Nephelomilta suffusa ( Hampson, 1891 )

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 : 405-406

Nephelomilta suffusa ( Hampson, 1891)

( Figs.1–4 , 84 , 126 )

Lyclene suffusa HAmpSON, 1891 , Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of the British Museum 8: 49, pL. 139, fIg. 18 (Type LOCALITy: "The NILgIRI DISTRICT Of SOUTheRN INDIA" [NILgIRIS, W SLOpeS]).

= Barsine fuscobarsine N. SINgh & KIRTI, 2016 , Arctiid Moths of India 2: 84, TexT fIg. (Type LOCALITy: [SOUTh INDIA] " KeRALA, MUCCALI"), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype of Lyclene suffusa ( Fig. 1 ): ♀ (without left wings, antennae and abdomen), printed label “Nilgiris, Hampson Coll., 89–129” / handwritten label “ Lyclene suffusa Hampson type” / handwritten label "H" / round printel label with red circle “Type” / printed label with QR-code “NHMUK010604420” (Coll. NHMUK); photograph of the holotype of Barsine fuscobarsine ( Fig. 2 ): India, Kerala, Muccali, 20.IX.2004 (Coll. PUDZES).

Other material examined. 1 ♂, 5 ♀, S India: T.R. Bell B.M.1934-394 / Kaorage [?, illegibly written] 1909, slide BMNH(E) Arct-6558♀ Volynkin (Coll. NHMUK); 1 ♂, Indes Orient., Trichinopoly, R.P.G. Castets / Ex Oberthüк Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927–3, slide BMNH(E) Arct-6557♂ Volynkin (Coll. NHMUK); 1 ♀, Hindostan Mérid., Trichinopoly, R.P. Castets / Ex Oberthüк Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927–3 (Coll. NHMUK); 1 ♀, S India: T.R. Bell B.M.1934–394 / Santhal [?, illegibly written], 19.XI. [18]97 (Coll. NHMUK).

Remark. The width of blackish transverse lines and shadows of the forewing are highly variable; the forewing discal spot in females varies from three dots to a whole V-like spot; the hindwing ground color varies from reddish brown with a fuscous suffusion to almost black. The dark form of the species has been recently described as Barsine fuscobarsine N. Singh & Kirti, 2016 (Kirti & Singh 2016). Both holotype and paratype of fuscobarsine have the hindwings black with a slight reddish-brownish suffusion, whereas the holotype of suffusa and the other specimens examined have the reddish brown hindwings with a fuscous suffusion. Nevertheless, the male genitalia of the holotype of fuscobarsine (Kirti & Singh 2016: 84) have no differences from those of the paler specimens of suffusa therefore here we synonymize Barsine fuscobarsine with Nephelomilta suffusa . The specimens of suffusa from the NHMUK collection, including the holotype, are old and have the reddish coloration almost completely faded. Nevertheless, in the original description of Lyclene suffisa, Hampson (1891) describes its forewing ground color as 'pale red'. The real reddish coloration is well-visible in the fresh holotype and paratype specimens of Barsine fuscobarsine .

Diagnosis. Length of forewing is 11–11.5 mm in males and 11.5–12.5 mm in females. The species differs externally from all other congeners by its forewings with the reddish ground color and the fuscous pattern, and the hindwings black or brown with the fuscous suffusion. In the male genitalia, the shape of the valve resembles that of members of the N. sumatrana species-group, but the sacculus lacks the subapical process, and the medial diverticulum is broad and short, without spines. The female genitalia are similar to those of the N. sumatrana species-group due to their small pheromone glands and absence of an antevaginal plate, but the ductus bursae is evenly sclerotized and the apophyses anteriores are significantly shorter than the apophyses posteriores (whereas in the N. sumatrana species-group the antrum is sclerotized, and the anterior section of ductus bursae is membranous).

Distribution. The species is known from South India.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Nephelomilta Spp.: ADULTS. 1, N. suffusa, holotype ♀, S India (©NHMUK); 2, N. suffusa, hOLOType ♂ Of fuscobarsine, S INDIA (PUDZES, phOTO by N. SINgh); 3, N. suffusa, ♂, S India (©NHMUK); 4, N. suffusa, ♀, S INDIA (©NHMUK); 5, N. taprobana, holotype ♂, Sri Lanka (©NHMUK); 6, N. sumatrana sumatrana, LeCTOType ♂, SUmATRA (ZMA, phOTO by R. De VOS); 7, N. s. sumatrana, ♂, Sumatra (CKC); 8, N. s. sumatrana, ♀, Sumatra (CKC); 9, N. s. sumatrana, ♂, MALAy PeNINSULA (MWM/ZSM); 10, N. s. sumatrana, ♀, Malay Peninsula (MWM/ZSM); 11, N. s. sumatrana, ♂, BORNeO (CKC); 12, N. s. sumatrana, ♀, BORNeO (CKC).

FIGURES 84–86. Nephelomilta Spp.: mALe geNITALIA. 84, N. suffusa, S INDIA, SLIDe BMNH(E) ARCT-6557 VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK); 85, N. taprobana, hOLOType, SRI LANKA, SLIDe BMNH(E) ARCT-6582 VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK); 86, N. sumatrana sumatrana, SUmATRA, SLIDe AV2345♂ VOLyNKIN.

FIGURES 126–133. Nephelomilta Spp.: femALe geNITALIA. 126, N. suffusa, S INDIA, SLIDe BMNH(E) ARCT-6558 VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK); 127, N. sumatrana sumatrana, SUmATRA, SLIDe AV4154 VOLyNKIN; 128, N. s. sumatrana, MALAy PeNINSULA, SLIDe MWM 31645 VOLyNKIN; 129, N. s. effractoida, pARAType, NE INDIA, SLIDe ZSM ARCT. 36/2017 VOLyNKIN; 130, N. s. effractoida, pARAType, SW ThAILAND, SLIDe AV2848 VOLyNKIN; 131, N. gulmargensis, NE INDIA, SLIDe ZSM ARCT. 34/2017 VOLyNKIN; 132, N. effracta, NepAL, SLIDe MWM 31656 VOLyNKIN; 133, N. pseudoeffracta, NE INDIA, SLIDe VOLyNKIN (©NHMUK).