Miltochrista xihe Volynkin & Huang, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V. & Huang, Si-Yao, 2021, Three new peculiar species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner, [1819] from China (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4970 (3), pp. 569-576 : 570-571

Miltochrista xihe Volynkin & Huang , sp. n.

( Figs 1–3 , 9, 10 , 14 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 9 ): male, “ China, Sichuan, Daxue Shan Mts. , 80 km W Mianning, 28°34’N 102°00’E, 2750m, 7–8.VII.1999, leg. Sin [y]aev & Plutenko”, slide ZSM Arct. 2019-752 Volynkin (Coll. MWM / ZSM).

Paratypes: 31 males, the same data as in the holotype, slide ZSM Arct. 79/2017 Volynkin (Coll. MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, China, N Yunnan, W coast of Lugu Lake , 2800m, 30–31.VII.2005, leg. S. Murzin, slide ZSM Arct. 2020- 203 Volynkin (Coll. MWM / ZSM) .

Remark. The single known female collected on Lugu Lake ca. 160 km southwest of the type locality is conspicuously smaller than males, but has the coloration and pattern identical to those of males. Taking into account the fact that no other similar but smaller species are known, here we consider this specimen as the female of M. xihe sp. n.

Diagnosis. Externally, the new species differs clearly from all known congeners and is most reminiscent of members of the subgenus Coccinigripennis Volynkin & Huang, 2019 of the genus Ovipennis Hampson, 1900 (illustrated as Barsine anomala ( Elwes, 1890) , Barsine fansipana Volynkin & Černý, 2017 and Barsine miloslavae Černý, 2016 species-groups by Volynkin & Černý 2017), but differs from them by its forewing having blackish suffusion on veins but lacking a black longitudinal strip or a broad blackish area. The male genitalia of M. xihe sp. n. differ from those of its closest relative M. dongi sp. n. by the valva being broader medially and basally, the broader distal lobe of the valva, the slightly more robust distal saccular process, and the presence of three clusters of spines in the aedeagus vesica.

Description. External morphology of adults. Forewing length 11–12 mm in males and 9.5 mm in female. Antennae blackish, ciliate in male and filiform in female. Legs blackish brown. Head and thorax pale red. Abdomen dark brown. Forewing pale red, with blackish brown suffusion along veins; costa black at base; cilia pale red. Hindwing dark brown including cilia. Male genitalia. Uncus long, thin, laterally flattened, curved subapically and apically pointed. Tuba analis moderately broad; scaphium thin, weakly sclerotized; subscaphium presented as setose field. Tegumen short, moderately broad and weakly sclerotized. Juxta shield-like with very deep lower triangular concavity and narrow and shallow triangular upper concavity. Vinculum short, broadly U-like. Valva elongated, narrow, its costal margin convex medially. Costa strongly broadened distally, with a narrow medial ventral protrusion fused with valva surface and crowned with a cluster of setae, and lacks a distal process. Distal lobe of valva large, with apical moderately sclerotized triangular process. Sacculus with setose dorsal margin. Distal saccular process narrow but robust, elongate, slightly S-like curved and apically blunt. Aedeagus moderately broad and elongated, its dorsal surface slightly convex distally. Vesica broad, with more or less globular and granulated main chamber; its ventral diverticulum elongated, bears cluster of spines apically; medial diverticulum broad, globular, bears series of various-sized robust spines; distal diverticulum conical, with series consisting of several robust spines basally and several very short spines distally. Distal plate of vesica shortly triangular, moderately sclerotized. Female genitalia. Papillae anales trapezoidal with rounded corners, weakly setose.Apophyses thin and elongated, apophyses posteriores ca. 3 times longer than apophyses anteriores. Ostium bursae moderately broad, with deep round medial concavity. Antrum broad, funnel-like, with rugose margin medially and narrow and apically rounded lateral lobes. Ductus bursae dorso-ventrally flattened, elongated, broad, slightly broadened anteriorly and moderately sclerotized with weakly sclerotized lateral margins. Corpus bursae elliptical, its medial and posterior sections densely covered with numerous robust spinules. Anterior section of corpus bursae weakly spinulose scobinated. Appendix bursae conical, spinulose basally and membranous distally, situated dorso-posteriorly and directed postero-laterally.

Distribution. The species is known from two localities in southwestern China: Daxue Shan Range in western Sichuan, and Lugu Lake in northern Yunnan.

Etymology. Xihe is a solar deity in the traditional Chinese mythology.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Miltochrista spp., adults. Depositories of specimens: 1–3, 5 and 6 in MWM/ZSM; 4 in SCAU; 7 and 8 in ZFMK.

FIGURES 9–11. Miltochrista spp., male genitalia. Depositories of specimens: 9 and 10 in MWM/ZSM; 11 in SCAU.

FIGURES 12–16. Miltochrista spp., male (12 and 13) and female (14–16) genitalia. Depositories of specimens: 12, 14 and 15 in MWM/ZSM; 13 in ZFMK; 16 in CKC.