Miltochrista idiomorfa, Volynkin & Singh & Černý & Kirti & Datta, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V., Singh, Navneet, Černý, Karel, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Datta, Harvinder Singh, 2022, Three new species of Miltochrista Hübner from India, Myanmar, Nepal and China (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5168 (3), pp. 319-331 : 320-322

Miltochrista idiomorfa sp. n.

( Figs 1–5 , 17, 18 , 25 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 17 ): male, “ India, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamen , 5.iv.2009, Rahul Joshi leg.” ( NZC- ZSI).

Paratypes. INDIA: 1 male, data same as holotype ( NZCZSI) ; 1 male, Arunachal Pradesh, Tippi , 15.v.2016, H.S. Datta leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 1 male, West Bengal, Darjeeling , 19.iv.2009, Rahul Joshi leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 5 males, Sikkim, Mangan , 19.iv.2010, Rahul Joshi leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 1 female, Mizoram, Mamit , 8.ix.2016, Santosh Singh leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 2 males, Mizoram, Serchhip , 9.iv.2017, H.S. Datta leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 1 male, Mizoram, Reiek , 19.iv.2017, H.S. Datta leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 1 male, Mizoram, Reiek , 20.iv.2017, H.S. Datta leg. ( NZCZSI) ; 2 males, 5 females, Assam, Kaziranga Wildlife, Pan Bari Reserv [e] Forest , 26°45’N, 93°10’E, 100 m, 12–21.XI.1997, V . Siniaev [recte: Sinyaev] & M. Murzin, leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 274/2017, ZSM Arct. 2019-451 (males) (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 2 females, Assam, Nambor Reserv [e] Forest, Garampani , H= 100 m, 26°30’N, 93°55’E, 21–29.XI.1997, V . Siniaev [recte: Sinyaev] & M. Murzin leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 260/2017 (male), ZSM Arct. 2019-452 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, Assam, [W Meghalaya], Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park , 25°40’N, 91°04’E, 1150m, 2–13.VII.1997, Afonin & Sinajev [recte: Sinyaev] leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 261/2017 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 9 females, 1000 m, Tamil Nadu, Kalkad Wildlife Sanctuary Manjolai , 6–7.IV.97, 8.15’N, 77,27’E, tea estate / rainforest, Sinjaev [recte: Sinyaev] & Schintlm [e]st[e]r [leg.], gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 2019-461 (male), ZSM Arct. 2019-462 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; MYANMAR: 1 male, Putao , 500m, 23. V .1998, S. Murzin & [ V.] Siniaev [recte: Sinyaev] leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 259/2017 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; NEPAL: 1 female, Godawani , W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5469 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; CHINA: 1 male, Yunnan, Simao District, Mangxi Ba Mts , 18 km S of Simao, 1280m, 11–20.III.1999, Dr R . Brechlin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019- 460 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) .

Remarks. (1) The species varies in the forewing shape, the shape of the medial line and the size of the spots of the subterminal line. However, the male and female genitalia structures of different forms are uniform and display no remarkable variability. (2) Kirti & Singh (2016) illustrated this species as Miltochrista phaeodonta Hampson, 1911 by misidentification. The latter currently belongs to the genus Barsipennis Volynkin, 2019 ( Volynkin & Černý 2019; Volynkin et al. 2019; Huang et al. 2021).

Diagnosis. Miltochrista idiomorfa sp. n. ( Figs 1–5 ) is superficially very similar to M. dankana sp. n. ( Figs 6–8 ), M. straminea ( Figs 9–13 ) and M. etalina sp. n. ( Fig. 14 ) and in most cases a reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia. The male genital capsule of the new species ( Figs 17, 18 ) differs from the similar congeners ( Figs 19–23 ) in the presence of two postero-lateral apically serrulate processes of the juxta and the short and thick distal saccular process bearing and additional lengthwise crest inwardly. The phallus of M. idiomorfa sp. n. is similar to that of M. dankana sp. n. due to the presence of the distal thorn-like process of the carina but in the new species it is longer (in proportion to the genital capsule) and the distal carinal process is longer and curved ventrad (whereas it is almost straight in M. dankana sp. n.). The vesica of the new species is similar to those of M. dankana sp. n. and M. straminea due to the lack of cornuti but differs in the elongate and weakly sclerotised basal section and the larger globular distal diverticulum. The female genitalia of M. idiomorfa sp. n. ( Fig. 25 ) differ from the similar congeners ( Figs 26–28 ) in the presence of a long and heavily sclerotised antrum (it is absent in M. dankana sp. n. and M. straminea ) and a conical, gelatinous postero-lateral diverticulum of the posterior section of the corpus bursae positioned at the junction with the ductus bursae. The corpus bursae of the new species bear larger spinules than in M. dankana sp. n. and M. straminea and lacks serrulate plates which are characteristic of M. straminea . The appendix bursae of M. idiomorfa sp. n. is markedly smaller than in M. dankana sp. n. and positioned laterally on the left side whereas it is positioned postero-laterally on the right side in M. dankana sp. n. and anteriorly in M. straminea .

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 1–5 ). Forewing length 9–10 mm in males and 11–12 mm in females. Antenna ciliate in both sexes with longer cilia in male. Sexual dimorphism limited: female larger than male, with more elongate forewing and longer spurs of postmedial line. Head and body straw yellow. Thorax with three rounded blackish spots medially. Abdomen pale straw yellow; in male, with intense admixture of black scales in posterior third. Forewing ground colour straw yellow, pattern blackish-grey. Costal margin blackish-grey in antemedial area. Subbasal spot small, more or less round or short dash-shaped. Antemedial area with five short lengthwise dashes of various lengths. Antemedial line W-like sinuous, more strongly protruding in cell. Medial line slightly sinuous medially, in most specimens positioned close to antemedial line or touching it in cell. Discal spot small, dash or comma-shaped. Postmedial line strongly irregularly dentate on veins, out curved between veins R and Cu. Subterminal line interrupted into short dash-like lengthwise spots on veins, curved parallel to postmedial line. Terminal line interrupted into small spots on veins with blackish-grey suffusion between veins. Cilia monotonous straw yellow. Hindwing pale yellowish-creamy, with weak grey suffusion at costa subapically in male. Male genitalia ( Figs 17, 18 ). Uncus slender, elongate, slightly down curved and tapered distally with tiny claw-like tip. Tuba analis broad, with thin and weakly sclerotised scaphium and broad and weakly setose subscaphium. Tegumen with narrow penicular area anteriorly. Vinculum somewhat shorter than tegumen, thick and heavily sclerotised, Ushaped. Valva dilated and up curved in distal 2/5. Costa slightly convex medially with short swollen setose ventral protrusion sub-proximally. Transtillae broad and moderately sclerotised, fused. Distal lobe of valva broadly triangular and apically rounded. Sacculus moderately broad, weakly setose subbasally, with short but robust, somewhat up curved triangular distal process bearing lengthwise crest inwardly and small thorn-like tip. Juxta shield-like with two more or less rectangular postero-lateral processes serrulate apically and inwardly. Phallus narrow, cylindrical, somewhat down curved and dilated proximally, with broadly conical and apically rounded coecum; carina with elongate, slender but heavily sclerotised, medially down curved thorn-like dorsal process directed distally. Vesica projecting dorsad, tubular and weakly sclerotised subbasally and sack-like distally, with small semiglobular lateral diverticulum and two distal diverticula: broad semiglobular one directed dorsad and longer, narrowly conical and apically rounded one directed distally. Vesica ejaculatorius originates laterally, with short and thin basal plate. Female genitalia ( Fig. 25 ). Papilla analis broad, trapezoid with rounded corners, setose. Apophyses long and slender, more or less equal in length, apophysis anterioris somewhat dilated in proximal half. Ostium bursae broad. Antrum long, heavily sclerotised, dilated posteriorly, champagne glass-shaped. Anterior section of ductus bursae tubular, short, membranous. Posterior section of corpus bursae curved sideways, perpendicular to ductus bursae axis, gelatinous, with conical diverticulum directed laterally. Anterior section of corpus bursae sack-like, densely covered with spinules. Appendix bursae short, narrowly conical, membranous, originating latero-medially, directed sideways.

Distribution. Known from India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu), Nepal, northern Myanmar (Kachin State) and south-western China (Yunnan Prov.).

Etymology. ‘Idiomorfos’ is a Latin transliteration of the Greek ‘ιδιόμορφος’ meaning ‘peculiar’. The specific epithet refers to the unusual male genitalia structures.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 6 in NZCZSI; 2–4 in MWM/ZSM; 5 in CKC; 7 and 8 in MfN.

FIGURES 17–20. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 17 and 19 in NZCZSI; 18 in MWM/ZSM; 20 in MfN.

FIGURES 25–28. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 25 and 28 in MWM/ZSM; 26 in MfN; 27 in OUMNH.

FIGURES 9–16. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9, 10, 12–14 in MWM/ZSM; 11 in OUMNH; 15 and 16 in CKC.