Ammatho (Ammathella) gesar Huang & Volynkin, 2020

Huang, Si-Yao, Volynkin, Anton V., Wang, Min & Fan, Xiao-Ling, 2020, Three new species of the genus Ammatho Walker, 1855 from China and Indochina (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 4809 (3), pp. 582-592 : 586-587

Ammatho (Ammathella) gesar Huang & Volynkin sp. nov.

( Figs 7–8 , 19 )

Type material. Holotype: male, altitude 2130 m, 30.VII.2017, Pailong Village , Linzhi County, Linzhi Division , Xizang Autonomous Region, P. R. China, leg. Si-yao Huang, Shu-qin Ji, Fu-hong Wei and Shi-fang Mo, preparation in glycerol by Huang ( SCAU).

Paratypes: 2 males, same label as the holotype ( SCAU) .

Diagnosis. Externally A. gesar sp. nov. is similar to A. shingwa Volynkin & Huang sp. nov. in sharing a similar contrasting color pattern on forewing, but A. gesar sp. nov. can be immediately distinguished from the latter by its male genital segments of abdomen covered with blackish scales, broader reddish pattern elements and hindwing mostly pinkish, whereas in A. shingwa the male genital segments of abdomen are covered with pale yellow scales, reddish pattern elements are significantly narrower and hindwing is mostly yellowish, only slightly tinted with pink in the submarginal zone as well as the totally different aedeagus vesica structure. The male genitalia of A. gesar sp. nov. are most similar to those of A. garo Volynkin, 2018 ( Figs 11–12 , 21 , 26 ) due to the similar aedeagus vesica structure, but clearly differ by its juxta lacking a medial process, larger distal costal process, sharper and narrower distal saccular process, slightly longer cornuti on semi-gobular medial diverticulum and shorter and smaller cornuti on ventral medial diverticulum, whereas in A. garo the juxta bears a well-developed medial process, the distal costal process is minute, the distal saccular process is broad and blunt apically, the cornuti of gobular medial diverticulum are slightly shorter and the cornuti of ventral medial diverticulum are longer and larger. From A. midzhan , A. gesar sp. nov. can be readily distinguished by its generally larger size, more vivid coloration on forewing upperside, more outwards protruding membranous lobe of valva, sharper distal saccular process, much longer aedeagus and vesica with a semi-globular medial diverticulum covered densely by long spines, whereas in A. midzhan the size is generally smaller, coloration on forewing is duller, the membranous lobe of valva is less protruding, distal saccular process is blunt distally, aedeagus is much shorter and the medial diverticulum of vesica is covered by shorter and smaller cornuti.

Description. Male. Length of forewing is 11.5–14 mm (14 mm in the holotype). Antenna long, ciliated, orange thoroughly. Head and thorax covered by bright orange scales dorsally, abdomen pinkish at basal two thirds and blackish at distal one third. Forewing broad. Ground color is pale yellow with an ochreous tint. Costa is black from base to apex. Wing pattern comprises of red and black markings. Reddish marking is broad and vivid. Subbasal spot small and rounded. Antemedial line is broad and convex in discoidal cell. Medial line is broad and wavy, touching antemedial line in discoidal cell and together forming an X-shaped pattern. Postmedial line broadly shifts outwards around the end of discoidal cell. Blackish lengthwise strokes present in postmedial zone and vary in length. Cilia black. Hindwing ground color pinkish. A large whitish patch presents beyond the end of discoidal cell. An obscure blackish patch presents beyond the apex and extends from costa to vein CuA 1. Cilia black from apex to vein CuA 2, pink from CuA 2 to tornus.

Male genitalia. Uncus long and slender, gradually narrowing towards tip. Tegumen elongated and triangular. Juxta broad, plate-like. Saccus broad, U-shaped. Valva narrow and long; costa strongly sclerotized; medial costal process large and trapezoid; distal costal process short and rounded; membranous lobe of valva large, protruding outwards; sacculus strongly sclerotized, with its inner edge densely setose basally; distal saccular process long and gradually narrowing towards tip, ending in a sharp apex; aedeagus long and slender; vesica broad, subbasal diverticulum membranous, broad and conical-shaped; semi-globular medial diverticulum large, surface mostly covered by a field of long and sharp cornuti; ventral medial diverticulum bearing cluster of small and short cornuti.Female is unknown.

Distribution. Currently only known from its type locality, Pailong village in Southeastern part of Xizang Autonomous Prefecture, Southwestern China.

Etymology. Gesar is the name of the fearless lord of the legendary kingdom of Ling in Tibetan traditional legend.

Figures

FIGURES 7–14. Ammatho (Ammathella) spp. adults. 7, A. gesar sp. nov., holotype male, SW China, Xizang (SCAU); 8, A. gesar sp. nov., paratype male, SW China, Xizang (SCAU); 9, A. shingwa sp. nov., holotype male, NE Myanmar, Kachin (MWM/ZSM); 10, A. shingwa sp. nov., paratype female, NE Myanmar, Kachin (MWM/ZSM); 11, A. garo, holotype male, NE India, Assam (MWM/ZSM); 12, A. garo, paratype male, NE India, Assam (MWM/ZSM); 13, A. midzhan, holotype male, NE Myanmar, Kachin (MWM/ZSM); 14, A. midzhan, paratype female, NE Myanmar, Kachin (MWM/ZSM). Scale=1 cm.

FIGURES 19–22. Male genitalia of Ammatho (Ammathella) spp. 19, A. gesar sp. nov., holotype, preparation Huang; 20, A. shingwa sp. nov., holotype, slide ZSM Arct. 2019-806; 21, A. garo, holotype, slide MWM31769; 22, A. midzhan, holotype, slide MWM31683.

FIGURES 23–27. Female genitalia of Ammatho spp. 23, A. (S.) inexpecta sp. nov., paratype, slide MWM33611; 24, A. (S.) mesortha, slide ZSM Arct.2020-112; 25, A. (A.) shingwa sp. nov., paratype, slide ZSM Arct. 2019-822; 26, A. (A.) garo, paratype, slide MWM31770; 27, A. (A.) midzhan, paratype, slide MWM31768.