Tarika erlanga, Volynkin & Saldaitis & Černý & Huang, 2023

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Černý, Karel & Huang, Si-Yao, 2023, Taxonomic review of the genus Tarika Moore with descriptions of six new species from Nepal, China and Indochina (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 5258 (3), pp. 285-300 : 288

Tarika erlanga sp. n.

( Figs 5, 6 , 20, 21 , 35 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 5 , 20 ): male, “ China, W. Sichuan, | road Yaan / Kangding | Erlang Shan Mt. | H- 2161 m | N 29°87.340″ | E102°30.970″ | 11–12.ix.2017 | Saldaitis leg.” / “Slide | AV6760 ♁ | A. Volynkin ” ( WIGJ).

Paratypes: CHINA: 1 male, 1 female, same data as holotype, gen. prep. Nos.: AV6761 (female), AV6767 (male) (prepared by Volynkin) ( AFM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 17.0 mm in males and 20.0 mm in female. The new species is superficially indistinguishable from T. danieli sp. n. and T. kinha sp. n., which also occur in South-West China. The male genitalia structure of T. erlanga sp. n. is similar to T. varana and T. annapurna sp. n. but the uncus is not constricted medially, the ventral diverticulum of the vesica is unilobate and lacking the lobe with a cornutus, and the subbasal cluster of spiniform cornuti is somewhat shorter. Additionally, unlike T. annapurna sp. n., the valva of T. erlanga sp. n. is somewhat broader, and the distal diverticulum of the vesica is proximally narrower. The male genitalia of the new species also differ from T. annapurna sp. n. in the broader vinculum, the thinner spiniform cornuti in the subbasal cluster, and the markedly longer distal diverticulum bearing a serrulate plate apically. Compared to the superficially alike T. danieli sp. n. and T. kinha sp. n., the male genitalia of T. erlanga sp. n. are clearly different due to the markedly shorter and thinner distal saccular process, the unilobate medial diverticulum, and the somewhat more elongate distal diverticulum. Additionally, the proximal diverticulum of the new species is shorter and broader than in T. danieli sp. n. and T. kinha sp. n. and is positioned laterally whereas it is positioned dorsally the aforementioned congeners. Since the female of T. annapurna sp. n. is unknown, the female genitalia of T. erlanga sp. n. were compared with T. varana , from which they differ in the evenly tubular ductus bursae (it is posteriorly dilated in T. varana ), and the presence of two semiglobular gelatinous and rugose diverticula of the corpus bursae posteriorly at the junction with the ductus bursae. Compared to T. danieli sp. n. and T. kinha sp. n., the female genitalia of T. erlanga sp. n. are distinguished by the markedly shorter, narrower and more weakly sclerotised lateral subostial crests, and the markedly longer posterior section of the ductus bursae.

Distribution. South-West China (Sichuan Province).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Erlang Shan Mountain, from where the new species is known. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Tarika spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 3, 4, 7 and 8 in MWM/ZSM; 5 in WIGJ; 6 in AFM.

FIGURES 20–22. Tarika spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 20 in WIGJ; 21 in AFM; 22 in MWM/ ZSM.

FIGURES 32–35. Katha depressa (32, 33) and Tarika spp. (34, 35): male (32) and female (33–35) genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 32 and 33 in CAV; 34 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 35 in AFM.