Manulea (Churingosia) fardyftera, Volynkin & Černý, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V. & Černý, Karel, 2022, Churingosia, a new subgenus of the genus Manulea Wallengren with descriptions of four new species from the Oriental realm (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 5205 (2), pp. 162-176 : 165-168

Manulea (Churingosia) fardyftera sp. n.

( Figs 5–7 , 19 , 29 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 5 , 19 ): male, “ NE India | Arunachal Pradesh | near Hunli | 1400m, 22–28. V. 1997 | leg. local collector” / “Slide | ZSM Arct. | 2021- 259♂ | A. Volynkin” ( MWM / ZSM).

Paratypes. INDIA: 14 males, 4 females, same data as holotype, gen. prep. Nos. : ZSM Arct. 2021-017, ZSM Arct. 2021-260 (males), ZSM Arct. 2021-104, ZSM Arct. 2021-261 (females), (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 17.0–18.0 mm in males and 19.0 mm in females. The new species is superficially reminiscent of M. chrysophleps but distinguished by the somewhat larger size (especially in males), the somewhat broader forewing with a more convex costal margin, and the somewhat paler forewing ground colour. The male genital capsule of M. fardyftera sp. n. differs clearly from M. chrysophleps in the larger and more heavily sclerotised medial transverse lobe of the valva, and the nearly straight distal saccular process, which is somewhat upcurved in the congener. The phallus of the new species is distally narrower than in M. chrysophleps and bearing a shorter and basally thinner carinal process. The vesica structures of the two species are similar but in M. fardyftera sp. n., the dorsal diverticulum is conical whereas it is semiglobular in M. chrysophleps . In the female genitalia, M. fardyftera sp. n. differs from M. chrysophleps in the markedly broader (in proportion to the ovipositor width) gelatinous subostial pocket, the more rounded signa bursae, and the distally broader appendix bursae.

Distribution. Northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh).

Etymology. The specific epithet originates from the Greek ‘φαρδυφτερος’ meaning ‘broad winged’ and refers to the forewing of the new species, which is broader than in the similar M. chrysophleps . The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Manulea (Churingosia subgen. n.) spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 3 in MfN; 4–8 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 17–19. Manulea (Churingosia subgen. n.) spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 17 in MfN; 18 and 19 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 27–30. Manulea (Churingosia subgen. n.) spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 27 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 28–30 in MWM/ZSM.