Barsine Walker, 1854

Volynkin, Anton V., Huang, Si-Yao & Ivanova, Maria S., 2019, An overview of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae). Part 1. Barsine Walker, 1854 sensu lato, Asura Walker, 1854 and related genera, with descriptions of twenty new genera, ten new subgenera and a check list of taxa of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex, Ecologica Montenegrina 26, pp. 14-92 : 16-17

Genus Barsine Walker, 1854

( Figs 1, 2 , 104 , 160 )

Barsine Walker, 1854 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum 2: 546 (Type species: Barsine defecta Walker, 1854 , by subsequent designation by Kirby (1892)).

= Castabala Walker, 1864 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum 31: 270 (Type species: Castabala roseata Walker, 1864 , by monotypy).

= Mahavira Moore, 1878 , Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London 1878: 11 (Type species: Mahavira flavicollis Moore, 1878 , by monotypy).

Diagnosis. Medium-sized moths with yellow, orange, red or white ground colour and pattern consisting of black elements on veins and reddish spots between veins. In some species yellow forms without red spots are known. In B. defecta all females have no red spots. In some populations of some other taxa ( B. gratissima and B. orientalis bigamica ) such yellow coloured females are also common. In some species ( B. perpallida , B. andromeda and members of the B. flavicollis species-group) the wing pattern is completely reduced. The main autapomorphic feature of the male genitalia is the presence of a long and robust basal saccular process. In addition, the male genitalia are characterised by the combination of the following features: (1) the weakly sclerotised, more or less X-shaped juxta consisting of two lateral parts connected by a weak membrane; (2) the presence of a robust medial costal process, which is usually broadened basally, apically curved and weakly setose; (3) the narrow distal section of costa protruding distally beyond the medial process and sometimes having a small distal process; (4) the presence of a distal membranous lobe of valva having a broad and elongated base; (5) the sacculus being distally narrow and having a robust distal process being well-separated from the valva surface; in many species this process has an additional dorsal lobe subbasally; (6) the aedeagus vesica having several well-separated diverticula bearing fields of small stout cornuti or robust granulation.

Distribution. The genus is widespread from India and Nepal through Mainland China and Indochina to Sundaland including the Philippine island of Palawan. Some species are known from Russian Far East, Korean Peninsula, Japan and the islands of Taiwan and Hainan.

Number of species. The genus comprises 63 valid species and 7 subspecies.

Figures

Figures 1–16. Type species of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: adults. Depositories of specimens: 1–3, 7–9, 12–16 – MWM/ZSM; 4, 10 – NHMUK; 5, 6, 11– CKC.

Figures 104–107. Type species of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: male genitalia.

Figures 160–165. Type species of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: female genitalia.