Miltochrista butleri Leech, [1889]

Volynkin, Anton V., Singh, Santosh, Černý, Karel, Kirti, Jagbir Singh, Datta, Harvinder Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2025, On the taxonomy of the genus Miltochrista Hübner with descriptions of six new species from the Oriental Realm (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5566 (3), pp. 401-445 : 410

Miltochrista butleri Leech, [1889] , stat. rev.

( Figs 22, 23 , 105 , 136 )

Miltochrista butleri Leech, [1889] 1888, Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London , 1888: 603, pl. 30, fig. 14 (Type locality: [ Japan] “ Nagasaki ”).

Type material examined. Lectotype (designated herein) ( Fig. 23 ): ♀, “ Nagasaki, | June, 1886. | Leech.” / Miltochrista | butleri, | sp. nov.| Type ♀” / red ring “Type” label / “Leech Coll. | 1900–64” / QR-code label with unique ID “ NHMUK010598180 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. JAPAN: 1 ♂, [ Honshu Island , Wakayama Prefecture] Kitanokawa, 9. VI.1959, gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 418/2017 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Mariudo w. f., Is. Iriomote, 19–20.III.1974, Y. Fujimaki leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 416/2017 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM); 1 ♀, Yona, Okinawa, 21. V.1965, Y. Miyatake leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 417/2017 ♀ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Yona , Okinawa, 24.IV.1965, S. Azuma leg. ( MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Kitanokawa, Kochi Pref., 21. VI.1958, S. Nakamura leg. ( MWM / ZSM); 1 ♀, Komi-Ōtomi , Iriomote Is., 22.III.1974, Y. Fujimaki leg. ( NHMUK).

Notes. (1) The species was synonymised with M. dharma by Hampson (1900) but subsequently revived to subspecies level by Inoue (1982). However, it displays clear differences in the genitalia of both sexes from the Himalayan M. dharma and therefore is upgraded herein to species level. (2) Leech ([1889] 1888) described the species based on a couple from Nagasaki and a male from “ Japan ” without exact locality data, of which only a female syntype from Nagasaki was located in the NHMUK collection. In order to stabilise the nomenclature, the aforementioned specimen is hereby designated as the lectotype.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 9.5–10.5 mm in males and 11.0– 11.5 mm in females. Miltochrista butleri is reminiscent of M. dharma but differs in the thinner forewing markings. The male genital capsule of the species is distinguished from M. dharma by the shorter uncus, the proximally narrower but distally broader valva with a less convex dorsal margin, the considerably longer distal costal process, and the markedly longer and upcurved distal saccular process (whereas it is straight in the congener). The phallus of M. butleri is broader than in M. dharma and having a larger coecum. Compared to M. dharma , the vesica of M. butleri is broader and having a lateral subbasal diverticulum (absent in the congener), and a markedly longer and broader medial diverticulum bearing a markedly larger blade-like cornutus and directed dorsally whereas in M. dharma , the medial diverticulum is directed distally. Additionally, the distal cornutus positioned at the base of the vesica ejaculatorius is considerably longer and broader in M. butleri in comparison to M. dharma . The male genitalia of M. butleri are most similar to the superficially dissimilar M. parallelinaformis ( Figs 24 , 106 ) but the genital capsule differs from the latter in somewhat shorter and narrower uncus, the medially narrower valva with a distally thinner distal costal process, and the longer and proximally narrower distal saccular process. The phallus of M. butleri is narrower and somewhat shorter than in M. parallelinaformis . Compared to M. parallelinaformis , the vesica of M. butleri has a considerably longer and broader medial diverticulum directed dorsally (it is directed distally in M. parallelinaformis ), and a narrower cornutus on the distal diverticulum. As the female of M. parallelinaformis is unknown, the female genitalia of M. butleri were compared only to M. dharma , from which they are distinguished by the considerably shorter antrum, the markedly longer and broader corpus bursae with a longer posterior sclerotised area forming a prominent sclerotised lateral protrusion and inwardly edged with a longer cluster of markedly longer spines, and the presence of the postero-lateral cluster of robust spinules. Additionally, in M. butleri , the lateral sclerotised plates of the 7 th sternite bearing scales of the corethrogyne are significantly longer than in M. dharma , and their lateral sclerotised pockets are large and heavily sclerotised whereas they are reduced in the congener.

Distribution. The species is known from Japan (southern Honshu and Kyushyu Islands, and Ryukyu Archipelago).

Figures

FIGURES 20–27. Adults of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens: 20–22, 25 and 27 in MWM/ZSM; 23 in NHMUK; 24 in CAV; 26 in CKC.

FIGURES 103–106. Male genitalia of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 103 in ZFMK; 104 and 105 in MWM/ZSM; 106 in CAV.

FIGURES 135–138. Female genitalia of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 135, 136 and 138 in MWM/ ZSM; 137 in ZFMK.