Nephelomilta devosi, 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 : 62-65

Nephelomilta devosi sp. n.

( Figs 5 , 15 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 5 , 15 ): male, [ Indonesia, West Java Prov.] “ Tjinjiroean , Gouv. Klna-Ondern. 1700 M, (Malabar Geb. W. Java) Dr H.W.v.d. Weele coll, Nov. 1909 ” / “Slide AV6431 ♂ A. Volynkin ” ( RMNH).

Additional material examined. INDONESIA: 1 male without abdomen, same data as for holotype ( RMNH) .

Diagnosis. Nephelomilta devosi sp. n. is an unmistakable species differing from other congeners by its ochreous yellow forewing ground color with pale red suffusion subbasally and medially ( Fig. 5 ). The new species is reminiscent superficially only of N. diehli ( Figs 8–10 ) due to the grey forewing pattern and yellowish coloration, but differs by its more elongate forewing, the presence of a pale red suffusion on the forewing and the thinner and indistinct medial line represented by a reddish-brown suffusion and separated from the medial spot (whereas it is more distinct, wider and represented by a dark grey suffusion fused with the medial spot in N. diehli ). Additionally, the posterior discal spot of N. devosi sp. n. is smaller and more indistinct than in N. diehli . The hindwing of the new species lacks a subbasal transverse line which is present in the Sumatran populations of N. diehli . Despite the contrasting appearance of N. pellucida ( Figs 16, 17 ) and N. devosi sp. n., the former with a red forewing pattern and intense grey suffusion on the hindwing ( Figs 6, 7 ) and the latter with black and reddish-brown forewing mark- ings and a pale ochreous yellow hindwing, the two species are most similar in the male genitalia. The new species ( Fig. 15 ) differs from N. pellucida ( Figs 16, 17 ) by the wider valva, the more dilated distal section of the costa with a thicker apical lobe, the wider ventral plate of the costa, and the somewhat wider subapical saccular process. The vesica of the new species lacks a subbasal diverticulum which is present in N. pellucida .

Description. External morphology of adults ( Fig. 5 ). Forewing length 11 mm in males. Male antenna ciliate, pale ochreous yellow. Head and thorax ochreous yellow. Forewing ground color pale ochreous yellow, basal and medial areas with pale red suffusion, subterminal area with slight pale red suffusion. Antemedial line thin, grey, curved in cell, diffuse. Medial spot relatively small (in proportion to medial area width), elliptical, grey, diffuse. Medial line narrow, represented by intense reddish-brown suffusion. Discal spots small (in proportion to medial area width), diffuse, posterior one smaller than anterior one. Postmedial line smoothly curved anteriorly. Subterminal spots small (in proportion to wing width), indistinct. Terminal line interrupted into diffuse elongate and thin spots on veins. Cilia pale ochreous yellow. Hindwing ground color and cilia pale ochreous yellow, paler than forewing. Discal spot nearly round, grey, diffuse. Abdomen pale ochreous yellow with admixture of whitish scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ). Uncus elongate and slender, straight, smoothly narrowed distally with claw-shaped tip. Tegumen equal in length to uncus, with arms broadly fused apically. Juxta broadly X-shaped. Vinculum ca. one and a half times longer than tegumen, with short (in proportion to its length) and U-shaped saccus. Valva lobate, dilated medially and distally. Costa thin, moderately sclerotized, strongly curved medially. Distal section of costa with very short (in proportion to costa length) and apically rounded distal lobe directed distally, and longer, narrow and apically rounded ventral-apical process directed ventrally. Ventral plate of costa wide (in proportion to valva width), moderately sclerotized. Ampulla flattened, broadly triangular with uneven edges and pointed tip. Sacculus narrow (ca. 1/3 of valva width), its apical section reaching ventral-apical lobe of costa. Subapical saccular process broadly triangular with rounded apex. Distal membranous lobe of valva wide but very short (in proportion to valva size), with somewhat convex outer margin. Phallus elongate and moderately narrow (length and width ratio ca. 3.5:1), with narrow coecum (ca. 1/3 of phallus width). Plate of carina positioned laterally, heavily sclerotized, somewhat dilated distally, bearing row of short denticles on its ventral margin. Basal section of vesica short (in proportion to phallus length). Medial diverticulum tubular, relatively short (twice shorter than phallus) but broad (twice narrower than basal section of vesica), directed distally and bearing cluster of numerous spine-like cornuti apically. Distal diverticulum nearly globular, bearing cluster of numerous very short spine-like cornuti. Vesica ejaculatorius directed dorsally, with short and thin subbasal plate.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Known only from its type locality in the West Java Province, Indonesia.

Etymology. The species is named after Rob de Vos, curator of the Lepidoptera section of the RMNH collection and expert in Arctiinae taxonomy.

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 15–17. Nephelomilta spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 15 in RMNH; 16 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 17 in MFN.