Burmanyctycia, Benedek & Volynkin & Babics & Saldaitis, 2021

Benedek, Balázs, Volynkin, Anton V., Babics, János & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2021, Burmanyctycia, a new genus for a new species from north-western Myanmar with notes on closely related genera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Xylenini), Zootaxa 5061 (1), pp. 167-176 : 168-171

Genus Burmanyctycia gen. n.

( Figs 1, 2 , 15, 16 , 23 )

Type species: Burmanyctycia naumanni sp. n.

Diagnosis. The type species of the genus ( Figs 1, 2 ) is externally vaguely reminiscent of certain species of the genus Bryotypella , namely B. medionigra (Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998) , comb. n. ( Figs 9, 10 ), but differs in its brick-red colouration of the body and the forewing. The male genital capsule ground plan of Burmanyctycia gen. n. ( Figs 15, 16 ) is most similar to that of the externally dissimilar genus Blepharomima Hreblay & L. Ronkay, 1998 (Type species: Blepharomima euplexina Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998 ) ( Figs 3, 4 , 17 , 24 ) due to the reduction of the harpe and the presence of a ventral costal protrusion forming the ventral margin of the well-sclerotised cucullus. However, the juxta of Burmanyctycia gen. n. is longer and more heavily sclerotised than in Blepharomima and bears a digitiform antero-ventral process which is unique in the subtribe Xylenina . Additionally, the uncus of Burmanyctycia gen. n. is spatulate (that is evenly narrow in Blepharomima ) and the ventral costal process is absent. The aedeagus of Burmanyctycia gen. n. has a narrow distal section with a narrow and moderately sclerotised carina not protruding beyond the vesica base whereas in Blepharomima , the distal section of the aedeagus is dilated, curved ventrally and carina bears a short process directed ventrally (a unique feature in Xylenina ). Compared to those of the similar genera Bryotypella ( Figs 18–21 ) and Charanyctycia ( Fig. 22 ), the male genitalia of Burmanyctycia gen. n. have an anterio-ventral process of the juxta, lack a harpe, and have an apically rounded, lobe-like cucullus encircled ventrally by the ventral protrusion of the costa, whereas the cuculli of Bryotypella and Charanyctycia are apically elongated, tapered and separated from the costa. The female genitalia of the new genus ( Fig. 23 ) differ from those of Blepharomima ( Fig. 24 ) and Bryotypella ( Figs 25–28 ) in the longer, funnel-shaped antrum and thicker apophyses. Compared to those of Charanyctycia (illustrated by Ronkay et al. (2010: figs 44, 45)), the female genitalia of Burmanyctycia gen. n. have a corpus bursae with a constriction in its posterior third.

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 1, 2 ). Forewing length 13.0 mm in males and 14.0 mm in females. Antenna filiform, ciliate in male. Head and thorax brick-red with suffusion of grey scales. Forewing ground colour brick-red, medial area darker than ante-, postmedial and subterminal ones. In female, postmedial and subterminal areas pale brown with intense suffusion of grey scales. Subbasal line sinuous, diffuse, represented by brown suffusion. Antemedial line slightly sinuous, black outwardly and grey inwardly. Postmedial line almost straight posteriorly and loop-like curved anteriorly, black inwardly and grey outwardly. Claviform stigma short, apically rounded. Orbicular stigma elliptical, paler than ground colour of medial area, outlined with black scales medially and posteriorly. Reniform stigma pale brownish grey with blackish suffusion medially, outlined with black scales, connected to postmedial line postero-outwardly. Subterminal line thin, irregularly sinuous, indistinct, represented by grey suffusion. Terminal line thin, brown. Fringe brown with admixture of fuscous scales. Hindwing pale pinkish-brown, discal spot semilunar, grey, diffuse. Abdomen pale brick-red with fuscous suffusion dorsally in males. Male genitalia ( Figs 15, 16 ). Uncus cylindrical basally, dorso-ventrally flattened and spatulate distally, weakly setose. Tegumen short with narrow and weakly sclerotised arms. Vinculum longer than tegumen, heavily sclerotised, with U-shaped saccus. Valva elongate, somewhat constricted medially. Costa heavily sclerotised with distal-ventral protrusion forming ventral edge of cucullus. Cucullus lobe-like, rounded, with short corona consisting of numerous tiny setae. Clasper narrow but heavily sclerotised, without harpe. Sacculus short, distally tapered, without clavus. Juxta longer than tegumen, heavily sclerotised, shield-like with large digitiform antero-ventral process. Aedeagus cylindrical, constricted sub-distally and somewhat dilated apically, with short and rounded coecum and narrow and short, band-shaped carina curved laterally. Vesica sack-like, projecting ventrally, with short conical subbasal diverticulum laterally bearing very short and apically rounded cornutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 23 ). Papilla analis broad, trapezoid with rounded corners, setose. Apophyses elongate and thin, equal in length. Antrum broad funnel-shaped, heavily sclerotised. Ductus bursae heavily sclerotised, somewhat narrower than anterior end of antrum. Posterior section of corpus bursae ca. 1/3 of total corpus bursae length, nearly globular with longer right side, weakly rugose, separated from anterior section by constriction. Anterior section of corpus bursae broad, teardropshaped, with four long band-shaped signa. Appendix bursae short, conical, projecting latero-anteriorly, positioned postero-laterally on right side.

Species content. The new genus is monotypic.

Etymology. The generic name is an aggregate of the word Burma (the former name of Myanmar) and the genus-group name Nyctycia . The gender is feminine.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Xylenina spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in BBT; 3–8 in HNHM (photo by B. Tóth).

FIGURES 15–18. Xylenina spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 15 and 16 in BBT; 17 and 18 in HNHM (photo by B. Tóth).

FIGURES 23–28. Xylenina spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 23, 26 and 27 in BBT; 24, 25 and 28 in HNHM (photo by B. Tóth).

FIGURES 9–14. Xylenina spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9–13 in HNHM; 14 in MH/HNHM (all photo by B. Tóth).

FIGURES 19–22. Xylenina spp.: male genitalia. The specimens are deposited in HNHM (photo by B. Tóth).