Denteilema cretacea ( Hampson, 1911 ) Volynkin, 2023

Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, On the taxonomy of the genus Denteilema Dubatolov with a description of the female of Denteilema unicolora Dubatolov and new data on the genus distribution (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 68, pp. 134-139 : 138

Denteilema cretacea ( Hampson, 1911) , comb. n.

( Figs 5, 7 , 10, 11 )

Ilema cretacea Hampson, 1911 , The Annals and magazine of natural history, (8), 8 (46): 401 (Type locality: [NE India, Sikkim] ‘ Sikhim ”).

Type material examined. Holotype (by monotypy) ( Fig. 5 ): male, “Sikhim. | IX.1909. | F.Moller | 1910– 140.” / “ Ilema | cretacea | type ♂. Hmpsn” / red ring “Type” label / blue label “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 5378 ♂ ” / QR-code label with unique ID “ NHMUK010401822 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined: INDIA: 1 male, W[est] B[engal], 850m, Darjeeling, Pashok , 4.IV.1986, W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1151 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin ) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 3 males, W Meghalaya, Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park , 25°40'N 91°04'E, 1150m, 2–13.VII.1997, Afonin & Sinyaev leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1152 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin ) (MWM/ ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 13.0–14.0 mm in males. The male of D. cretacea ( Figs 5–7 ) is very similar to D. unicolora ( Figs 1, 3, 4 ) and differs only in its slightly larger size. The reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. In the male genital capsule, D. cretacea ( Figs 10, 11 ) can easily be distinguished from its congener ( Figs 8, 9 ) by the markedly longer uncus, the broader tegumen, and the slightly shorter proximal process of the sacculus. The phallus of D. cretacea is somewhat narrower than in D. unicolora , has a narrower coecum, and a considerably shorter dorsal carinal process. Compared to D. unicolora , the vesica of D. cretacea is somewhat narrower, has an elongate, distally utricular and recurved medial diverticulum (it is semiglobular in the congener), and a shorter and distally narrower apical diverticulum.

The female is unknown.

Distribution. Northeast India (Sikkim, north of West Bengal, and Meghalaya) ( Hampson 1911). The record of ‘ Eilema cretacea ’ from Thailand ( Černý & Pinratana 2009) belongs to an unidentified species of the genus Cernyia and requires further clarification (Volynkin et al., in prep.).

Figures

Figures 1–7. Denteilema spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in CAV; 3, 6 and 7 in MWM/ZSM; 4 and 5 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 8–11. Denteilema spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 8 in CAV; 9–11 in MWM/ZSM