Manulea tienmushanica (Volynkin & Saldaitis & Huang, 2022)

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Huang, Si-Yao, 2022, Taxonomic review of Manulea (M.) tienmushanica (Daniel), comb. nov., and its allies with descriptions of two new species from mainland China (Lepidoptera Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 5182 (4), pp. 389-398 : 390-391

The M. tienmushanica group

Note. The male genitalia of the species of the group have the genital capsule structure typical of Manulea sensu stricto (illustrated by Dubatolov & Zolotuhin (2011)) but the phallus vesica of most species bears a peculiar robust hook-like basal cornutus well separating them from other known taxa in Manulea (illustrated by Dubatolov & Zolotuhin 2011; Volynkin & Saldaitis 2021; Volynkin 2021 a, 2021b). Nevertheless, one of the species has the external appearance and the male genital capsule very similar to others but its phallus vesica lacks a basal cornutus but bears a robust terminal one. Thus, the presence of a subbasal cornutus cannot be an autapomorphic feature of this complex of species, and, based on the morphological features, the latter should still be considered as just a species group within the genus Manulea and not a separate genus. However, the subgeneric placement of the group is still debatable since its vesica structure, especially the shape and size of the cornuti, is remarkably different from Manulea sensu stricto. Nevertheless, the taxonomic value of the cornuti shape in the subtribe Lithosiina is still unclear therefore we tentatively place the species group in the nominate subgenus of Manulea . The taxonomic placement of the group can be clarified in the future by using molecular methods through a multi-gene phylogenetic analysis including numerous groups and genera of the subtribe Lithosiina .

Diagnosis. Members of the species-group are superficially reminiscent of the Manulea costipuncta ( Leech, 1890) / Manulea hokopo Volynkin, 2021 species pair (illustrated by Volynkin 2021b) due to the presence of a small black spot on forewing costal margin medially but differ in the markedly smaller size and the narrower forewing. The male genital capsule of the species group is distinguished from the M. costipuncta / M. hokopo species pair in the shorter vinculum with two short sack-like coremata laterally, the distally tapered valva with a slenderer distal saccular process, and the pyramidal juxta, which is flattened and shield-like in the similar congeners. The vesica of the species group bears a robust cornutus basally or distally whereas the vesicae of M. costipuncta and M. hokopo bear a robust flattened cornutus sitting on the tip of an elongate conical diverticulum. In the female genitalia of the species group, the ductus bursae is gelatinous and rugose whereas it is heavily sclerotised and dorso-ventrally flattened in M. costipuncta and M. hokopo , and the anterior section of the corpus bursae is membranous and bears one or two signa whereas it is gelatinous with a broad sclerotised plate but without signa in the congeners. Additionally, the appendix bursae is relatively small (in proportion to the corpus bursae) and conical in M. tienmushanica species group whereas it is broader and globular in the M. costipuncta / M. hokopo species pair.

Description. Adult. Forewing length 11.5–17.0 mm in males and 15.0– 16.5 mm in females. Sexual dimorphism limited: female with somewhat less elongate forewing apex than in male. Antenna ciliate in both sexes with longer cilia in male. Body and forewing upperside colouration from orange to pale ochreous-grey. Forewing elongate with slightly subapically downcurved costal and subproximally concave anal margins. Forewing upperside pattern consisting of black edge of costal margin and small round or rectangular black spot at costal margin medially. Forewing underside with intense black suffusion subbasally and medially. Hindwing paler than forewing, uniform, with black suffusion in certain species. Male genitalia. Uncus elongate and slender, laterally flattened, distally downcurved and apically pointed. Tegumen with broad arms fused in posterior three quarters. Tuba analis with thin and weakly sclerotised scaphium. Vinculum longer than tegumen with thin but heavily sclerotised arms, rectangular with rounded corners and shallow medial depression, bearing two short sack-like coremata. Transtillae thin, fused with each other. Valva lobular, somewhat dilated medially, distally tapered and apically rounded, with medially convex dorsal margin. Medial ventral plate of costa narrowly triangular setose with short crest in certain species. Sacculus narrow (ca. 1/2–1/3 of base of valva width) with elongate and slender, apically pointed and upcurved distal process. Juxta weakly sclerotised, pyramidal. Phallus long and broad (in proportion to genital capsule size), tubular, distally dilated in certain species. Vesica with robust basal or terminal cornutus and elongate dorsal and ventral diverticula distally bearing one or two clusters of spinules apically. Female genitalia. Papilla analis broadly rectangular with rounded corners, setose. Apophyses elongate and thin. Ductus bursae anteriorly dilated, gelatinous and rugose. Corpus bursae globular or elliptical with anterior section bearing one or two round or elliptical serrulate signa. Posterior section of corpus bursae gelatinous and rugose or with ban-like serrulate sclerotised plates. In certain species, corpus bursae with large heavily sclerotised lateral protrusion. Appendix bursae broadly conical, positioned postero-laterally, heavily sclerotised or membranous.

Distribution. Southwest and East mainland China and the island of Taiwan.