Witteulisna Volynkin, 2020

Volynkin, Anton V., ., .,., Ht, Inu, Mwm & Zsm, 2020, Witteulisna, a new genus for a new species from North Vietnam (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 38, pp. 127-130 : 127-130

Witteulisna Volynkin , gen. nov.

Type species: Witteulisna paraxena sp. nov.

Diagnosis. The male of the new genus (Fig, 1) is similar externally to members of the Thysanoptyx brevimacula species-group ( Fig. 2 ) and the Teulisna plagiata species-group ( Fig. 3 ). The male genital capsule of Witteulisna ( Fig. 5 ) is reminiscent of that of the Thysanoptyx brevimacula species-group ( Fig. 6 ) but is easily distinguishable by its wide, dorso-ventrally flattened uncus (that is thin in the Th. brevimacula species-group), the shorter vinculum and the much longer valva with a convex costal margin and a larger cucullus. Compared to Teulisna plagiata species-group ( Fig. 7 ; also illustrated by Holloway 2001), the male genital capsule of the new genus has a dorso-ventrally flattened uncus (it is long and thin in the T. plagiata species-group), a short and narrow vinculum lacking androconial glands (it is broad, trapezoid and bearing two androconial glands in the T. plagiata species-group), a convex costal margin of the valva, a larger cucullus, and the distally tapered and apically pointed distal saccular process (it is curved and somewhat dilated distally and densely covered with tiny spinules in the T. plagiata species-group). The main autapomorphic feature of the new genus is in the aedeagus structure: the aedeagus of Witteulisna is short and extremely broad, and its dorsal part bears a robust thorn-like carinal process directed distally and fused with the base of the vesica. The similar large process of the aedeagus is known in the externally dissimilar genus Microlithosia Daniel, 1954 (the type species: Microlithosia shaowuica Daniel, 1954 ) ( Figs 4 , 8 , also illustrated by Bayarsaikhan & Bae 2018; Bayarsaikhan et al. 2018), but in this genus the process is not fused with the vesica base and the aedeagus is much smaller than that of Witteulisna in comparison to the genital capsule. Additionally, the male genital capsule of Microlithosia differs from that of Witteulisna by the long and thin uncus and the presence of a medial saccular process.

Description. External morphology of male ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing length 12–12.5 mm. Antenna blackish, weakly ciliate. Head blackish with ochreous yellow frons. Thorax blackish, with ochreous collar; patagia ochreous yellow basally and blackish distally. Abdomen brown with admixture of ochreous scales. Forewing elongate and narrow, its anal margin convex medially and curved posteriad distally. Forewing ground color greyish brown. Costa ochreous yellow along the cell. Cell with long cluster of greyish androconial scales. Medial area with large square black spot with rounded corners encircled with yellow scales. Postmedial and terminal areas greyish brown with ochreous yellow costa. Cilia ochreous yellow. Hindwing greyish brown medially and distally and ochreous yellow basally. Cilia ochreous yellow. Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Uncus broad, triangular with rounded tip, almost fully fused with tuba analis except of its tip. Tuba analis broad, membranous. Tegumen short, with narrow arms. Juxta trapezoid with two curved longitudinal crests and an apical protrusion with a small medial incision. Vinculum weakly sclerotized, Vshaped with rounded apex having shallow medial depression. Valva lobe-like, its costal margin convex medially. Cucullus large, tapered distally and rounded apically. Sacculus relatively narrow, with weakly setose dorsal margin. Distal saccular process short but robust, somewhat curved dorsad and pointed apically, does not reach the tip of cucullus. Aedeagus short and extremely broad. Its dorsal section with a rugose sclerotized plate ending with a very large thorn directed distally. Vesica narrow and elongate, with a globular scobinated diverticulum laterally and a sclerotized plate covered in short denticles apically. Vesica ejaculatorius originates from the base of vesica and directed latero-anteriorly.

Female unknown.

Etymology. ‘ Witteulisna ’ is a combination of the surname Witt and the genus group name Teulisna . The genus name is dedicated to the memory of Dr Thomas J. Witt, a famous lepidopterist and a founder of the Museum Witt Munich having one of the largest collections of Heterocera in the world. Gender feminine.

Figures

Figures 1–4. Lithosiina spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1–3 in MWM/ZSM; 4 in INU (photo by U. Bayarsaikhan).

Figures 5–8. Lithosiina spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 5–7 in MWM/ZSM; 8 in INU (photo by U. Bayarsaikhan).