Miltochrista humilis ( Walker, 1854 )

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2022, Five new species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner from Indochina, India and China (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 59, pp. 10-23 : 15

Miltochrista humilis ( Walker, 1854)

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( Figs 3–6 , 26, 27 , 40 )

Cyllene humilis Walker, 1859 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 2: 544 (Type locality: [ Myanmar, Mawlamyine ] “ East Indies ”).

Type material examined. Lectotype ( Fig. 5 ) (hereby designated): female, “ E. Indies | Moulmein [ Myanmar, Mawlamyine] | A. Clerk | 43–43.” / “1. Cyllene humilis .” / green ring “Type” label / blue label “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 4643 ♀ ” / QR- code label with unique number: “ NHMUK010604277 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. MYANMAR: 1 male, India : W. Archibald. B.M. 1926-391 / Rangoon, Nov. 1923, unique number: NHMUK010604614 , gen. prep. No. : NHMUK010313280 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 female, India : W. Archibald. B.M. 1926-391 / unique number: NHMUK010604615 , gen. prep. No. : NHMUK010313281 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 female, Lower Burma / Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-1, unique number: NHMUK010604278 , gen. prep. No.: NHMUK 0 10314219 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; THAILAND: 1 male, Ranong Prov., Ranong, 380m, 10°01'32''N 98°40'13''E, 3–4.XII.2005, K. Černý leg., gen. prep. No.: AV2703 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; 1 female, Surat Thani Prov., Khao Sok NP, 199m, 8°53'23''N 98°30'25''E, 6.xii.2005, K. Černý leg., gen. prep. No.: AV2704 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) ; 1 male, Phang Nga Prov., Kuraburi D., 6.III.2005, Ao Khoei Beach, 5m, Karel Černý leg., gen. prep. No.: AV2705 (prepared by Volynkin) ( CKC) .

Note. In the original description of the species, Walker (1854) did not mention the sex and the number of specimens. In order to stabilise the nomenclature, we hereby designate the female syntype specimen deposited in the NHMUK collection and labeled as ‘Type’ as lectotype.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5–10.0 mm in males and 8.5–10.5 mm in females. Miltochrista humilis is reminiscent of M. nubilalis but differ in its larger size. The male genital capsule of M. humilis is very similar to Miltochrista postseriata ( Holloway, 2001) (illustrated by Holloway (2001) and Volynkin (2020)) but distinguished by the proximally broader valva with a shorter and somewhat distally downcurved distal saccular process, which is slightly upcurved in the congener. The vesicae of the two species are very similar but in M. humilis , the dorsal diverticulum bearing the larger cornutus is somewhat shorter than in M. postseriata . The female genitalia of M. humilis differ from M. postseriata (illustrated by Volynkin 2020) in the more anteriorly tapered antrum, and the shorter and thinner spines in the posterior section of the corpus bursae.

Distribution. The species is known from central and southern Myanmar, and Southern Thailand.

Figures

Figures 1–8. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in WIGJ; 2 in GMF-B; 3–6 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 7 and 9 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 25–28. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 25 in WIGJ; 26 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 27 in CKC; 28 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 39–42. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 39 in GMF-B; 40 in CKC; 41 in MWM/ZSM; 42 in GMF-B.