Nephelomilta wangmini, Volynkin & Dubatolov & Huang & Kishida, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V., Dubatolov, Vladimir V., Huang, Si-Yao & Kishida, Yasunori, 2021, Two new species of the genus Nephelomilta Hampson (Lepidoptera: Erebidae Arctiinae) from China and Indonesia, Zootaxa 5004 (1), pp. 58-66 : 59-62

Nephelomilta wangmini sp. n.

( Figs 1, 2 , 11, 12 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 11 ): male, “ China, Guangdong, Shaoguan, Nanling , 22–27.VII.2008, Y. Kishida leg.” / “ Cyana effracta Wlk. V.V. Dubatolov det. II.2011 ” / “Slide AV1728 ♂ A. Volynkin ” ( SZMN).

Paratypes. CHINA. GUANGDONG: 1 male, same data as for holotype, gen. prep. No.: AV1652 (prepared by Volynkin) ( SZMN) ; 1 male, Nanling, July [without precise date, collecting year and collector] ( SCAU) .

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to N. hortensis ( Figs 3, 4 ) known from northern Thailand and northern Vietnam, but can be distinguished by the conspicuously larger size (the forewing length of males of N. hortensis is 11–12 mm against 13–13.5 mm in N. wangmini sp. n.), the wider area between the medial and postmedial lines, and the postmedial line less curved posteriorly. Additionally, in N. wangmini sp. n., the vein R is running farther from the costa, and the androconial lobe is more elongate than in N. hortensis . The male genital capsule of N. wangmini sp. n. ( Figs 11, 12 ) is reminiscent of that of N. hortensis ( Figs 13, 14 ) but differs by the somewhat longer (in proportion to the valva width) ventral-apical costal process more dilated basally, the longer ampulla (in proportion to the valva width), and the somewhat thinner and more elongate subapical saccular process. The phallus of the new species is markedly broader (in proportion to the genital capsule) than in N. hortensis and bearing a more robust carinal thorn; in the vesica of N. wangmini sp. n., the basal section is more elongate, the medial diverticulum is more elongate and broader, and the cluster of cornuti on the distal diverticulum is somewhat wider compared to those structures of N. hortensis .

Description. External morphology of adults ( Figs 1, 2 ). Forewing length 13–13.5 mm in males (13.5 in holotype). Male antenna ciliate, whitish. Thorax white with pale crimson spot medially. Patagia white with brown spot medially. Tegula white with pale crimson spot medially. Forewing ground color white. Forewing pattern pale crimson, costa with pale crimson suffusion basally and subbasally and orange suffusion medially and postmedially. Subbasal line sinuous. Antemedial line angled in cell and nearly straight posteriorly. Medial spot more or less elliptical. Medial line somewhat curved in cell, its posterior section nearly straight, somewhat dilated posteriorly, with wavy inner margin. Discal spots relatively small (in proportion to medial spot), connected to each other. Postmedial line smoothly curved anteriorly. Submarginal spots large (in proportion to submarginal area width). Terminal line interrupted into small spots on veins. Cilia creamy white with admixture of pale orange scales. Hindwing and its cilia creamy white with suffusion of pale red scales. Discal spot wide (in proportion to its length), grey, diffuse. Abdomen white with admixture of pale ochreous scales apically.

Male genitalia ( Figs 11, 12 ). Uncus elongate and slender, straight, smoothly narrowed distally with clawshaped tip. Tegumen equal in length to uncus, with arms broadly fused apically. Juxta broadly X-shaped, with narrower and shorter apical lobes. Vinculum longer than tegumen, with short (in proportion to its total length) and U-shaped saccus. Valva lobate, somewhat dilated medially. Costa moderately sclerotized, strongly curved medially. Distal section of costa with short, narrow (in proportion to the costa length) and apically rounded distal lobe directed distally, and larger, asymmetrically triangular and apically rounded ventral-apical process directed ventrally. Ventral plate of costa moderately sclerotized, somewhat curved distally. Ampulla flattened, triangular with convex outer margin. Sacculus narrow (ca. 1/3 of valva width in its basal section), its apical section almost reaching ventral-apical lobe of costa. Subapical saccular process short (in proportion to sacculus length), broadly triangular with rounded apex. Distal membranous lobe of valva short but wide (in proportion to valva size), rounded. Phallus elongate and moderately narrow (ratio of length and width ca. 4.5:1), with coecum curved ventrally. Ventral sclerotized plate of carina bearing robust thorn directed ventrally, sometimes with additional smaller denticle. Basal section of vesica tubular and curved dorsally. Medial diverticulum tubular, somewhat dilated basally and strongly elongate, almost equal in length to phallus, bearing patch of 2–3 spine-like cornuti apically. Distal diverticulum broader than basal section of vesica, nearly globular, bearing cluster of numerous short spine-like cornuti. Vesica ejaculatorius directed anteriorly, with elongate stick-like subbasal plate.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Known from Nanling Mts in Guangdong Province, China.

Etymology. The new species is named after Min Wang, a professor and a Lepidoptera researcher in South China Agricultural University (SCAU) who devoted most of his life in investigating the Lepidoptera fauna of Nanling Mts.

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Nephelomilta spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in SZMN; 3, 4, 8 and 10 in MWM/ZSM (3 and 8 ex CKC); 5 in RMNH; 6 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 7 in MFN; 9 in CKC.

FIGURES 11–14. Nephelomilta spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 11 and 12 in SZMN; 13 and 14 in MWM/ZSM (13 ex CKC).