Miltochrista kravchenkoi, Volynkin & Saldaitis & Müller, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2022, Five new species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner from Indochina, India and China (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 59, pp. 10-23 : 11-15

Miltochrista kravchenkoi sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BE24B122-ABB4-43C4-BCFE-D989B0D62402

( Figs 1, 2 , 25 , 39 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 25 ): male, “ Myanmar, Chin State | Mount Victoria , 2200–2500m | montane pine forest | mid–late October 2012 | Dr. V. Kravchenko & team leg.” / “Slide | AV6676 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( WIGJ).

Paratypes. 34 specimens of both sexes, the same data as in the holotype ( GMF-B) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 11.5–12.0 mm in males and 12.0 mm in females. Miltochrista kravchenkoi is externally reminiscent of M. humilis ( Figs 3–6 ) and Miltochrista nubilalis Hampson, 1894 ( Figs 7, 8 ) but distinguished by its markedly larger size. Additionally, compared to M. humilis , M. kravchenkoi has a broader antemedial shade of the forewing. The male genitalia of M. kravchenkoi are most similar to the Indian Miltochrista neoseriata N. Singh & Kirti, 2016 and Miltochrista paraseriata N. Singh & Kirti, 2016 (illustrated by Kirti & Singh 2016) but differ in the distally dilated uncus (it is uniform slender in the aforementioned congeners), the thinner distal costal process, the markedly longer and distally thinner distal saccular process, and the basally broader larger cornutus in the vesica. Compared to M. humilis ( Figs 26, 27 ), the male genital capsule of M. kravchenkoi has a distally dilated uncus (it is uniform slender in the congener), the proximally narrower valva with a less medially convex dorsal margin, a downcurved and markedly longer and thicker distal costal process (it is thin, almost straight and distally directed in M. humilis ), and a more dorsally setose sacculus bearing a markedly shorter and thinner distal process. The phallus of M. kravchenkoi is markedly longer and thicker than in M. humilis (in proportion to the genital capsule). The vesica of the new species is longer and broader than in M. humilis and bearing markedly shorter cornuti. Compared to M. nubilalis ( Fig. 28 ), the male genital capsule of M. kravchenkoi has a laterally flattened and distally dilated uncus (it is dorso-ventrally flattened and proximally dilated in the congener), a more elongate and proximally narrower valva with a less medially convex dorsal margin, a downcurved, markedly longer and basally thinner distal costal process (it is basally dilated and almost straight in the congener), a markedly smaller distal membranous lobe, and a somewhat longer distal; saccular process. The phalli of M. kravchenkoi and M. nubilalis are similar. The vesica of M. kravchenkoi is longer than in M. nubilalis , and bears a somewhat shorter but broader larger cornutus and a markedly shorter smaller cornutus. The aforementioned larger cornutus of the new species is positioned distally (whereas it is situated at the base of the vesica ejaculatorius in the congener), and the smaller cornutus is positioned medially-laterally whereas in M. nubilalis , it terminates the elongate dorsal diverticulum directed distally. Since the females of M. neoseriata and M. paraseriata are unknown, the female genitalia of the new species were compared only with M. humilis and M. nubilalis , and they differ from the former species ( Fig. 40 ) in the posteriorly narrower antrum, the shorter and non-coiled corpus bursae lacking the broad posterior sclerotised plates, and the markedly larger lateral pockets of the 7 th abdominal sternite. Compared to M. nubilalis ( Fig. 41 ), the female genitalia of M. kravchenkoi have a ventral margin of the ostium bursae lacking the medial incision, a posterior section of the corpus bursae bearing a cluster of markedly larger spines and lacking the lateral sclerotised plate, and shorter and semielliptical lateral pockets of the 7 th abdominal sternite, which are broadly falcate in the congener.

Distribution. The species is currently known only from its type locality in Chin State of Myanmar. Etymology. The new species is dedicated to the memory of the late Prof. Dr Vasiliy D. Kravchenko (Tel-Aviv, Israel), devoted lepidopterist, collector of the type series and friend of the authors. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

Figures 1–8. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in WIGJ; 2 in GMF-B; 3–6 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 7 and 9 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 25–28. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 25 in WIGJ; 26 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 27 in CKC; 28 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 39–42. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 39 in GMF-B; 40 in CKC; 41 in MWM/ZSM; 42 in GMF-B.