Nephelomilta melli Volynkin & Černý, 2018

Volynkin, Anton V. & Černý, Karel, 2018, Revision of the genus Nephelomilta Hampson, 1900, with descriptions of twelve new species and two new subspecies (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4472 (3), pp. 401-451 : 422

Nephelomilta melli Volynkin & Černý , sp. nov.

( Figs. 75–77 , 117–119 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs. 75 , 117 ): ♂, “ China, Wuy Shan, Jiangxi-Fujian border, 50 km SE of Yingtan, 27°56’ N, 117°25’ E, 1600 m, III.2002, leg. Siniaev & local coll.”, slide MWM 31677 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM).

Paratypes: 3 ♂, same data as in the holotype, slide MWM 31738 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM); 1 ♂, China, Sichuan, Emei Shan, 600–700 m, 18–21.VIII.1984, coll. Nr. 204, leg. Görgner, slide MWM 31678 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM); 1 ♂, China, ex coll. R. Mell / Te [Anhui, Quianshan Mts. ], 24.VIII. / Ch. effracta Wlkr. , slide AV4231 ♂ (Coll. ZMB); 1 ♂, China, ex coll. R. Mell / Lp [ Guandong , Lienping ], 10.IX. [19]20, slide AV4232 ♂ (Coll. ZMB).

Diagnosis. The species significantly varies in size: the length of forewing is 9–11.5 mm in males. The apical costal lobe and the ampulla are also variable in size, but we have no enough material to make any decision concerning the value of these differences. N. melli sp. nov. is a closest relative of N. hortensis sp. nov., and can be reliably distinguished from it only by the genitalia structure. The male genitalia of N. melli sp. nov. differ from those of N. hortensis sp. nov. in the larger apical costal lobe, the larger and more heavily sclerotized carinal plate of the aedeagus with the significantly larger thorn, and the significantly shorter and narrower medial diverticulum of the vesica without spines on its tip.

The female is unknown.

Distribution. South and South-East China (Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guandong and Sichuan Provinces).

Etymology. The species name is dedicated to Rudolf E. Mell ( Germany), a researcher of Chinese insects and a collector of the part of the type series.

Figures

FIGURES 71–83. Nephelomilta Spp.: ADULTS. 71, N. hortensis hortensis, paratype ♀, N Thailand (CKC); 72, N. hortensis fansipana, holotype ♂, N Vietnam (MWM/ZSM); 73, N. h. fansipana, paratype ♂, N Vietnam (MWM/ZSM); 74, N. h. fansipana, paratype ♀, N Vietnam (MWM/ZSM); 75, N. melli, holotype ♂, China, Jiangxi/Fujian border (MWM/ZSM); 76, N. melli, paratype ♂, China, Jiangxi/Fujian border (MWM/ZSM); 77, N. melli, pARAType ♂, ChINA, [ANhUI, QUIANShAN MTS.] (ZMB); 78, N. chalcedona, holotype ♂, SW Thailand (©NHMUK); 79, N. chalcedona, paratype ♀, W Thailand (CKC); 80, N. ferruginea, holotype ♂, Sumatra (©NHMUK); 81, N. ferruginea, paratype ♀, Sumatra (CKC); 82, N. diehli, hOLOType ♂, SUmATRA (MWM/ZSM); 83, N. diehli, pARAType ♂, SUmATRA (CKC).

FIGURES 117–119. Nephelomilta melli: mALe geNITALIA. 117, hOLOType, ChINA, JIANgxI/FUjIAN bORDeR, SLIDe MWM 31677 VOLyNKIN; 118, pARAType, ChINA, JIANgxI/FUjIAN bORDeR, SLIDe MWM 31677 VOLyNKIN; 119, pARAType, ChINA, [ANhUI, QUIANShAN MTS.], SLIDe AV4231 VOLyNKIN.