),
25.VII.1935
(
2 males
),
26.VII.1935
(
1 female
),
3.VIII.1935
(
1 male
) (
ZFMK
)
.
Note
. This species was erroneously reported from
China
as ‘
Lyclene
(
Asura
)
rubricosa
Moore’ by
Daniel (1952)
.
Diagnosis
. The forewing length is 12.0–15.0 mm in males and 13.0–14.0 mm in females.
Miltochrista taragmena
sp. n.
is externally vaguely reminiscent of
M. hogani
sp. n.
, species of the
M. pseudoarcuata
–
M. paraarcuata
species pair (illustrated by
Kirti & Singh 2016
) and the genus
Arctelene
but is distinguished by the broad forewing with a more diffuse pattern, and the longer longitudinal streaks in the subbasal forewing area. The male genitalia structure of the new species is similar to the recently described
M. flavorosea
Bucsek, 2020
(
Figs 34, 35
), from which
M. taragmena
sp. n.
externally differs in the markedly larger size, the more diffuse forewing pattern, and the lack of the medial transverse line in the hindwing. The male genital capsule of
M. taragmena
sp. n.
differs from that of
M. flavorosea
(
Fig. 56
) in the broader uncus, the shorter and thicker distal costal process, the broader distal membranous lobe, and the markedly shorter distal saccular process. Additionally, the dorsal setose cluster of the sacculus of the new species is narrower than in the congener. The phallus of
M. taragmena
sp. n.
is broader and somewhat longer than in
M. flavorosea
. Compared to
M. flavorosea
, the vesica of the new species has a broader main chamber, a longer and broader distal diverticulum, and markedly larger cornuti. In the female genitalia,
M. taragmena
sp. n.
is distinguished from
M. flavorosea
(
Fig. 68
) by the markedly shorter and broader antrum, the presence of the postero-lateral gelatinous area of the corpus bursae (in
M. flavorosea
, there is a postero-lateral sclerotised plate instead), and the presence of one cluster consisting of markedly smaller spines in the corpus bursae whereas
M. flavorosea
has two clusters consisting of robust spines. Compared to
M. flavorosea
, the 7
th
abdominal sternite of the new species has narrower and more weakly sclerotised lateral plate, and markedly shorter and narrower, triangular lateral pocket with irregular margins whereas it is bilobate with a larger and semielliptical posterior lobe.
Distribution
. Southwest
China
(
Yunnan
) (
Daniel 1952
, as
rubricosa
).
Figures 55–58
.
Miltochrista
(55 and 56) and
Arctelene
(57 and 58) spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 55 in ZFMK; 56 and 58 in MWM/ZSM; 57 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).
Figures 59–62
.
Miltochrista
spp.
: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 59 in MWM/ZSM; 60 and 61 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 62 in OUMNH.
Etymology
. The specific epithet originates from the Greek ‘ταραγμένος’ meaning ‘confused’, and refers to the confusion of the new species with
Arctelene rubricosa
,
comb. n.
by
Daniel (1952)
. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.