Aemene laszloi, Volynkin, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V., 2021, Three new species of the genus Aemene Walker (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from the Himalayas, Zootaxa 5068 (4), pp. 533-546 : 536-537

Aemene laszloi sp. n.

( Figs 4–6 , 18 , 26 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 4 , 18 ): male, “ Nepal, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, 2080m near Ghasa , 83°39,5´E, 28°36´N 04.VI.1996, leg. Gy. M. László & G. Ronkay ” / “Slide ZSM Arct. 2019-041 A. Volynkin ” (MWM/ ZSM).

Paratypes. NEPAL: 1 male, 1250m, Annapurna Region, Sudame , 24–25.III.1995, 83°45´E 28°20´N, M. Hreblay & L. Németh leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-035 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 female, Annapurna Himal, Banthanti village , 2420m, 83°43´E, 28°22.5´N, 01. VI.1996, leg. Gy. M. László & G. Ronkay, gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-042 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 15 males, 4 females, Annapurna Himal, Ulleri , 1900 m, 83°43´E, 28°23´N, 3.X.1994, Csorba, Ronkay leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 female, Annapurna Himal, Bhaleodar , 2400 m, 2 km SE Nangethanti, 83°44´E, 28°23´N, 8.X.1994, Csorba, Ronkay leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 4 males, 1 female, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, 1300 m, near Tatopani , 83°39´E, 28°29´N, 03. VI .1996, leg. Gy. M. László and G. Ronkay (MWM/ ZSM); 12 males, 3 females, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, 2080 m, near Ghasa , 83°39.5´E, 28°36´N, 04. VI .1996, leg. Gy. M. László and G. Ronkay (MWM/ ZSM); 5 males, 7 females, the same locality and collectors but 18–19. VI .1996 (MWM/ ZSM) ; 3 males, Annapurna Himal, vic. Lumle , 1700 m, V .1996, leg. Ganesh Gurung (MWM/ ZSM); 1 male, 1 female, Annapurna Himal , 1 km NW Chitre, 2300 m, 83°41´E, 28°25.5´N, 21–22. VI .1996, leg. Gy. M. László and G. Ronkay (MWM/ ZSM); 2 males, 1 female, Ganesh Himal , 2 km W of Thangjet, 85°17´E, 28°10´N, 2300 m, 23.IX.1994, Márton Hreblay & Tibor Csővári leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 2 males, Ganesh Himal , 2165 m, 2 km E of Thangjet, 85°10´E, 20°10´N, leg. M. Hreblay & T . Csővári , 17.IX.1994 (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 2300 m, Ganesh Himal , 2 km W of Thangjet, 85°17´E, 28°10´N, leg. M. Hreblay & T . Csővári , 18.IX.1994 (MWM/ ZSM) ; 2 females, Ganesh Himal , 2 km E of Thangjet, 2165 m, 16–17.IX.1995, Lajos Németh leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, Nepal, Ganesh Himal , 2200 m, 4 km SW Haku, 85°15.5´E, 28°06.5´N, 22.IX.1995, B. Herczig & Gy. M. László leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 female, Nepal, Ganesh Himal, 1040 m, Mailung Khola , cca 20 km NE Trisuli, 85°12.5´E, 28°04.5´N, 24.IX.1995, B. Herzig & Gy. M. László leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, Ganesh Himal, 2520 m, near Godlang , 85°17´E, 28°10´N, 13.IX.1994, B. Herczig & Gy. M. László leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, Ganesh Himal , 3 km NE of Sunpati, 2330m, 13. VI.1993, M. Hreblay & G. Csorba leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-040 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 female, valley of Tamea Kosi River , 1 km N of Dolakha, 1700 m, 12.X.1995, L. Németh leg. (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 1835 m, Langtang, 5 km NNE of Dunche, Barkhu , 85°18´E, 28°08´N, leg. M. Hreblay & T . Csővári , 16.IX.1994 (MWM/ ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 12–13 mm in males and 13–13.5 mm in females. The new species is externally similar to A. cernyi sp. n. but differs in the somewhat larger size, the shortly bipectinate male antenna (densely ciliate in A. cernyi sp. n.), the somewhat more elongate forewing apex of male, and the sharper forewing pattern. The male genital capsule of A. laszloi sp. n. is distinguished from that of A. cernyi sp. n. by the somewhat narrower and shorter juxta, the shorter (the valva to tegumen-vinculum complex ratio is 1:1.4 vs.1: 1.2 in A. cernyi sp. n.) and distally wider valva with the larger apical processes of the costa which are more distant from each other than in A. cernyi sp. n. The phallus of A. laszloi sp. n. is somewhat thicker than that of A. cernyi sp. n. The vesica of the new species is broader than in A. cernyi sp. n., has a larger medial diverticulum, a wider field of more robust granulation without a cluster of spine-like cornuti dorsally, the markedly larger spine-like cornuti of the lateral cluster and the presence of a separated cornutus on a dilated base anteriorly. The female genitalia of the two species are extremely similar but, however, the ductus bursae of A. laszloi sp. n. is somewhat wider posteriorly than that of A. cernyi sp. n., the lateral sclerotised area of the posterior section of the corpus bursae is somewhat shorter, and the round signum is markedly smaller.

Distribution. The new species is known from central Nepal.

Etymology. The new species is named after Dr. Gyula M. László (Leominster, UK), expert in Old World Nolini and Geometroidea, collector of a part of the type series and author´s friend.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Aemene spp.: adults. The specimens are deposited in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 17–20. Aemene spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 17–19 in MWM/ZSM; 20 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

FIGURES 25–30. Aemene spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 25–27, 29 and 30 in MWM/ZSM; 28 in CKC.