Cyme Felder, 1861

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 : 17-19

Genus Cyme Felder, 1861

( Figs 3, 4 , 105 , 161 )

Cyme Felder, 1861 , Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe 43 (1): 36. (Type species: Cyme reticulata Felder, 1861 , by subsequent designation by Kirby (1892)).

= Pallene Walker, 1854 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum 2: 542 (Type species: Pallene structa Walker, 1854 , by subsequent designation by Kirby (1892)), nec. Pallene Dejean, 1821 ( Coleoptera ), syn. rev.

= Prinasura Hampson, 1903 , The Annals and magazine of natural history (7) 11 (64): 349 (Type species: Prinasura pyrrhopsamma Hampson, 1903 (by monotypy), a junior synonym of Pallene structa Walker, 1854 ), syn. rev.

= Miltasura Roepke, 1946 , Tijdschrift voor entomologie 87: 85 (Type species: Miltasura celebensis Roepke, 1946 , by monotypy), syn. nov.

Remarks. 1. The genus Miltasura was described for a new species Miltasura celebensis Roepke, 1946 (the male genitalia are illustrated by Roepke (1946)) being closely related to “ Barsine ” euprepioides widespread in mainland Asia and Sunda Shelf. The Javan “ Asura ” septemmaculata (Heylaerts, 1891) belongs to this species-group also. Holloway (2001) considered euprepioides as a member of Barsine , but its male (short costa without distal process) and female genitalia structure are clearly matching to those of Cyme . Therefore here we synonymise Miltasura with Cyme and transfer “ Barsine ” euprepioides and “ Asura ” septemmaculata to the genus Cyme . 2. Rothschild (1913) described Asura quadrifasciata Rothschild, 1913 (page 210) from Sulawesi and Miltochrista quadrifasciata Rothschild, 1913 (page 214) from New Guinea. The second one was synonymised with Asura cancellata Pagenstecher, 1900 by Hampson (1900) but restored to the species status by Strand (1922). Later, de Vos (2019) transferred both taxa to the genus Cyme and considered to be junior synonyms of Cyme sexualis . The study of the male genital structures of the second, Sulawesian taxon proved its belonging to the genus Cyme also. Here we consider the New Guinean taxon to be a new junior secondary homonym of the Sulawesian one.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized or small moths with robust body and reticulate forewing pattern. The male genitalia of the genus are similar to those of the nominate subgenus of Ammatho , but differ by the absence of a distal costal process and the short costa not extending the medial costal process, a feature considering here to be autapomorphic. The female genitalia are surprisingly very similar to those of Barsine due to the evenly sclerotised ductus bursae with a strongly wrinkled posterior section, the sclerotised appendix bursae and the corpus bursae without spinules, but differ by the presence of a medial concavity of ostium bursae, which is absent in Barsine .

Distribution. The genus is distributed from mainland Asia through the Sunda Shelf, the Philippines and the Maluku Islands to New Guinea and Australia. The genus is most diverse in New Guinea with surrounding islands and Australia and poorly represent in mainland Asia, Greater Sunda Islands and the Philippines.

Number of species. The genus comprises 37 valid species and 2 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.