Nephelomilta karenkonis ( Matsumura, 1930 )

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 : 418-419

Nephelomilta karenkonis ( Matsumura, 1930) , comb. & stat. nov.

( Figs. 56–58 , 110 , 140 )

Chionaema effracta WLK. [f.] karenkonis MATSUmURA, 1930; Insecta matsumurana 5: 36–37 (Type LOCALITy: “FORmOSA; … AT KAReNKO”).

Type material examined. Photographs of the holotype ( Fig. 56 ): ♂, printed label “[ Taiwan] Formosa, Karenko, 19.VII.–20.VIII. [190]4, T. Okuni, J. Sonan, K. Miy, M. Yosh” / handwritten label “ effracta Wk. karenkonis Mats. ” / red printed label “ Type Matsumura” (Coll. EIHU).

Other material examined. 1 ♂, 4 ♀, Wushe Nan-Tow , Formosa [ Taiwan], 1964 / Inoue Coll. B.M. 1992-71, slides 10719 ♂ , 10720 ♀ Inoue ( Coll. NHMUK) ; 1 ♀, Wushe, C Formosa [ Taiwan], 1966 / Inoue Coll. B.M. 1992- 71 ( Coll. NHMUK) ; 1 ♀, Kuantaochi, Nantou, Formosa [ Taiwan], 31.X.1972, E. Yamane [leg.] / Inoue Coll. B.M. 1992-71 (Coll. NHMUK) ; 9 ♂, 2 ♀, Taiwan, prov. Ilan, 1150 m, Ming Chir , 24°39’N 121°28’E, 11-12.IX.1999, leg G. Csorba & B. Herczik (Coll. CKC) ; 2 ♂, Taiwan, prov. Ilan, 700m, Fushan , 24°45’N 121°34’E, 9-10.IX.1999, leg G. Csorba & B. Herczik (Coll. CKC) ; 1 ♂, S Taiwan, Kaohsiung CO, Tengir Forest Res. Station , 23°07’N 120°47’E, 1600 m, 6-10.VII.2000, leg. W. Schacht (Coll. CKC) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Central Taiwan, Nantou Co[unty], 1300 m, Chun-Yang, near Lushan Hot Springs , 24°01’25’’N 121°09’54”E, light trap, 17.IX.2002, leg. M.- Y.Chan & U. Buchsbaum (Coll. CKC) ; 120 ♂, 92 ♀, Taiwan, Prov. Ilan, 1200 m, Ming Chyr Forest Recreation Area , 4– 5.VI.1997, leg. B. Herczig & L. Ronkay, slide MWM 31637 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 27 ♂, 45 ♀, Taiwan, Prov. Taoyuan, Ming Chyr Forest Recreation Area , 1160 m, 29.V.1997, leg. Gy.M. László & G. László, slide MWM 31638 Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 25 ♂, 56 ♀, same locality, but 5–6.X.1996, Gy. Fábián & F. Nemes (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Taiwan, Prov. Ilan, 3 km S of Suao , 121°15’E, 24°34’N, 400 m, 26.V.1995, leg. M. Hreblay & P. Steger (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 5 ♂, Taiwan, Prov. Taipei, 10 km NE Pinglin, Pihou , 550 m, 01.VI.1997, leg. Gy.M. László & G. László (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same locality, but 450 m, 4.X.1996, Gy. Fábián & F. Nemes (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 6 ♂, Taiwan, Prov. Hualien, 6 km SE Juisui , 200 m, 22.V.1997, leg. Gy.M. László & G. László (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 ♂, Taiwan, Prov. Pingtung, 10 km E of Mutan , 400 m, 12.VI.1997, leg. B. Herczig & L. Ronkay (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) ; 2 ♀, Taiwan, Prov. Taitung, Chihpen Hot Springs , 400 m, 6.VII.1997, leg. B. Herczig & S.T. Kovács (Coll. MWM/ ZSM).

Diagnosis. Length of forewing is 11.5–13 mm in males and 15.5–16 mm in females. This and the next three species ( N. fangae sp. nov., N. angkorensis and N. pusilla ) form a complex of the closely related taxa (so called ‘ N. pusilla species-complex’), with the male genitalia characterized by the valve slightly narrowed distally, the short and broad apical costal lobe, the large trigonal ampulla, and the large aedeagus and its vesica (compared to the genital capsule). Nephelomilta karenkonis is one of the unmistakable species of the genus, which can be easily distinguished from other red patterned species by its thin antemedial transverse line, which is strongly V-like curved in the cell, the thin postmedial line, and the broad area between the medial and postmedial lines. The male genitalia of N. karenkonis are most similar to those of N. fangae sp. nov. due to the absence of a basal dentation of the costa, but differ by the larger apical lobes of the juxta, the slightly narrower valve with the more strongly prominent medial costal angle, the apical costal lobe slightly narrower and more prominent, the ventral costal plate significantly narrower and almost straight, the much smaller ampulla, the slightly shorter subapical saccular process, the more numerous spines on the distal diverticulum of the aedeagus vesica, and the larger and more numerous spines on the tip of the medial diverticulum. The female genitalia of N. karenkonis differ clearly from those of N. fangae sp. nov. in the shorter and narrower antevaginal plate, the ostium bursae margin smoothly

arcuate (whereas in N. fangae sp. nov. it has the deep V-like ventral concavity), the larger appendix bursae, and the narrower cluster of spines in the medial section of the corpus bursae.

Distribution. Endemic of Taiwan Island.

Figures

FIGURES 50–60. Nephelomilta Spp.: ADULTS. 50, N. thomaswitti, holotype ♂, NE India (MWM/ZSM); 51, N. thomaswitti, paratype ♂, E Nepal (MWM/ZSM); 52, N. thomaswitti, paratype ♀, E Nepal (MWM/ZSM); 53, N. babensis, ♀, SE LAOS (MWM/ZSM); 54, N. babensis, hOLOType ♂, N VIeTNAm (AfTeR BAyARSAIKhAN et al. 2017); 55, N. babensis, pARAType ♀, N VIeTNAm (AfTeR BAyARSAIKhAN et al. 2017); 56, N. karenkonis, holotype ♂, Taiwan (EIHU, photo by Y.-L. Chen); 57, N. karenkonis, ♂, Taiwan (MWM/ZSM); 58, N. karenkonis, ♀, Taiwan (MWM/ZSM); 59, N. fangae, hOLOType ♂, ChINA, HAINAN (MWM/ZSM); 60, N. fangae, pARAType ♂, ChINA, HAINAN (MWM/ZSM).

FIGURES 108–110. Nephelomilta Spp.: mALe geNITALIA. 108, N. thomaswitti, pARAType, E NepAL, SLIDe MWM 31663 VOLyNKIN; 109, N. babensis, hOLOType, N VIeTNAm (AfTeR BAyARSAIKhAN et al. 2017); 110, N. karenkonis, TAIwAN, SLIDe MWM 31637 VOLyNKIN.

FIGURES 134–141. Nephelomilta Spp.: femALe geNITALIA. 134, N. klapperichi, S MyANmAR, SLIDe VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK); 135, N. ranau, pARAType, SUmATRA, SLIDe AV4152 VOLyNKIN; 136, N. pellucida, JAvA, SLIDe AV2903 VOLyNKIN; 137, N. martini, pARAType, N VIeTNAm, SLIDe BMNH(E) ARCT-6547 VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK); 138, N. thomaswitti, pARAType, NepAL, SLIDe MWM 31664 VOLyNKIN; 139, N. babensis, C LAOS, SLIDe MWM 33708 VOLyNKIN; 140, N. karenkonis, TAIwAN, SLIDe MWM 31638 VOLyNKIN; 141, N. fangae, pARAType, ChINA, HAINAN, SLIDe MWM 31682 VOLyNKIN.