Parvuspina N. Singh, Kirti & Datta, 2019

Singh, Navneet, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Datta, Harvinder Singh, 2019, Establishment of the new genus Parvuspina for an undescribed Lithosiini species of Asura / Miltochrista generic complex (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4686 (1), pp. 145-150 : 145-146

Genus Parvuspina N. Singh, Kirti & Datta , gen. nov.

Type species: Parvuspina tawaghatensis N. Singh, Kirti & Datta , sp. nov.

Diagnostic characters. Antennae ciliated. Forewing pattern includes uniform ground colour of yellow or orange tinge, a sub-basal and a discocellular black spot present. In male genitalia, the uncus with two sub-basal, dorso-lateral horn-like small processes is unique for this group. Valva is undivided, without any process, and ending in a sharp apex; costa more or less s-shaped. Tegumen is very broad and attached to vinculum, with a small stalk. Transtilla apex is conspicuously bulbous.

Diagnosis. Externally, P. tawaghatensis ( Figs. 1, 2 ) resembles Miltochrista calamaria ( Fig. 3 ), M. dasara ( Fig. 4 ), and M. undulata ( Fig. 5 ) but its forewings are comparatively broader. In male genitalia, all the above mentioned Miltochrista species ( Figs. 10–12 ) are considerably distinct from Parvuspina ( Figs. 7–9 ) due to their simple, long, narrow and curved uncus; valva divided into distal costal and distal saccular process; tegumen long and narrow; and transtilla apex simple. On the basis of external male genitalia, the new genus is closely similar to Planovalvata Dubatolov & Kishida ( Fig. 13 ) and an African genus Tumicla Wallengren (treated in Volynkin & László 2018). However, Parvuspina is distinct from Planovalvata due to absence of longitudinal zone of costally directed strong setae at the entire distal section of the valva, an important character present in the valva of Planovalvata . Furthermore, in Parvuspina the tegumen is extraordinary broad, the distal part of costal margin of valva is smooth and transtilla apices are noticeably bulbous whereas, in Planovalvata , tegumen is extremely narrow, distal part of costal margin of valva is irregularly dentate and transtilla apices are simple. The new genus is distinct from its other closely similar African genus Tumicla Wallengren by the uncus curved, apically pointed, having two sub-basal, dorso-lateral horn like small processes which are absent in apically spatulated uncus of Tumicla Wallengren. In Parvuspina, valva apex is acute, strongly and smoothly bent upwards and costa is more or less s-shaped whereas in Tumicla , valva apex is slightly bent outwards and downwards; apex of costal margin strongly tapered and bearing irregular, short dentation.

Etymology. The name of the genus is due to small spines on the base of the uncus and derived from two latin words: Parvus – the small and spinae – the spines.

Figures

FIGURE 13: Male genitalia. 13, P. confusa, ♂, India, Arunachal Pradesh, Hunli.

FIGURES 1–6: Adults. 1, P. tawaghatensis, sp. nov., holotype ♂, India, Uttarakhand, Tawaghat (NZCZSI); 2, P. tawaghatensis, sp. nov., paratype ♂, India, Himachal Pradesh, Joginder Nagar (NZCZSI); 3, M. calamaria, holotype ♀, N India, Himachal Pradesh (©NHM); 4, M. dasara, type ♂, Java (©NHM); 5, M. undulata, type ♂, E India, Meghalaya (©NHM); 6, Planovalvata confusa, ♂, India, Arunachal Pradesh, Hunli.

FIGURES 10–12: Male genitalia. 7, P. tawaghatensis, sp. nov., holotype ♂, India, Uttarakhand, Tawaghat; 8, P. tawaghatensis, sp. nov., paratype ♂, India, Himachal Pradesh, Joginder Nagar; 9, holotype & paratype dorsal view; 10, M. calamaria, E India, Assam (©NHM); 11, M. dasara, type ♂, Java (©NHM); 12, M. undulata, S Vietnam (©NHM)..

FIGURES 7–9: Male genitalia. 7, P. tawaghatensis, sp. nov., holotype ♂, India, Uttarakhand,Tawaghat; 8, P.tawaghatensis, sp. nov., paratype ♂, India, Himachal Pradesh, Joginder Nagar; 9, holotype & paratype dorsal view.