Nephelomilta babensis (Bae & Bayarsaikhan, 2017) 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 : 417-418

Nephelomilta babensis (Bae & Bayarsaikhan, 2017) , comb. nov.

( Figs. 53–55 , 109 , 139 )

Kailasha babensis Bae & Bayarsaikhan, 2017 , Zootaxa 4216 (1): 91, figs. 3a, 3b, 9, 14 (Type locality: “ Vietnam, Prov. Backan, NP. BaBe (N22˚20’–22˚30’, E105˚30’–105˚45’)”).

Material examined. 1 ♀, Laos centr., Khammouan prov., Nakai env., 17°43’N, 105°09’E, 22.V.-8.VI.2001, alt . 500-600 m, E. Jendek & O. Šauša leg., slide MWM 33708 (♀) Volynkin (Coll. MWM/ ZSM) .

Diagnosis. Length of forewing is 10 mm in males (Bayarsaykhan et al. 2017) and 12.5–13 mm in females. The species is similar externally to the sympatric N. klapperichi and N. angkorensis , but differs in the darker male hindwings and the narrower transverse lines of the forewing. The male genitalia differ clearly from both the externally similar species and are most similar to those of N. thomaswitti sp. nov. and N. hortensis sp. nov., but differ from N. thomaswitti sp. nov. in the significantly smaller apical lobes of the juxta, the narrower apical lobe of the costa, the narrower ventral costal plate with the much smaller ampulla, the absence of a weak basal dentation of the costa, the significantly longer and basally narrower subapical saccular process, the much larger thorn on the aedeagus carinal plate, and the more weak spines on the medial and distal diverticula of the vesica; from N. hortensis sp. nov. they differ in the smaller apical costal lobe, the slightly smaller ampulla, the much larger subapical saccular process, the much larger thorn on the aedeagus carinal plate, and the larger spines on the medial and distal diverticula of the vesica. The female genitalia of N. babensis are most similar to those of N. thomaswitti sp. nov. and differ in the slightly more elongated antevaginal plate, the more strongly sclerotized margin of the ostium bursae, the broader and more heavily sclerotized duscus bursae, the larger appendix bursae, the smaller spinules of the medial cluster of the corpus bursae, and the significantly smaller signum.

Distribution. North Vietnam (Bac Kan Province) (Bayarsaykhan et al. 2017) and South Laos (Khammouan Province).

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.