Miltochrista ehyrosta, Volynkin & Černý & Huang & Saldaitis, 2023

Volynkin, Anton V, Černý, Karel, Huang, Si-Yao & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2023, Thirteen new species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner from Indochina, China, Myanmar and India (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 68, pp. 12-37 : 15-16

Miltochrista ehyrosta sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9C237704-6B57-45D9-BF0A-51D00385E188

( Figs 16–19 , 58–61 , 85 , 86 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 16 , 58 ): male, “ XI.2013 | North Vietnam, | Vĩnh Phúc Province, | Tam Dao Range , | 21°23'3.3''N | 105°42'44.1''E | 395m, loc. coll. leg.” / “Slide | AV7418 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( WIGJ, ex CAV).

Paratypes. VIETNAM: 2 males, 2 females, the same data as in the holotype, gen. prep. Nos.: AV7416 ♂, AV7417 ♀, AV7419 ♂, AV7420 ♀ ( CAV) ; 2 males, 1 female, Tam Dao (secondary forest), 60 km NW Hanoi, 1200m, 21.34'N 105.20'E [21°34'N 105°20'E], 1–5. V .1993, Sinyaev & Simonov leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 295/2017 ♂, ZSM Arct. 296/2017 ♀, ZSM Arct. 351/2017 ♂ ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, 1 female, the same locality as previous but 950m, 17.X.1995, V . Sinyaev leg. ( MWM / ZSM); 1 male, Mt. Fansipan , N side, 1600m, 22°17'N 103°44'E, primary forest, 20–30.X.1995, V . Sinyaev & E. Afonin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 350/2017 ♂ ( MWM / ZSM) ; 2 males, Tonkin, Tam Dao, 1931 / Museum Paris , Coll. L. Lemèe, Don. P. Viette, unique IDs: EL83621, EL83622, gen. preps by Huang ( MNHN) ; 1 female, Vietnam sept., Tam Dao , 950m, 10.X.1984, K. Spitzer lgt. ( CKC) ; 1 male, 1 female, same data as previous but 11.X.1984 ( CKC) ; 1 male, 1 female, same data as previous but 16.X.1984, gen. prep. No.: AV2611 ♀ ( CKC) ; 3 males, 1 female, Tam Dao , 60 NW Hanoi, 21°34'N 105°20'E, 1200 m, 1–15.XI.1992, Sinjaev [Sinyaev] & Simonov leg., ex coll. Schintlmeister, gen. prep. Nos.: AV2609 ♂, AV2610 ♂ ( CKC) ; 2 males, Vietnam sept., Tam Dao, 950 m, V .1990, Vít Kubáň leg. ( CKC); 1 male, Vietnam sept., Tam Dao, 1– 30. VI .1978, Ivan Kubát leg. ( CKC); THAILAND: 10 males, 1 female, Lampang Prov., Chae Son NP, 1496m, 18°51'23''N 99°22'E, 1. VI .2005, gen. prep. Nos.: AV2607 ♂, AV2608 ♀ ( CKC) ; 13 males, 2 females, Lampang, Chae Son NP, 1496m, 18°51'22''N 99°22'3''E, 9. VI .2005, K. Černý leg. ( CKC); 2 males, Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon NP, 1416m, 18°30'59''N 98°28'13''E, 6–7. VI .2005, K. Černý leg. ( CKC); 1 male, 1 female, Changwat Chiang Mai, Mt. Doi Inthanon , NP, 2300m, 17.X.2000, local collector leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 356/2017 ♂ ( MWM / ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 10.0–10.5 mm in males and 11.0–12.0 mm in females. Miltochrista ehyrosta sp. n. ( Figs 16–19 ) is externally similar to the partly sympatric M. primaria sp. n. ( Figs 30, 31 ) but differs in the somewhat less elongate forewing apex, the deeper yellow forewing ground colour, and the more pronounced forewing markings. The genitalia structures of the new species ( Figs 58– 61 ) are rather dissimilar to M. primaria sp. n. ( Fig. 67 ) (see the comparison below in the diagnosis of this species) and are closest to the allopatric M. conthytera sp. n. ( Figs 62, 63 ), the detailed comparison with which is also provided below in the diagnosis of M. conthytera sp. n.. The male genitalia of M. ehyrosta sp. n. are also reminiscent of M. velona Volynkin, Saldaitis & Müller, 2022 ( Figs 22, 23 ), which externally differs from the new species in its smaller size, the deeper yellow forewing ground colour, and the thicker forewing markings with an almost medially straight medial line (in is slightly sinuous in the new species). Compared to M. velona ( Fig. 64 ), the male genital capsule of M. ehyrosta sp. n. ( Figs 58–61 ) has slightly asymmetrical valvae with a broader dorsal protrusion of the costa situated more proximally, a basally broader and slightly downcurved distal costal process (it is straight in M. velona ), a longer distal membranous lobe of the valva, and a considerably longer, broader and upcurved distal saccular process, which is almost straight in M. velona . The phallus of M. ehyrosta sp. n. is shorter and slightly narrower than in M. velona . In the phallus vesica, unlike M. velona , M. ehyrosta sp. n. has a markedly shorter lateral cornutus, a longer and broader distal cornutus, and a narrower apical diverticulum. Besides M. velona , the male genitalia of M. ehyrosta sp. n. are also reminiscent of the externally dissimilar M. cingula Černý, 2009 ( Figs 27, 28 , 66 ) but can readily be distinguished by the longer and slenderer uncus, the more proximally situated dorsal protrusion of the costa, the markedly shorter distal costal process, the considerably longer, broader and upcurved distal saccular process, and the longer lateral cornutus in the phallus vesica. In the female genitalia, M. ehyrosta sp. n. ( Figs 85 , 86 ) differs from M. velona ( Fig. 88 ) in the broader medial ventral depression of the ostium bursae margin, the markedly shorter and narrower postero-lateral sclerotised area of the corpus bursae edged with a denser cluster of shorter spines, the thinner posterior cluster consisting of finer spinules, the presence of the ventro-lateral gelatinous diverticulum in the corpus bursae, and the shorter and narrower lateral pockets of the 7 th abdominal sternite. Compared to M. cingula ( Fig. 90 ), the female genitalia of M. ehyrosta sp. n. have a shallower ventral depression of the ostium bursae margin, an anteriorly broader antrum, a larger corpus bursae with a larger postero-lateral sclerotised area and a ventro-lateral gelatinous diverticulum. The lateral pockets of the 7 th abdominal sternite of the new species are shorter and somewhat narrower than in M. cingula .

Distribution. Vietnam (Lào Cai and Vĩnh Phúc Provinces) and Thailand (Chiang Mai, Lampang and Nan Provinces).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek ‘εύρωστος’ meaning ‘robust’ and refers to the robust distal saccular processes. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition to the generic name.

Figures

Figures 16–26. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 16 in WIGJ (ex CAV); 17 in CAV; 18 and 19 in CKC; 20–22, 25 and 26 in MWM/ZSM; 23 in GMF-B; 24 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 58–61. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 58 in WIGJ (ex CAV); 59 and 61 in MWM/ZSM; 60 in CKC.

Figures 82–85. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 82 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 83 in CAV; 84 and 85 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 86–89. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 86 in CKC; 87 and 89 in MWM/ZSM; 88 in GMF-B.

Figures 27–38. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 27 and 28 in CKC; 29 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 30–33, 35, 37 and 38 in MWM/ZSM; 34 in WIGJ (ex CAV); 36 in OUMNH.

Figures 66–69. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 66 in CKC; 67 in MWM/ZSM; 68 and 69 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 62–65. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 62, 63 and 65 in MWM/ZSM; 64 in WIGJ.

Figures 90–93. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 90 in CKC; 91 in MWM/ZSM; 92 in CAV; 93 in ZFMK.