Alphaea (Flavalphaea) alfreda Volynkin & Saldaitis, 2019

Volynkin, Anton V. & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2019, Alphaea alfreda, a new species from China and Myanmar (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4623 (2), pp. 396-400 : 396-397

Alphaea (Flavalphaea) alfreda Volynkin & Saldaitis , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–4 , 9 , 12 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs. 1 , 9 ): ♂, “ China / Yunnan prov. (NW), Nuijang Lisu and Dulong auton. pref., Fugong county ; Lishadi (= Walo ), 42 km N of Fugong, 1390 m, 12–16.V.1999, 27.15°N / 98.55°E, leg./ex coll. Dr. R. Brechlin ” / “Museum Witt München”, slide MWM 35937 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ZSM).

Paratypes: CHINA: 20 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for the holotype, slide MWM 35938 (♀) Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ZSM) ; 3 ♂, China, NW Yunnan, Nu Jiang valley, S from Gongshan , H- 2100–2400 m, N27°43.42 ’’ E98°45.15 ’’, 15–16.v.2018, Butvila & Saldaitis leg., slides AV4761 ♂, AV4762 ♂ Volynkin ( Colls AFM, ASV & WIGJ); MYANMAR : 2 ♂, Myanmar (Burma), 50 km NE Putao, Wa Sa Dam village , 950 m, 22.V.1998, leg. Murzin & Sinjaev, slide MWM 35939 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ZSM) ; 1 ♂, Myanmar (Burma), Province Kachin State, Kanphant / Chinese border, night collecting, 1642 m, N26°08’512’’ E098°34’582’’ / 29–30.V.2006, leg. Michael Langer, Stefan Naumann & Swen Löffler, coll. Swen Löffler [in German] (Coll. MWM/ZSM) .

Diagnosis. Alpahea alfreda ( Figs 1–4 ) belongs to the subgenus Flavalphaea and is similar externally to A. (F.) khasiana (Figs 5, 6), but differs by its red and black abdomen with narrower black rings (in A. khasiana the abdomen is orange and black with broader black rings) and smaller pale yellow spots on forewing. Alpahea alfreda differs externally from another similar Flavalphaea species, A. (F.) impleta (Walker, [1865]) (Figs 7, 8) by its slightly broader forewing, broader and more angular light spots of forewing (those are smaller with more rounded corners in A. impleta ), and red and black abdomen (that is orange with black dorsal and lateral spots in A. impleta ). The male genitalia of A. alfreda ( Fig. 9 ) differs clearly from that of A. khasiana ( Fig. 10 ) and A. impleta ( Fig. 11 ) by its valva being broader distally, larger ventral processes of both valvae, much longer and broader distal sections of both valvae, and the absence of saccular process. In addition, compared to those of A. khasiana , the uncus of A. alfreda is slightly broader, the dorsal carinal plate of aedeagus is larger, and the vesica is broader. In comparison to A. impleta , the uncus of A. alfreda is significantly broader, the valva is longer, the aedeagus is less curved, the ventral subbasal diverticulum of vesica is smaller, and the granulation of the distal diverticulum is weaker. The female genitalia of A. alfreda ( Fig. 12 ) differs from that of A. khasiana ( Fig. 13 ) by its broader and more prominent postvaginal plate, smaller lateral lobes of antevaginal plate, shorter and broader antrum having slightly larger ventral apical lobes, broader anterior section of corpus bursae, and slightly larger corpus bursae with one of three signa being much larger; the female genitalia of the new species ( Fig. 12 ) differs from that of A. impleta ( Fig. 14 ) by its broader postvaginal plate, much smaller lateral lobes of antevaginal plate, antrum being shorter and broadened posteriorly (that has almost parallel margins in A. impleta ), slightly longer anterior section of ductus bursae, larger lateral signum bursae, and slightly broader appendix bursae.

Description. External appearance of adults ( Figs. 1–4 ). Forewing length is 22.5– 24 mm in males (24 mm in the holotype) and 30 mm in female. Male antenna shortly bipectinate, female antenna ciliate. Labial palp black; antenna black; frons pale yellow; patagium black with large pale yellowish spots. Thorax black medially and pale yellowish laterally; tegulae pale yellowish with black base and narrow longitudinal strokes. Forewing ground color black, with large pale yellowish spots of different size and shape between veins; cilia black. Hindwing ground color pale yellow; black suffusion on veins; discal spot large and trapezoidal; broad blackish shade extends in space between Rs and M veins and connected to the discal spot; postmedial transverse line broad, blackish, may be interrupted at anal margin; terminal line thin, black; cilia black. Abdomen with black and bright red rings, its apex black. Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ). Uncus broad, elliptical, dorso-ventrally flattened, slightly curved dorsad, distally narrowed, apically tapered, setose. Tegumen shorter than valva, with small basal lateral lobes, broadened apically, forms broad elliptical apical plate dorsally from uncus. Juxta obverse heart-shaped, with small trigonal apical processes. Vinculum heavily sclerotized, U-shaped. Valva elongate, slightly narrowed medially; costa convex subbasally; distal section of valva narrow, apically rounded; ventral processes of valvae slightly asymmetrical: the right one is longer than the left one. Sacculus trigonal with rounded apex, weakly setose. Aedeagus elongated and narrow, its distal section slightly curved dorsally; dorsal plate of carina elongated, band-shaped and shortly dentate; basal section of vesica narrow, membranous, with small, granulated basal ventral diverticulum, globular and weakly granulated subbasal ventral diverticulum, broad and granulated ventral medial diverticulum, broad and membranous dorsal medial diverticulum, and broadly conical and granulate distal diverticulum. Female genitalia ( Fig. 12 ). Papillae anales broadly trapezoidal with rounded corners; apophyses thin, apophyses posteriores ca. 4 times longer than apophyses anteriores; dorsal pheromone glands very long and narrow, with several branches; postvaginal plate short and broad, with rounded medial posterior protrusion. Ostium bursae broad. Antrum (posterior, subostial section of ductus bursae) heavily sclerotized, broad, trapezoidal; its ventral edge with round lateral posterior lobes and trigonal medial concavity; anterior section of corpus bursae short, broad, heavily sclerotized, dorso-ventrally flattened. Posterior section of corpus bursae narrow, twisted, moderately sclerotized, rugose; anterior section of corpus bursae large, sack-like, membranous, with three round signa: two smaller and one larger. Appendix bursae originates postero-laterally, membranous, narrow, elongated, drop-like broadened apically; ductus seminalis originates from the medial part of appendix bursae.

Distribution and bionomics. Several males and single female were collected at ultraviolet light at May, 1998, 1999, 2006, and recently at 2018 in the Nu Jiang (Salween) river valley in north-western part of China’s Yunnan Province and neighboring territories of North Myanmar (Kachin State). The new species was collected at altitudes of approximately 1000–2400 meters in primary mountains mixed forest, dominated by various deciduous trees, bamboo and bushes.

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of Alfreda Gavorkienë (Joniškis, Lithuania), for her deep understanding and support of the entomological activities of the Rimantas Butvila, collector of three paratypes of the new species. The gender is feminine.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Alphaea spp., adults, 1, A. alfreda, holotype ♂, China, Yunnan (MWM/ZSM); 2, A. alfreda, paratype ♂, China, Yun- nan (ASV); 3, A. alfreda, paratype ♂, N Myanmar (MWM/ZSM); 4, A. alfreda, paratype ♀, China, Yunnan (MWM/ZSM); 5, A. khasiana, syntype ♂, NE India (©NHMUK); 6, A. khasiana, syntype ♀, NE India (©NHMUK); 7, A. impleta, ♂, NE India (MWM/ZSM); 8, A. impleta, ♀, C Nepal (MWM/ZSM).

FIGURES 9–11. Alphaea spp., male genitalia. 9, A. alfreda, holotype, China, Yunnan, slide MWM 35937 Volynkin; 10, A. khasiana, syntype, NE India, slide NHMUK010315766 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 11, A. impleta, E Nepal, slide MWM 35933 Volynkin.

FIGURES 12–14. Alphaea spp., female genitalia. 12, A. alfreda, paratype, China, Yunnan, slide MWM 35938 Volynkin; 13, A. khasiana, syntype, NE India. slide NHMUK010315788 Volynkin (©NHMUK); 14, A. impleta, E Nepal, slide MWM 35941 Volynkin.