Manulea labahe, Volynkin & Saldaitis, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V., 2021, Tortrilema, a new subgenus of the genus Manulea Wallengren with description of a new species from Vietnam (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 48, pp. 9-17 : 12

The M. labahe species-group

Diagnosis. The species-group is characterised by the limited sexual dimorphism expressed by the more elongate forewing apex in the female. In the male genital capsule, the uncus is strongly dilated distally whereas in the M. postmaculosa species-group it is slender and only slightly dilated subapically. The arms of the vinculum of the M. labahe species-group are anteriorly connected by a membranous commissure whereas the vinculum of the M. postmaculosa species-group is evenly sclerotised. The sacculus of the M. labahe species-group is medially constricted but the distal saccular process has a strongly dilated basal section forming a dorsal protrusion while the sacculus of the M. postmaculosa species-group is evenly dilated distally and the distal saccular process has a narrower base. The aedeagus of the M. labahe species-group is markedly narrower than in the M. postmaculosa species-group. The vesica of the M. labahe species-group is short, narrow, membranous and bearing a thin and almost straight cornutus, whereas the vesica of the M. labahe species-group is very broad, bearing clusters of scobination and a long, robust and medially curved cornutus dilated basally and distally. In the female genitalia of the M. labahe species-group, the ductus bursae is narrow, curved and longitudinally rugose whereas it is broad, somewhat curved or straight and membranous or smoothly sclerotised in the M. postmaculosa species-group. The corpus bursae of the M. labahe species-group is teardrop-shaped, membranous and having a long, band-shaped signum while the corpus bursae of the M. postmaculosa species-group is sack-like, more or less gelatinous and lacks a signum. The appendix bursae of the M. labahe species-group is very short, membranous and directed posteriorly whereas the appendix bursae of the M. postmaculosa species-group is gelatinous or with a sclerotised plate and directed postero-laterally or laterally.