Miltochrista curvifascia ( Hampson, 1891 )

Volynkin, Anton V. & Huang, Si-Yao, 2022, On the taxonomy of the genus Miltochrista Hübner with descriptions of five new species from India and China and notes on the genus Arctelene Kirti & Gill (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 58, pp. 86-108 : 94-95

Miltochrista curvifascia ( Hampson, 1891) , stat. n.

( Figs 18–21 , 49 , 64 )

Lyclene curvifascia Hampson, 1891 , Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of the British Museum 8: 49, pl. 139, fig. 17 (Type locality: “the Nilgiri District of Southern India... N. slopes, 3500 feet ” ( Hampson 1891: Preface and page 5)).

Type material examined. Lectotype of Lyclene curvifascia (hereby designated) ( Fig. 18 ): female without abdomen, “Nilgiris. | HampsonColl. | 89–129.” / “ Lyclene | curvifascia | Hampson | type ♀ ” / red ring “Type” label / QR- code label with unique number: “ NHMUK010598189 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. INDIA: SIKKIM: 1 male, 1 female, Legship , 800m, 24– 26.VII.1990, Werner Thomas leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV3423 (male), AV3424 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; TAMIL NADU: 1 male, Shevaroy Hills, Yercaud-Salem road, 600m, 17.VII.1990, W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3427 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; 1 female, Shevaroy Hills, Yercaud , 1200m, 16.+ 17.VII.1990, W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3428 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; 1 female, [Tirupathur district] Karnatighar , 09.IX.[19]09, gen. prep. No.: AV6873 (prepared by Volynkin) ( OUMNH) ; 1 female, the same locality, 10.IX.[19]09,gen. prep. No.: AV6874 (prepared by Volynkin) ( OUMNH) ; 1 male, the same locality, 13.IX.[19]09,gen. prep. No.: AV6872 (prepared by Volynkin) ( OUMNH) ; 5 males, 1 female, 1000m, Kalkad Wildlife Sanctuary, Manjolai , 6–7.IV.1997, 8°15'N 77°27'E, tea estate / rainforest, Sinyaev & Schintlmeister, gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 304/2017, ZSM Arct. 317/2017, ZSM Arct. 319/2017, ZSM Arct. 337/2017, ZSM Arct. 338/2017 (males), ZSM Arct. 318/2017 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, Coimbatore road, 1100m, Lf , 15.VIII.1989, Dr W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 311/2017 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 3 males, 1 female, Nilgiri Hills, S slopes, 10 km W Kotagiri , 900m, 11°23'N, 76°55'E, 16.IV.1997, Sinyaev & Schintlmeister leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 315/2017, ZSM Arct. 321/2017, ZSM Arct. 339/2017 (males), ZSM Arct. 322/2017 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; KERALA: 1 male, [Parakad, Thrisssur district] Patrakad , 17.IX.[19]09, gen. prep. No.: AV6870 (prepared by Volynkin) ( OUMNH) ; 1 male, Peermaad, Travancore / Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-1, unique number: NHMUK014173071 ( NHMUK) .

Notes. (1) The species is hereby revived from the synonymy with Arctelene rubricosa , comb. n. (2) In the original description, Hampson (1891) did not specify the number of specimens. In order to stabilise the nomenclature, we hereby designate the single female syntype labeled as “Type” and preserved in the NHMUK collection as lectotype.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.5–10.5 mm in males and 11.5–12.0 mm in females. The species is externally reminiscent of Arctelene rubricosa but differs in the less oblique medial line. Miltochrista curvifascia is also similar to M. hollowai Kirti & Gill, 2009 and M. goaensis Kirti & Gill, 2009 but differs from the former species in the smaller size, the straighter forewing costal margin, and the less curved medial line. Compared to M. goaensis , M. curvifascia is somewhat larger in size, and the reliable identification requires the study of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of M. curvifascia is vaguely reminiscent of M. goaensis due to the elongate, slender and downcurved distal costal process but distinguished by the medially broader uncus, the more medially convex dorsal margin of the valva, the more curved distal costal process, the narrower and rounded distal membranous lobe of the valva (it is trapezoidal in the congener), and the laterally flattened, downcurved and serrulate distal saccular process, which is slender and hook-like curved in M. goaensis . Compared to M. hollowai , the male genital capsule of M. curvifascia has a somewhat shorter uncus, a shorter valva with a more medially convex dorsal margin, a slender and downcurved distal costal process (it is strongly dilated with a thorn-shaped tip in the congener), and the somewhat more elongate distal saccular process, which is more serrulate and lacking a medial spur. The phallus of M. curvifascia has a somewhat more elongate coecum than in M. hollowai and M. goaensis . The vesica structure of M. curvifascia is similar to M. hollowai and differs from M. goaensis in the somewhat shorter and slenderer cornuti. Since the female of M. hollowai is unknown, the female genitalia of M. curvifascia were compared with M. goaensis , from which they differ in the longer and broader antrum, and the lack of the second lateral cluster of short spines. The 7 th abdominal sternite of M. curvifascia has curved lateral plate with markedly smaller medial sclerotised pockets (it is almost straight with large, arrowhead-shaped medial pockets in the congener), and the semielliptical lateral pocket with irregular margins whereas it is semiglobular in M. goaensis .

Distribution. Northeast and South India (Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Kerala).

Figures

Figures 13–27. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 13, 18, 22 and 25 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 14 and 15 in CKC; 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 26 and 27 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 47–50. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 47 in CKC; 48 and 49 in MWM/ZSM; 50 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 63–66. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 63 in CKC; 64 in OUMNH; 65 and 66 in MWM/ZSM.