Miltochrista dagmarae dagmarae ( Černý, 2016 )

Volynkin, Anton V. & Černý, Karel, 2022, On the taxonomy of Miltochrista dagmarae Černý with descriptions of a new species and a new subspecies (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 60, pp. 25-31 : 26

Miltochrista dagmarae dagmarae ( Černý, 2016)

( Figs 1, 2 , 9, 10 , 15 )

Lyclene dagmarae Černý, 2016 , Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo, N.F., 37 (2/3): 106, figs. 18a, c, e, f, g; D (Type locality: Laos, prov. Khammouane, Muang Khai , 160m, 104°54.980'E, 17°27.681'N ”).

Type material examined. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 9 ): male, “ Laos, prov. Khammouane, | Muang Khai , 160 m, | 104°54,980' E; 17°27,681'N | 27.–29.V.2014 leg. K. Černý,” / red label “ Holotype | Lyclene | dagmarae sp. n. | K. Černý, 2016 ” / “Genitalpräparat | Heterocera | Nr. 333.826 | Museum Witt München” (MWM/ ZSM).

Paratypes: LAOS: 5 males, 3 females, the same data as in the holotype, gen. prep. Nos.: AV2642 (male) and AV2643 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.0 mm in males and 8.5 mm in females. The nominate subspecies of M. dagmarae is externally reminiscent of M. calamaria (Moore, 1888) (illustrated by Holloway 2001 and Volynkin & Bucsek 2016) but differs in the smaller size, the weakly ciliate male antenna (it is shortly bipectinate in M. calamaria ), and the less elongate forewing with a more rounded apex and a larger discal spot. In addition, in M. dagmarae , the female abdomen bears a corethrogyne, which is absent in M. calamaria . The male genital capsule of M. dagmarae differs clearly from M. calamaria in the broader valva with a well-developed distal costal process (it is absent in the congener), and the asymmetrical and gradually distally tapered and upcurved distal saccular processes, which are proximally and claw-like curved in M. calamaria . The phallus of M. dagmarae has a ventrally curved coecum whereas it is straight in M. calamaria . The vesica of M. dagmarae bears two relatively short conical cornuti whereas there is only one long and blade-shaped cornutus in M. calamaria . The female genitalia of M. dagmarae are fundamentally different from M. calamaria due to the broad, dorso-ventrally flattened and heavily sclerotised ductus bursae (it is narrowly tubular in the congener), the posterior section of the corpus bursae bearing two elongate clusters of numerous robust spines (that of M. calamaria bears broad clusters of scobination), and the granulose anterior section of the corpus bursae whereas in the congener, it is covered with short but basally dilated spines. Additionally, the 7 th abdominal sternite of M. dagmarae bears large postero-lateral pockets, which are absent in M. calamaria .

Distribution. The nominate subspecies is known from the central part of Laos (Khammouane Province) ( Černý 2016).

Figures

Figures 1–8. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1, 7 and 8 in MWM/ZSM; 2–6 in CKC.

Figures 9–12. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 9 and 11 in MWM/ZSM (11 – ex CKC); 10 and 12 in CKC.

Figures 13–16. Miltochrista spp.: male (13, 14) and female (15, 16) genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 13 and 14 in MWM/ZSM; 15 and 16 in CKC.