Hampsonascia Volynkin, 2019

Volynkin, Anton V. & Černý, Karel, 2021, Restoration of the genus Hampsonascia Volynkin (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini) with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 5067 (1), pp. 82-96 : 83-84

Genus Hampsonascia Volynkin, 2019 , stat. rev.

Hampsonascia Volynkin in Volynkin, Huang & Ivanova, 2019, Ecologica Montenegrina, 26: 54.

Type species: Miltochrista dentifascia Hampson, 1894 , by the original designation.

Diagnosis. Members of the genus are externally quite similar to certain species of Sesapa ( Figs 15, 16 ; illustrated by Volynkin (2017, 2019) and Wu (2019)) and the differences between genera can be found in genitalia structures. The autapomorphic feature in the male genitalia is an extremely long distal diverticulum of the vesica which is bifurcated in most species (except for H. aulaca sp. n.). The similarly elongate diverticulum is also known in the genus Integrivalvia Volynkin & S.-Y. Huang, 2019 (illustrated by Volynkin et al. (2019)) but in the latter it has a curved sclerotized basal plate and is never bifurcated. The valva structure of Hampsonascia is similar to that of certain groups of Miltochrista and strongly dissimilar to that of Sesapa ( Figs 31, 32 ; illustrated by Volynkin (2017; 2019) and Wu (2019, partim)) due to the elongate distal section of the costa forming a distal process whereas the costa of Sesapa is short and terminates in the middle or in the distal two thirds of valva without forming a process (an autapomorphic feature of the genus). Additionally, the juxta of Hampsonascia is entirely sclerotized whereas in Sesapa it is subdivided into two lateral parts by a very narrow medial longitudinal membranous commissure. The female genitalia of the two genera are similar in the presence of lateral subostial lobes but different in other aspects. The autapomorphic feature of Hampsonascia is the extremely elongate densely spinulose appendix bursae with a basal section directed anteriorly and a distal section strongly curved inwardly with a tip directed posteriorly, the structure well-fitting the extremely elongate distal diverticulum in males. Unlike Hampsonascia , the appendix bursae of Sesapa is short and apically membranous and directed posteriorly. Additionally, the ductus bursae of Hampsonascia is entirely sclerotized with an anterior end fused with the sclerotized posterior section of the corpus bursae whereas in Sesapa the anterior section of the corpus bursae is membranous.

Distribution. Species of the genus are known from north-eastern India, south-western China and northern Indochina.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Hampsonascia (9–14) and Sesapa (15–16) spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9–11, 14 and 16 in MWM/ZSM (11 ex CAV); 12 and 13 in CAV; 15 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

FIGURES 31–34. Sesapa (31–33) and Longarsine (34) spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 31 and 32 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 33 in MWM/ZSM; 34 in SCAU (photo by S.-Y. Huang).