Barsine mahakala, Xu & Volynkin & Zhu & Da & Wang & Fan & Huang, 2022

Xu, Yong-Qiang, Volynkin, Anton V., Zhu, Li-Juan, Da, Wa, Wang, Min, Fan, Xiao-Ling & Huang, Si-Yao, 2022, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Barsine Walker, 1854 from Xizang, China with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5104 (4), pp. 557-566 : 558-559

Barsine mahakala S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin, sp. n.

( Figs 1–4 , 25, 26 , 37, 38 )

Type material. Holotype: male, 19. VII. 2017, altitude 2880 m, Guyu Town , Chayu County, Xizang Autonomous Prefecture, P. R. China, Shi-fang Mo & Fu-hong Wei leg., slide LTS9 (Coll. SCAU) . Paratypes: 1 female, same data as for the holotype, slide LTS10 (Coll. SCAU) ; 3 males, 1 female, same data as for the holotype, slide HSYBar1 (male), HSYBar2 (female) (Coll. SCAU) ; 1 female, 4–9. VII. 2016, Cibagou, Chayu County, Xizang Autonomous Prefecture, P. R . China, Chao-hui Pan leg., STS-7381 (Coll. CHSY) .

Diagnosis. Barsine mahakala sp. n. is most similar to B. defecta ( Figs 5–8 , 27, 28 , 39, 40 ), B. gratissima ( Figs 9–12 , 29, 30 , 41, 42 ), B. germana ( Figs 13–18 , 31, 32 , 43, 44 ) and B. kirata ( Figs 19–20 , 33 , 45 ) distributed in Himalaya, China and Indochina by sharing similar aedeagus vesica and female genitalia structures. However, the new species is externally distinguished from these congeners by the combination of the following characters. 1) The forewing ground color is dull red in both sexes, while in B. defecta , B. gratissima , B. germana and B. kirata it is yellowish. 2) The blackish transverse lines and lengthwise streaks are obsolete with lengthwise streaks present on veins, while in the congeners they are distinct with lengthwise streaks present in cells. 3) The hindwing upperside ground color is greyish-white inwardly and pale reddish-brown outwardly, whereas in B. defecta , B. gratissima , B. germana and B. kirata the ground color of the hindwing is uniformly yellowish or pinkish with a paler inner half. In the male genitalia capsule of the new species, the distal end of the medial costal process is slender, similar to that in B. germana and B. kirata , whereas it is stouter and broader in B. defecta and B. gratissima . The inner margin of the dorsal lobe of the distal saccular process is concave in B. mahakala sp. n., while in B. defecta , B. gratissima , B. germana and B. kirata it is straight or convex. The distal lobe of the distal saccular process of the new species is nearly identical to that of B. germana but shorter than in B. defecta and B. gratissima and markedly longer than in B. kirata . In the aedeagus vesica of B. mahakala sp. n., the 2 nd medial diverticulum is conspicuously shorter and narrower and bears minute cornuti distally, while in the similar congeners it is broader and longer and with larger cornuti distally. In the female genitalia, the sclerotized posterior section of the ductus bursae of the new species is nearly equal in length to that of B. defecta , slightly longer than in B. gratissima and markedly longer than in B. germana and B. kirata . The corpus bursae of B. mahakala sp. n. lacks a signum bursae (similar to B. defecta ), while the signum bursae is present in B. gratissima , B. germana and B. kirata . Additionally, the sclerotized section of the corpus bursae of the new species is conspicuously smaller than that of the similar congeners, and the distal end of the appendix bursae is somewhat slenderer than in B. defecta and B. kirata .

Description. Male ( Figs 1, 2 ). Forewing length 18–19.6 mm (n=4, 18.8 mm in holotype). Antenna densely ciliate. Head and thorax covered with dull reddish hair-like scales, abdomen covered with whitish and pale reddishbrown hair-like scales. Forewing ground color dull red with yellow suffusion on veins. Forewing pattern pale black, consisting of a subbasal spot, transverse lines and lengthwise streaks. Antemedial line gently convex medially; medial line somewhat curved outwards in discal cell; postmedial line gently shifting outwards medially; lengthwise streaks vestigial, present on veins and varying in length. Cilia dull reddish. Hindwing upper side ground color greyish-white at basal half and pale reddish-brown at distal half. Cilia pale reddish-brown. Female ( Figs 3, 4 ). Forewing length 22.5–24.7 mm (n=3). Similar to male but antenna weakly ciliate, abdomen covered with dull reddish hair-like scales thoroughly, and forewing broader than in male.

Genitalia. Male ( Figs 25, 26 ). Uncus elongate and medially curved with claw-shaped tip. Tegumen triangular, relatively short and broad. Juxta broad, X-shaped. Saccus broad, V-shaped. Valva lobular. Costa heavily sclerotized, medial costal process broadly triangular with abruptly narrowed distal end. Membranous lobe of valva relatively broad. Basal saccular process long, reaching base of distal saccular process, smoothly curved dorsally and apically pointed. Distal saccular process short, its distal lobe short, narrowly triangular and apically rounded; dorsal lobe equal in length to distal one but apically wider with concave inner margin. Aedeagus long, tubular and almost straight. Vesica broad with short basal diverticulum. 1 st medial diverticulum of vesica long and broad, with granulation field distally. 2 nd medial diverticulum short, covered with numerous cornuti of different sizes from base to subapical section, in some individuals with small additional outer lobe covered by minute granulation ( Fig. 25 ). Medial dorsal diverticulum short, positioned at the junction of 1 st, 2 nd and 5 th medial diverticula. 3 rd medial diverticulum long and broad, covered with numerous cornuti of different sizes thoroughly. 4 th medial diverticulum vestigial. 5 th medial diverticulum globular, covered with numerous cornuti of various sizes distally. Basal plate of vesica ejaculatorius long and broad, triangular. Female ( Figs 37, 38 ). Papilla analis rectangular. Apophysis posterioris and anterioris long and slender, the former one slightly longer and thicker than the latter one. Antrum broad, with several broad longitudinal folds. Ductus bursae moderately long and broad, dorso-ventrally flattened, sclerotized. Corpus bursae globular, slightly varying in size, with sclerotized posterior section and small spinules field medially. Appendix bursae large, heavily sclerotized and cone-shaped, covered with graniculi medially and distally.

Distribution. Currently only known from Chayu County, Southeastern Xizang, China.

Etymology. The specific epithet “mahakala” refers to a powerful guardian deity in various Asian religions.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Adults of Barsine spp. Depositories of the specimens: 1–11 in SCAU, 12 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 25–30. Male genitalia of Barsine spp. Depositories of the slides: 25, 27–30 in SCAU; 26 in CHSY.

FIGURES 37–46. Female genitalia of Barsine spp. Depositories of the slides: 37–41, 46 in SCAU; 42, 44, 45 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 13–24. Adults of Barsine spp. Depositories of the specimens: 13, 14, 21–24 in SCAU; 15, 16, 18–20 in MWM/ZSM; 17 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

FIGURES 31–36. Male genitalia of Barsine spp. Depositories of the slides: 31, 34–36 in SCAU; 32, 33 in MWM/ZSM.