Nephelomilta Hampson, 1900

Huang, Si-Yao, Volynkin, Anton V., Xiong, Yun, Li, Ying-Chun, Saldaitis, Aidas & Li, Xian-Fu, 2023, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Nephelomilta Hampson, 1900 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) from China with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5351 (5), pp. 534-542 : 535-536

Genus Nephelomilta Hampson, 1900

Nephelomilta Hampson, 1900 , Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum 2: 468. Type species: Lyclene suffusa Hampson, 1891 , by original designation.

= Kailasha Singh & Kirti, 2015 , in Kirti & Singh, Arctiid Moths of India 1: 79 (Type species: Nephelomilta sumatrana effractoida Volynkin & Černý, 2018 (= Barsine effracta sensu Kirti & Singh (2015) , nec Walker (1854)).

Diagnosis. Although Nephelomilta is superficially similar to Cyana , it can be well distinguished from the latter by the combination of the following characters in the genitalia of both sexes. (1) The costa is long and heavily sclerotized, reaching the valva apex and often with one or two lobes or processes distally, whereas in Cyana , the costa is much shorter and lacking processes distally, and the distal part of the valva is membranous. (2) The distal section of the sacculus is fused with the main part of the valva, only a short subapical process is present in many cases, while in Cyana the sacculus bears a long and robust distal process well separated from the main part of the valva; 3) in phallus the carina plate is usually strongly sclerotized only on one side, and often forms thorn-like spikes, while in Cyana it is weakly developed and often absent; 4) in the female genitalia there are two separated, sack-like pheromone glands situated ventrally-laterally, whereas in Cyana the pheromone gland is unpaired with two anterior lobes situated ventrally. In addition, the female genitalia of Nephelomilta bear clusters or fields of spinules of different sizes in corpus bursae, while in Asian Cyana such spinules are generally absent or replaced by sclerotized field ( Volynkin & Černý 2018, the present study).

Description. Adults. Small to medium sized moths. Male forewing with an androconial pocket at costa. Female larger than male. Most members with forewing ground color white with red or ochreous red pattern, in some species groups ground color reddish or yellowish with fuscous pattern consisting of shades or large patches. Forewing pattern consisting of transverse lines and spots. Subbasal line usually interrupted into two or three parts. Antemedial, medial, and postmedial lines continuous. Discal cell with spots medially and distally. Submarginal area usually with three spots. Terminal line variables, continuous or interrupted, sometimes represent a series of dots. Hindwing usually whitish or yellowish with diffuse discal spots, in certain species hindwing bears pale blackish suffusion covering the whole wing or forming a diffused band extending from dorsum to discal cell.

Male genitalia. Uncus long and slender, almost straight or slightly S-like curved in lateral view with tip claw-like. Tegumen short and broad, triangular. Vinculum short, U-shaped. Valva broad. Costa with medial angle protruding dorsally and broad and triangular ventral plate medially. Distal section of costa with more or less developed apical lobe, usually also bearing ventral-apical process directed ventrally. Ampulla present, varying in shape and size from short, minute, and triangular to elongated, large and lobular. Sacculus often with subapical process, its distal section fused with the costa at the ventral-apical process. Distal membranous lobe of valva narrow, absent in certain species. Juxta broad, X-shaped. Phallus short, moderately broad. Coecum well-developed. In most species groups, carinal plate large, heavily sclerotized and bearing denticles of different sizes but it is small, band-like, and smooth in N. sumatrana and N. yasunorikishidai species groups. Vesica narrow, subbasal diverticulum usually present, globular; medial diverticulum elongated, usually with a cluster of cornuti distally; distal diverticulum globular, covered with cornuti of different sizes.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis rectangular or trapezoid with rounded corners. Pheromone glands present, sack-like, size variable. Apophyses thin and more or less equal in length. Antrum present in most species. Postvaginal plate present. Antevaginal plate present in most species. Ostium bursae broad. Ductus bursae short, membranous, or sclerotized. Corpus bursae pyriform, its medial and posterior sections densely covered with clusters of spinules in most species; anterior section membranous. Signum large and elliptical, covered with spinules and bisected by line-like concavity. Appendix bursae globular, membranous, situated postero-laterally.