Miltochrista hyphenovirgula Huang, Volynkin & Černý, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V., Černý, Karel & Huang, Si-Yao, 2022, Two new species of the Miltochrista modesta (Leech) species group from Northern Vietnam and South China (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 59, pp. 60-73 : 71-73

Miltochrista hyphenovirgula Huang, Volynkin & Černý , sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9D3373D3-3231-4730-ACF6-A51FE1B1BB12

( Figs 17, 18 , 39, 38 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 17 , 30 ): male, [ China] “ Guangxi (Zhuang Autonomous Region), Napo ( County ), Laohutiao ( Canyon ), 30.VII.2008, Liusheng Chen & Guoyi Wu leg.” [in Chinese], gen. prep. in glycerol by Huang ( SCAU).

Paratype: CHINA: female, 8. VI .2016, Guangxi (Zhuang Autonomous Region), Chongzuo (City), Jiangzhou District , Pairutun, Tiantian Yu & Shuqing Ji leg. [in Chinese], gen. prep. in glycerol by Huang ( SCAU) .

Diagnosis. Miltochrista hyphenovirgula sp. n. ( Figs 17, 18 ) is externally vaguely reminiscent of M. auritiformis ( Figs 7–11 ) but clearly different from it due to its significantly smaller size, the narrower forewing, the deeper yellow forewing ground colour, and the bold and more elongate forewing markings. The small size and the postmedial fascia shape of the new species is also similar to M. calcicola ( Figs 19, 20 , 31 ) but the latter species is unmistakable and can be separated by the brown body and the forewing colouration, the markedly thinner and shorter forewing markings, the ochreous-yellow hindwing with a discal spot, and a broad brown marginal band (in M. hyphenovirgula sp. n., the hindwing is uniform pale yellowish). The male genital capsule of M. hyphenovirgula sp. n. ( Figs 30 ) is similar to the externally dissimilar M. nataliae ( Figs 21, 22 , 31 ) but differs in the somewhat more distally tapered distal membranous lobe of the valva, and the more elongate distal saccular process. The phallus of the new species is similar to M. nataliae but somewhat more upcurved proximally. The vesica shape of M. hyphenovirgula sp. n. is reminiscent of M. nataliae but distinguished by the presence of two dense clusters of short cornuti connected by the row of similar cornuti laterally. Additionally, in the new species, the subbasal diverticulum is smaller than in the congener, and the distal diverticulum is markedly larger. The female genitalia of M. hyphenovirgula sp. n. ( Fig. 38 ) are clearly different from M. nataliae ( Fig. 40 ) due to the antrum shape, the sclerotisation of the ductus bursae and the ornamentation of the corpus bursae, and are more similar to M. calcicola . Compared to M. calcicola ( Fig. 39 ), the female genitalia of the new species have a posteriorly narrower antrum lacking the postero-lateral protrusions, a narrower ductus bursae with a sclerotised plate (it is gelatinous in the congener), a larger corpus bursae bearing a denser cluster of smaller spines postero-laterally at the junction with the ductus bursae, and a longer cluster of more numerous and larger spines medially-laterally.

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 17, 18 ). Forewing length 11.0 mm in male holotype and 10.0 mm in female paratype. Sexual dimorphism limited: female somewhat smaller than male, and with somewhat more convex costal forewing margin and shorter and thinner spots of ante- and postmedial fasciae. Head pale yellow with a brown circular spot on frons medially. Thorax pale yellow, mesothorax with two brown circular spots anteriorly, and one larger medial circular spot posteriorly; patagia deep yellow; tegula pale yellow with brown circular spot medially. Forewing with rounded apex and convex anal margin. Forewing ground colour deep yellow, paler in medial area and more intense along costal and outer margins. Forewing markings blackish-brown. Basal spot small, positioned at costal margin. Subbasal spot more or less rectangular, positioned medially. Costal margin edged with blackish-brown scales subbasally. Antemedial fascia interrupted into five spots, curved inwards at anal margin and with medial, triangular spot switched deep inwards. Discal spot large, comma-shaped. Postmedial fascia smoothly curved along the costal and outer margin anteriorly and strongly question mark-like curved inwards posteriorly, interrupted into spots of various sizes and shapes, including two dash-like elongate ones switched inwards. Cilia pale yellow. Hindwing uniform pale yellowish with ochreous suffusion distally. Abdomen pale ochreous. Male genitalia ( Fig. 30 ). Uncus elongate, slender, laterally flattened, smoothly downcurved and apically pointed. Arms of tegumen moderately broad, weakly sclerotised. Vinculum equal in length to tegumen, heavily sclerotised, with U-shaped saccus. Valva elongate and narrow, somewhat dilated and upcurved distally, with medially concave dorsal margin and apically rounded distal membranous lobe. Sacculus broad and with weakly setose dorsal margin proximally but strongly tapered distally, with long, robust and apically tapered distal saccular process gradually upcurved distally and extending further than the valva apex. Transtillae broad, heavily sclerotised and fused with each other. Juxta weakly sclerotised. Phallus elongate and cylindrical, straight medially and distally and upcurved proximally. Vesica distally dilated, with short semiglobular subbasal diverticulum and larger semiglobular distal diverticulum, and bearing two elliptical dense antemedial and distal clusters of short but robust spike-like cornuti connected with each other by sparse row of similar cornuti laterally. Vesica ejaculatorius originates medially-ventrally, ventrally directed and with a broad triangular sclerotised plate subbasally. Female genitalia ( Fig. 38 ). Papilla analis trapezoidal with rounded corners, weakly setose. Apophyses long and thin, apophysis anterioris proximally thicker than apophysis posterioris. Ostium bursae broad. Antrum trapezoidal, its ventral ostial margin with broad and moderately deep medial depression. Ductus bursae somewhat longer than antrum, anteriorly dilated, with elongate trapezoidal sclerotised plate along its length. Corpus bursae sack-like. Posterior section of corpus bursae densely covered with spinulose scobination laterally on left side, bearing postero-lateral dense cluster of small spines at junction with ductus bursae, and transversal mediallateral weakly sclerotised plate anteriorly edged with elongate cluster of numerous long and robust spines. Anterior section of corpus bursae densely covered with spinulose scobination and bearing long band-like serrulate signum. Appendix bursae positioned postero-laterally on right side, broadly conical, gelatinous proximally and membranous distally.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from the south-western Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.

Etymology. The specific epithet originates from the Latin ‘hyphen’ and ‘virgula’ meaning ‘a dash’ and ‘a comma’, respectively, and refers to the two dash- shaped postmedial and the comma-shaped discal spots of the forewing.

Figures

Figures 17–22. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 17 and 18 in SCAU; 19, 21 and 22 in MWM/ZSM; 20 in CKC.

Figures 38–40. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 38 in SCAU; 39 in CKC; 40 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 30–32. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 30 in SCAU; 31 and 32 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 1–8. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1–4 and 8 in MWM/ZSM; 5 and 6 in ZFMK; 7 in CKC.

Figures 9–16. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9, and 13 in MWM/ZSM; 10, 12, and 14–16 in CKC; 11 in SCAU.