Miltochrista pachia, Volynkin & Saldaitis & Müller, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2022, Five new species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner from Indochina, India and China (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 59, pp. 10-23 : 19

Miltochrista pachia sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:74B3CEDE-8830-437E-AEA2-19BD8739787A

( Figs 13, 14 , 34, 35 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 13 , 34 ): male, “ Myanmar, Chin State | Mount Victoria , 2200–2500m | montane pine forest | mid–late October 2012 | Dr. V. Kravchenko & team leg.” / “Slide | AV6853 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( WIGJ).

Paratype: MYANMAR: male, the same data as in the holotype, gen. prep. No.: AV6863 (prepared by Volynkin) ( GMF-B) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.0 mm in males. Miltochrista pachia is externally very similar to the sympatric M. velona and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of the new species is reminiscent of M. velona , M. parallelinaformis and M. acutiseriata but differs clearly in the distally broader costa bearing a short but basally thick distal process curved inwards, and the markedly broader distal saccular process. Additionally, the uncus of M. pachia is longer and distally thicker than in the aforementioned congeners. The phallus of the new species is very similar to M. velona . The vesica structure of M. pachia is largely reminiscent of M. velona but distinguished by the longer distal cornutus.

The female is unknown.

Distribution. The species is currently known only from its type locality in Chin State of Myanmar.

Etymology. The specific epithet originates from the Greek ‘παχιά’ meaning ‘thick’ and refers to the thick costa of the valva. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 9–16. Miltochrista spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9 and 13 in WIGJ; 10 and 14 in GMF-B; 11 in MWM/ZSM; 12 in SNM (after Bucsek 2020); 15 and 16 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 33–35. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 33 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 34 in WIGJ; 35 in GMF-B.