Miltochrista neoseriata N. Singh & Kirti, 2016

(Figs 1–4, 95–97, 135)

Miltochrista neoseriata N. Singh & Kirti in Kirti & N. Singh, 2016, Arctiid Moths of India, 2: 92 (Type locality: “ Assam, Jatinga”).

= Miltochrista pseudoseriata N. Singh & Kirti in Kirti & N. Singh, 2016, Arctiid Moths of India, 2: 94 (Type locality: “ Assam, Jatinga”), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype of M. neoseriata (Figs 1, 95): ♂, [India] “ Assam: Jatinga | 10.ix.2005 | Coll.[lected by]: N.S. Gill [N. Singh]” / hand written “Holoty | pe | neoseriata” / handwritten “12624 | H10” / handwritten “ARC 174”/ printed red label “Holotype” (NZCZSI) . Holotype of M. pseudoseriata (Figs 2, 96): ♂, [Assam] “ Jatinga | 9.ix.2008 | Coll.[lected by]: R. Joshi” / handwritten “12611 | H10” / printed red label “ Holotype ” / handwritten “ ARC | 188” (NZCZSI).

Additional material examined. INDIA. Meghalaya: 1 ♂, NEHU [ North-Eastern Hill University], 4.ix.2015, D.P. Singh leg. (NZCZSI, 12625/ H 10) ; 1 ♂, Ranikor, 31.viii.2014, D.P. Singh leg. (NZCZSI, 12620/ H 10) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Khasis / Nat. Coll., gen. prep. Nos.: AV6493 ♂, AV6394 ♀ (OUMNH) ; 2 ♂, Shillong, 5000 ft., 25. VI. [19]28, T. Baindridge Fletcher, B.M. 1949-488, unique IDs: NHMUK010292575, NHMUK010292577 (NHMUK) ; 1 ♂, same data as previous but 30. VI. [19]28, unique ID: NHMUK010292576 (NHMUK); Assam: 1 ♀, Nambor Reserve Forest, Garampani, 100m, 26°30’N 93°55’E, 21–29.XI.1997, V. Sinyaev & M. Murzin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1026 ♀ (MWM / ZSM) ; 1 ♂, Jatinga, 1.ix. [20]01, J.S. Sodhi leg. (NZCZSI, 14464/ H 10) .

Taxonomic notes. Three morphologically similar species, M. neoseriata, M. paraseriata and M. pseudoseriata were described in the same book (Kirti & Singh 2016). The latter two species were described from Sikkim and Assam, respectively. Unfortunately, the genitalia illustrations provided by the authors for these two species were accidentally confused and, moreover, the vials with the genitalia were mixed up, which made the interpretation of the aforementioned taxa problematic. However, the examination of additional specimens from various localities in Northeast India made it possible to establish the identity of these taxa and state that pictures of the genital capsules of M. paraseriata and M. pseudoseriata have been swapped with each other in the original descriptions (Kirti & Singh 2016: 93, 94). As a result, M. pseudoseriata turned out to be conspecific to M. neoseriata as the holotypes of these taxa display no recognisable morphological differences (Figs 1, 2, 95, 96) and were collected in the same locality in the same season. Both the taxa were described in the same publication therefore, as the First Revisers (see the Article 24.2.2 of ICZN (1999)) we hereby determine the precedence of the name M. neoseriata and synonymise M. pseudoseriata with it.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 10.5–11.0 mm in males and 11.0 mm in females. Miltochrista neoseriata is superficially very similar to M. gopaldhara sp. nov., M. mawphlang sp. nov., M. paraseriata and M. terminata Moore, 1878 and the reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The diagnostic comparison with M. gopaldhara sp. nov. and M. mawphlang sp. nov. is provided below under diagnoses of those species whereas the genitalia of M. paraseriata and M. terminata are largely different from those of M. neoseriata (see Figs 109, 110, 123–126). The male genitalia structure of M. neoseriata is most similar to M. aureata, from which the current species differs superficially in the somewhat broader forewing with markedly more distinct markings. In the male genital capsule, M. neoseriata is distinguished from M. aureata by the uniformly narrow uncus (it is medially dilated in the congener), the noticeably more medially convex dorsal margin of the valva, the more downcurved distal costal process, and the markedly narrower distal saccular process. The phallus vesica of M. neoseriata is narrower than in M. aureata and bears more or less equal cornuti whereas in M. aureata, the distal cornutus is broader while the lateral one is considerably shorter than in M. neoseriata . As the female of M. aureata is unknown, the female genitalia of M. neoseriata were compared with M. carcharias sp. nov. instead (see below in the diagnosis of the latter species).

Distribution. The species is currently known from Northeast India: Assam (Kirti & Singh 2016) and Meghalaya (present study).