Fossia, Volynkin, Ivanova & Huang, 2019

Volynkin, Anton V., Huang, Si-Yao & Ivanova, Maria S., 2019, An overview of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae). Part 1. Barsine Walker, 1854 sensu lato, Asura Walker, 1854 and related genera, with descriptions of twenty new genera, ten new subgenera and a check list of taxa of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex, Ecologica Montenegrina 26, pp. 14-92 : 36-37

Genus Fossia Volynkin, Ivanova & Huang, gen. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0EC71ED7-A2E6-4DD0-AE59-83694CFFAB6E ( Figs 62, 63 , 136 , 191 )

Type species: Barsine melanandra Černý, 2009 .

Etymology. The generic name is dedicated to the memory of the A.V. Volynkin and M.S. Ivanova's friend, Mr Grigory G. Foss. Gender feminine.

Diagnosis. Small moths with a strongly developed sexual dimorphism, which is unique within the generic complex (only the genus Disparsine is sexually dimorphic also, but its dimorphism is slight and developed as the special male forewing structure having a slightly deformed costa and a row of androconial scales in the cell). Males of Fossia are significantly smaller than females, have narrower fore- and hindwings, more diffuse and darker forewing pattern and hindwing being almost fully black (only a subbasal area along costa is reddish, whereas in females hindwing is as forewing ground colour with a narrow blackish outer margin). Forewing colouration is red or orange, pattern is blackish. Antennae of both sexes ciliate. The male genitalia of Fossia remotely resemble those of Ammatho (Delineatia) , but are easily recognisable by the combination of the following features: (1) the anellus is membranous (that is densely serrulate in Delineatia ); (2) the juxta is heavily sclerotized and has two weakly serrulate apical lobes (an autapomorphic feature; a heavily sclerotised juxta is also known from the genus Longarista , but in Longarista the juxta is strongly swollen and evenly dentate, while in Fossia only apical processes are serrulate; in Ammatho (Idopterum) the juxta also has swollen serrulate lobes, but they are situated laterally, and, in addition, the medial part of juxta is short and weakly sclerotised, while in Fossia the juxta is elongated, evenly sclerotised and its processes are situated apically); (3) the medial costal process is long and narrow, setose, directed distally (an autapomorphic feature); (4) distal section of costa is dentate, similar to that of Delineatia ; (5) a distal membranous lobe is absent; (6) the sacculus is narrow, with a robust, thorn-like, apically pointed medial process directed dorsally (similar well-developed medial saccular processes are also known from the genera Melanaema, Laminasura and Sarbine , but they are not so heavily sclerotised); (7) the distal saccular process is present as a small blunt protrusion; (8) the aedeagus is small, narrow and straight; (9) the aedeagus vesica structure is uniform within the genus and is characterised by the presence of a large membranous ventral diverticulum and a globular medial dorsal diverticulum covered with numerous very small cornuti or robust granules. The female genitalia structure of Fossia is unique within the generic complex and is characterised by the following features: (1) the presence of a heavily sclerotised bilobate antevaginal plate fused with the 8 th sternite and having a very narrow ostium bursae in its middle part (an autapomorphic feature); (2) the antrum is present, very short and narrow, but heavily sclerotised and fused with the antevaginal plate (an autapomorphic feature); (3) the anterior section of ductus bursae is very short and narrow, tube-like, membranous; (4) corpus bursae is elliptical, weakly scobinated, with one elliptical signum bursae medially.

Distribution. The genus is widespread in Himalaya, western and southern China and Indochina.

Number of species. The genus comprises five valid species and three subspecies and was reviewed as ‘the Barsine punicea species-group’ by Volynkin et al. (2018b).

Figures

Figures 47–63. Type species of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: adults. Depositories of specimens: 47–58, 62, 63 – NHMUK; 59 – CAV; 60 – CKC; 61 – ZMA (photo by R. de Vos).

Figures 136–139. Type species of genera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: male genitalia.

Figures 190–197. Type species of genera and subgenera of the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex: female genitalia.