Miltochrista ephimeces Volynkin, Černý, N. Singh, Kirti, Datta & S. Singh, 2025

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 : 414

Miltochrista ephimeces Volynkin, Černý, N. Singh, Kirti, Datta & S. Singh , sp. nov.

( Figs 31–34 , 111 , 139 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 31 , 111 ): ♂, “N-E. India | Assam, Nambor Reserv [e] | Forest , Garampani , H= 100 m | 26°30’N, 93°55’E, 21–29. Nov. 1997, lg. V.Siniaev [recte: Sinyaev] & M.Murzin | Museum Witt” / “Slide | ZSM Arct. | 2019-1024♂ | A. Volynkin” ( MWM / ZSM).

Paratypes. INDIA: Assam: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype, gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1019♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1037♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1025♀ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM); 2 ♂, Kaziranga Wildlife, Pan Bari Reserve Forest , 26°45’N 93°10’E, 100m, 12–21.XI.1997, V. Sinyaev & M. Murzin leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 280/2017♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1017♂ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM); Sikkim: 1 ♂, Legship , 500m, 24–28.VII.1990, W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5407♂ ( CKC); MYANMAR: 1 ♂, 21 km E Putao, Nan Sa Bon village , 550m, 1–5.V.1998, Murzin & Sinyaev leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1061♂ (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5–9.5 mm in males and 10.0 mm in females. Miltochrista ephimeces sp. nov. is superficially very similar to M. paraseriata and reliable identification requires examination of the genitalia structures which are largely different in both sexes of these species (e.g., the shape of the uncus and distal saccular process and the vesica configuration). The male genital capsule of the new species is similar to those of the superficially dissimilar M. simonka ( Figs 35, 36 , 112 ) and M. flavorosea ( Figs 37–39 , 113 ), and differs from the former species in the proximally slender uncus (it is proximally dilated in the congener) and the proximally broader distal costal process. Compared to M. flavorosea , the male genital capsule of M. ephimeces sp. nov. has a considerably longer uncus, a proximally broader distal costal process, and a somewhat shorter distal saccular process. The phallus of the new species is similar to that of M. simonka but is markedly shorter and more proximally dilated than in M. flavorosea . In the vesica configuration, M. ephimeces sp. nov. is similar to M. simonka but distinguished by the longer and markedly broader distal cornutus. In the female genitalia of the new species, the antrum is posteriorly narrower than in M. simonka but noticeably broader than in M. flavorosea . The corpus bursae of M. ephimeces sp. nov. bears clusters of markedly smaller spines posteriorly in comparison to the aforementioned congeners ( Figs 140, 141 ). The appendix bursae of M. ephimeces sp. nov. is narrower and more elongated than in the aforementioned congeners. Additionally, the lateral sclerotised plates of the 7 th sternite of the new species are longer than in M. simonka and more rugose than in M. flavorosea , and their lateral pockets are narrower and more triangular than in those congeners.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from Northeast India (Assam and Sikkim) and northern Myanmar (Kachin State).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek ‘επίμηκες’ meaning ‘elongate’ and refers to the strongly elongate distal costal and saccular processes.

Figures

FIGURES 28–39. Adults of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens: 28 and 29 in NZCZSI; 30 in NHMUK; 31–36 in MWM/ZSM; 37 in SNM (after Bucsek 2020); 38 and 39 in CKC.

FIGURES 111–114. Male genitalia of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 111, 112 and 114 in MWM/ ZSM; 113 in CKC.

FIGURES 139–142. Female genitalia of Miltochrista spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 139 and 140 in MWM/ ZSM; 141 in CKC; 142 in NHMUK.