Ecologica Montenegrina 38: 114-118 (2020) This journal is available online at: www.biotaxa.org/em http://dx.doi.org/10.37828/em.2020.38.14

On the correct identification of jeremyhollowayi (Bucsek, 2014) and Miltochrista malayproducta (Bucsek, 2012) (: : : )

ANTON V. VOLYNKIN1,2

1Altai State University, Lenina Av. 61, RF-656049, Barnaul, Russia. E-mail: [email protected] 2National Research Tomsk State University, Lenina Av., 36, RF-634050, Tomsk, Russia

Received 26 November 2020 │ Accepted by V. Pešić: 9 December 2020 │ Published online 10 December 2020.

Abstract The holotypes of the recently described Miltochrista jeremyhollowayi (Bucsek, 2014) and M. malayproducta (Bucsek, 2012) are examined and dissected. The results show that the male genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2014) as jeremyhollowayi belong to an unidentified species of the M. terminata (Moore, 1878) species-complex while the holotype of jeremyhollowayi is conspecific to the holotype of Miltochrista postseriata (Holloway, 2001) therefore the new synonymy is established: Miltochrista postseriata (Holloway, 2001) = jeremyhollowayi Bucsek, 2014, syn. nov. It is also found that M. malayproducta belongs to the M. terminata species-complex in fact, and the male genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2012) as ‘Lyclene nubilalis’ belong to this species. 6 colour and 6 black and white diagnostic figures are included.

Key words: Nudariina, the / Miltochrista generic complex, Asia, Malaysia, new synonym.

Introduction

Miltochrista Hübner, [1819] is one of the largest genera of lichen (family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, tribe Lithosiini, subtribe Nudariina) belonging to the Asura / Miltochrista generic complex and distributed widely in the Oriental and Palaearctic Regions. Miltochrista jeremyhollowayi (Bucsek, 2014) was described from Malay Peninsula (Cameron Highlands). In the original description, Bucsek illustrated both male and female genitalia of this species belonging to the paratypes while the holotype remained undissected (Bucsek 2014). Dissection of the holotype housed in MWM/ZSM proved jeremyhollowayi is conspecific to M. postseriata (Holloway, 2001) described from Borneo while the male genitalia illustrated by Bucsek belong to an unidentified specimen of the M. terminata (Moore, 1878) species-complex. Another species described by Bucsek (2012) from Malay Peninsula without illustration of the holotype genitalia is M. malayproducta (Bucsek, 2012). Dissection of its holotype housed in MWM/ZSM displayed it is non- conspecific to the specimen which male genitalia were illustrated in the original description but belongs to the M. terminata species-complex. In the present paper, I correct the mistakes in the original descriptions of the two species, establish the new synonym of M. postseriata, and re-characterize M. malayproducta comparing it with two other species of the M. terminata species-complex.

Ecologica Montenegrina, 38, 2020, 114-118

VOLYNKIN

Material and methods

The genitalia were dissected, stained with eosin B and mounted in Euparal on glass slides using standard methods of preparation (Lafontaine & Mikkola 1987; Fibiger 1997). Photos of imagoes were taken using a Nikon D3100/AF-S camera equipped with Nikkor, 18–55 mm lens. Genital images were taken by the same camera attached to a microscope with an LM-scope adapter. Abbreviations for collections used herein: MWM/ZSM = Museum Witt in the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (Museum Witt München / Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Munich, Germany); NHMUK = Natural History Museum (formerly British Museum of Natural History, London, UK). Other abbreviations used: HT = holotype; PT = .

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

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ON THE CORRECT IDENTIFICATION OF TWO MILTOCHRISTA SPECIES

Figures 7–10. Miltochrista spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 7 and 9 in MWM/ZSM; 8 and 10 in NHMUK (©).

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Miltochrista postseriata (Holloway, 2001) (Figs 1–3, 7, 8, 11)

Lyclene postseriata Holloway, 2001, Moths of Borneo, 7: 346, pl. 4, fig. 17 (adult), fig. 158 (male genitalia) (Type locality: “Sarawak: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, …, G. Api, 900m”). = Lyclene jeremyhollowayi Bucsek, 2014, Erebidae, Arctiinae of Malay Peninsula – Malaysia. Supplementum: 14, pl. 2, figs 23, 23a, gen. fig. MalS18 (Type locality: “Malaysia, Perak, Cameron Highlands North, 7 km south of road 4, 5°33’06,02’’N, 101°36’44,42’’E, 750–800 m”), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype of Lyclene postseriata (Fig. 3): male, “Sarawak: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8, J.D. Holloway et al. B.M. 1978-206” / “Site 25, April, G. Api, 900m. 4275500 Lower montane forest, MV and Act.” / red ring “Holotype” label / “Holotype Lyclene postseriata Holloway” / “Figured specimen Moths of Borneo Part 7” / “Arctiidae genitalia slide No. 2712♂” / QR-code label with unique number: “NHMUK010604736” (NHMUK). Paratypes of Lyclene postseriata (Fig. 8): 2 males, the same data as the holotype, but Site 23, April, W. Melinau Gorge, 250m. 430558, FEG 4, limestone forest, gen. slide Nos.: 2714 and 5376 (NHMUK). Holotype of Lyclene jeremyhollowayi (Figs 1, 7): male, “Malaysia, Perak, Cameron Highlands North, 7 km south of road 4, 5°33'06.02''N 101°36'44.42''E, 750– 800m, 25.III.–2.IV.2014, leg. Karol Bucsek” / “Museum Witt” / red label “Holotypus Lyclene jeremyhollowayi ♂ Karol Bucsek 2014”, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-591 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ZSM). Paratype of Lyclene jeremyhollowayi (Figs 2, 11): female, the same data as the holotype, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2020-181 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ZSM). Remarks. (1) The male genitalia of the holotype of jeremyhollowayi display no remarkable differences from those of postseriata therefore it is hereby synonymized with postseriata. (2) The female with female genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2014: MalS18 (right)) is conspecific with the male holotype. (3) The male genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2014: MalS18 (left)) belong to an unidentified species which is most probably conspecific with M. vidlickai Bucsek, 2020 (illustrated by Bucsek 2020). Distribution. The species is known from the island of Borneo (Holloway 2001) and Malay Peninsula (Bucsek 2014).

Figures 11–12. Miltochrista spp.: female genitalia. The specimens are deposited in MWM/ZSM.

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ON THE CORRECT IDENTIFICATION OF TWO MILTOCHRISTA SPECIES

Miltochrista malayproducta (Bucsek, 2012) (Figs 5–6, 9, 12)

Lyclene malayproducta Bucsek, 2012, Erebidae, Arctiinae of Malay Peninsula – Malaysia: 60, pl. 11, figs 143, 143a and 143b (adults), gen. fig. Mal078 (Type locality: “Malaysia, Pahang distr., Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata env., 1450–1500m, 4°28’25.3’’N, 101°22’43.7’’E”).

Type material examined. Holotype (Figs 5, 9): male, “Malaysia, Pahang, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata env., 1,450–1,500m, 4°28'25.3''N, 101°22'43.7''E, 15.III.2011–31.III.2011, leg. Karol Bucsek” / “Museum Witt München” / red label “Holotypus Lyclene malayproducta ♂ Karol Bucsek 2012”, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-598 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ZSM). Paratype (Figs 6, 12): female, the same data as the holotype, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-599 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ZSM). Remarks. (1) The female with female genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2012: Mal078 (right)) is conspecific with the male holotype. (2) The male genitalia illustrated by Bucsek (2012: Mal078a) as ‘Lyclene nubilalis’ belong to M. malayproducta. (3) The male holotype of M. nubilalis Hampson, 1894 housed in NHMUK remains undissected therefore the species-group belonging of the species within the Miltochrista is still unclear. Diagnosis. Miltochrista malayproducta belongs to the M. terminata (Moore, 1878) species-complex comprising M. terminata (Figs 4, 10) and M. vidlickai (illustrated by Bucsek 2020). The male genitalia of this species are easily distinguishable from those of the two other species by the uncus structure: in M. malayproducta, the uncus is arrowhead-like dilated apically and lacking a medial dorsal process while in both M. terminata and M. vidlickai the uncus is pointed apically and having a medial dorsal process. The uncus base of M. malayproducta is wide, heavily sclerotized and bearing short but robust lateral thorns, while in M. terminata the uncus base is narrow, weakly sclerotized and bearing triangular lateral processes, and in M. vidlickai it is narrow and without lateral processes. Additionally, the distal costal process of M. malayproducta is short and apically rounded whereas that of M. terminata and M. vidlickai is longer and apically pointed. The female genitalia of M. malayproducta differ from those of M. vidlickai by the wider and deeper ventral subostial depression of the ductus bursae, the narrower and longer anterior section of the ductus bursae, and the longer cluster of larger spines in the corpus bursae laterally. Distribution. The species is known only from Malay Peninsula (Malaysia: Pahang) (Bucsek, 2012).

Acknowledgements I express my sincere thanks to the following colleagues for their kind assistance provided during my studies at their institutions: Dr Axel Hausmann, Dr Wolfgang Speidel and Mr Ulf Buchsbaum (ZSM, Munich, Germany); and Mr Geoff Martin and Dr Alberto Zilli (NHMUK, London, UK).

References

Bucsek, K. (2012) Erebidae, Arctiinae (Lithosiini, Arctiini) of Malaya Peninsula-Malaysia. Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, 170 pp. Bucsek, K. (2014) Erebidae, Arctiinae (Lithosiini, Arctiini) of Malaya Peninsula-Malaysia (Supplementum). Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, 45 pp. Bucsek, K. (2020) Contribution to the knowledge of Lithosiini (Erebidae, Arctiinae) of central and northern Laos, part 2. Entomofauna carpathica, 32 (1), 67–94. Fibiger, M. (1997) Noctuinae III. Noctuidae Europaeae. Volume 3. Entomological Press, Sorø, 418 pp. Holloway, J.D. (2001) The moths of Borneo: family Arctiidae, subfamily Lithosiinae. Malayan Nature Journal, 7, 279–486. Lafontaine, J.D. & Mikkola, K. (1987) Lock-and-key system in the inner genitalia of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) as taxonomic character. Entomologiske Meddelelser, 55, 161–167. [in Finnish]

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