Research Article |
Corresponding author: Si-Yao Huang ( huangsiyao2007@aliyun.com ) Corresponding author: Zhao-Hui Pan ( panzhaohui2005@163.com ) Academic editor: Reza Zahiri
© 2022 Xiong-Yan Yin, Anton V. Volynkin, Yu-Long Zhang, En-Yong Chen, Si-Yao Huang, Zhao-Hui Pan.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Yin X-Y, Volynkin AV, Zhang Y-L, Chen E-Y, Huang S-Y, Pan Z-H (2022) Taxonomic review of the genus Ammathella Volynkin, 2019 with descriptions of three new species from southeastern Xizang, China (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini). ZooKeys 1114: 167-182. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1114.86182
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A brief taxonomic review of the lithosiinid genus Ammathella Volynkin, 2019 is presented. Three new species of the genus Ammathella Volynkin, 2019 are described from Motuo County, southeast Xizang: A. longicornuta S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin, sp. nov., A. lhoba S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin, sp. nov., and A. monpa S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin, sp. nov. A key to the species of the genus is provided. Adults and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated.
Asura/Miltochrista complex, Himalaya, India, lichen moth, Myanmar, Nudariina, taxonomy
The genus Ammathella Volynkin, 2019 (type species: Barsine garo Volynkin, 2018) is a compact lichen moth genus distributed mainly in eastern part of the Himalaya and currently comprising four species: Ammathella garo (Volynkin, 2018) from Assam, northeastern India, A. midzhan (Volynkin, 2018) and A. shingwa Volynkin & S.-Y. Huang, 2020, both from Kachin, northeastern Myanmar, and A. gesar Huang & Volynkin, 2020 from Xizang, southwestern China. Originally Ammathella was described as a subgenus of the genus Ammatho Walker, 1855 (
Ammathella gesar is the only member of the genus currently known to the Chinese fauna, and its type locality is Pailong Village located at the northern slope of the Himalaya in Xizang. However, in the course of identifying the Lithosiini housed in the Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, was found a series of specimens of Ammathella from Beibeng and Bononggong (also well-known as 80K) villages in Motuo County, located at the southern slope of the Himalaya. The examination of the male and female genitalia of these individuals revealed that they belong to three species new to science, which are described below. Based on our past studies and new discoveries, the genus is briefly reviewed and a key to the genus is also provided.
The specimens examined are deposited in the following institutional collections: Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University (TAAHU), Linzhi, Xizang, China; South China Agricultural University (
Ammatho (Ammathella) Volynkin in Volynkin, Huang & Ivanova 2019, Ecologica Montenegrina 26: 19, figs 7, 8, 107, 163.
Barsine garo Volynkin, 2018 [type locality: Garo Hills, Assam, India], by original designation.
Externally, species of the genus display a wing pattern typical of members of the Asura/Miltochrista generic complex and consisting of a dull yellowish ground color of the forewing with reddish lengthwise streaks and blackish transverse lines, reminiscent of the genera Sarbine, Processine, Ammatho, and Moorasura Volynkin & Huang, 2019. In male genitalia, Ammathella is characterized by the narrow and elongated valva, the weakly sclerotized medial costal process which is short, swollen and strongly broadened basally, and the small and apically rounded distal costal process. The phallus vesica of Ammathella is rather unique within the genus in bearing a cluster of strong and short cornuti on its ventral side. The female genitalia of Ammathella are characterized by the densely spinulose corpus bursae and the relatively short and sclerotized appendix bursae positioned postero-ventrally and directed posteriorly (
External morphology of adults. Forewing length 7.5–14 mm in males and 9.5–14 mm in females. Antenna long, weakly ciliate in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism limited: female with broader forewing and paler abdomen. Head and thorax coloration varying from pale orange to reddish-orange, tegula with blackish spot medially. Forewing broad, triangular with rounded apex. Forewing ground color varying from pale orange to orange-red with yellow streaks on veins and yellow irregular spot in discal area; markings dark brown. Costal margin edged with black scales. Basal spot small and round. Antemedial area with dark brown streak on costa (except A. shingwa), in certain species with two spots subbasally. Transverse lines dilated medially and anteriorly. Antemedial line smoothly convex outwards anterio-medially. Medial line sinuous, X-like fused with antemedial line in cell. Medial area between medial and postmedial lines with irregular spot in cell. Postmedial line smoothly convex outwards anterio-medially, in most species touching medial line at costa. Veins in postmedial area with lengthwise dark brown streaks and intense yellow suffusion. Terminal line blackish-brown, thin with short triangular denticles on veins. Cilia blackish-brown. Hindwing ground color pale pinkish-red or ochreous, paler subbasally and deeper or with blackish suffusion subapically. Cilia blackish around apex and pinkish or ochreous, scattered with black medially and at tornus. Abdomen covered with pale pinkish or ochreous hair-like scales, in males, with admixture of blackish scales in distal half or third.
Genitalia. Male. Uncus long and slender, smoothly down curved, distally tapered and apically pointed. Tuba analis moderately broad (ca 1/3 of tegumen length) with thin and weakly sclerotised scaphium and setose subscaphium. Tegumen triangular, moderately sclerotised. Vinculum shorter than tegumen, robust, V- or U-shaped. Valva elongate and relatively narrow. Costa with swollen and apically rounded medial process (vestigial in A. longicornuta sp. nov.) and narrow and apically rounded distal process (broad in A. longicornuta sp. nov.). Membranous lobe of valva large and broad. Sacculus well-sclerotized, dorsally setose in certain species. Distal saccular process short and narrow, rounded or pointed apically, up curved (but directed distally in A. longicornuta sp. nov.). Juxta broad, plate-like with medial membranous commissure, in certain species also with apical process. Phallus moderately broad, tubular, more or less straight or in a somewhat S-like curve. Vesica broad with large sack-like or conical subbasal diverticulum in certain species bearing small cluster of cornuti distally or laterally. Medial diverticulum large, semiglobular, bearing broad cluster of numerous short cornuti. Ventro-lateral medial diverticulum with cluster of small and short cornuti of various sizes and shapes. Ventral diverticulum elongate, covered with numerous small cornuti or spinules. Basal plate of vesica ejaculatorius short and narrow. Female. Papilla analis trapezoid with rounded corners. Apophyses long and thin, more or less equal in length. Ostium broad. Antrum broad and heavily sclerotized, in certain species bearing subostial ligula. Ductus bursae broad and very short, with sclerotized posterior and membranous anterior sections. Corpus bursae large, sack-like, densely covered with numerous spinules medially and posteriorly. Anterior section of corpus bursae densely covered with spinulose scobination, with round or elliptical signum (absent in A. longicornuta sp. nov.). Appendix bursae small, sclerotized, elliptical or conical, positioned postero-ventrally.
Species of the genus are known from northeast India, northern Myanmar and southwestern China (Xizang) (
– A. longicornuta S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin sp. nov. (China: SE Xizang)
– A. lhoba S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin sp. nov. (China: SE Xizang)
– A. monpa S.-Y. Huang, Yin & Volynkin sp. nov. (China: SE Xizang)
– A. gesar S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin, 2020 (China: SE Xizang)
– A. garo (Volynkin, 2018) (NE India: Assam)
– A. midzhan (Volynkin, 2018) (N Myanmar: Kachin State)
– A. shingwa Volynkin & S.-Y. Huang, 2020 (N Myanmar: Kachin State)
Holotype : male, altitude 800 m, 9.VI.2017, Beibeng Village, Motuo County, Linzhi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, Zhao-hui Pan leg., slide STS-40157 (TAAHU). Paratypes: 5 males, 3 females, same data as the holotype, slides STS-40148, STS-40154, STS-40155 & STS-40163 (male); STS-40156, STS-40162 & STS-40164 (female) (TAAHU).
Adults of Ammathella 1 holotype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., male, STS-40157, SW China (TAAHU) 2 paratype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., male, STS-40163, SW China (TAAHU) 3 paratype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., female, STS-40156, SW China (TAAHU) 4 paratype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., female, STS-40164, SW China (TAAHU) 5 holotype of A. lhoba sp. nov., male, STS-40180, SW China (TAAHU) 6 paratype of A. lhoba sp. nov., male, STS-38863, SW China (TAAHU) 7 paratype of A. lhoba sp. nov., female, STS-38864, SW China (TAAHU) 8 holotype of A. monpa sp. nov., male, STS-40151, SW China (TAAHU) 9 paratype of A. monpa sp. nov., male, STS-40159, SW China (TAAHU) 10 paratype of A. monpa sp. nov., male, STS-40169, SW China (TAAHU).
Length of forewing 11.4–11.9 mm (n = 5, 11.5 mm in holotype) in males and 12.6–13.1 mm (n = 3) in females. Ammathella longicornuta sp. nov. is externally reminiscent of A. gesar (Figs
The specific epithet longicornuta refers to the presence of long and large cornuti on the surface of the semiglobular medial diverticulum in vesica of male genitalia.
Currently known only from the type locality in Motuo County, southeastern Xizang, China.
Holotype : male, altitude 2200 m, 1.VIII.2014, 80K (Bononggong) Village, Motuo County, Linzhi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, Zhao-hui Pan leg., slide STS-40180 (TAAHU). Paratypes: 2 males, 1 female, altitude 800 m, 11.VII.2018, Beibeng Village, Motuo County, Linzhi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, Zhao-hui Pan leg., slide STS-38860, STS-38863 (male); STS-38861, STS-38864 (female) (TAAHU).
Adults of Ammathella 11 holotype of A. gesar, male, SW China (
Length of forewing 12.2–12.8 mm (n = 3, 12.6 mm in holotype) in males and 13.8–14 mm (n = 2) in females. Externally, Ammathella lhoba sp. nov. is similar to A. gesar (Figs
The specific epithet lhoba refers to the local Lhoba people in Motuo County.
Currently known from two localities in Motuo County, southeastern Xizang, China.
Holotype : male, altitude 800 m, 9.VI.2017, Beibeng Village, Motuo County, Linzhi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, Zhao-hui Pan leg., slide STS-40151 (TAAHU). Paratypes: 3 males, the same data as in the holotype, slides STS-40159, STS-40167 & STS-40169 (TAAHU).
Length of forewing 10.6–11.8 mm (n = 4, 10.6 mm in holotype). Ammathella monpa sp. nov. is externally very similar to A. gesar (Figs
Male genitalia of Ammathella 19 holotype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., slide STS-40157, SW China (TAAHU) 20 paratype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., slide STS-40163, SW China (TAAHU) 21 holotype of A. lhoba sp. nov., slide STS-40180, SW China (TAAHU) 22 paratype of A. lhoba sp. nov., slide STS-38863, SW China (TAAHU).
The female is unknown.
The specific epithet monpa refers to the local Monpa people in Motuo County.
Currently known only from the type locality in Motuo County, southeastern Xizang, China.
Ammatho (Ammathella) gesar
S.-Y. Huang & Volynkin in
Holotype
: male, altitude 2130 m, 30.VII.2017, Pailong Village, Linzhi County, Linzhi Division, Xizang Autonomous Region, P. R. China, leg. Si-yao Huang, Shu-qin Ji, Fu-hong Wei and Shi-fang Mo, preparation in glycerol by Huang (
Length of forewing 11.5–14 mm. Ammathella gesar is externally very similar to A. monpa sp. nov. and A. lhoba sp. nov., and a reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. Males of A. gesar and A. lhoba sp. nov. can be distinguished from each other by the distal half of the abdomen, which has a markedly denser admixture of blackish scales in A. gesar. The male genitalia of A. gesar are most similar to those of A. monpa sp. nov., but the genital capsule differs in the longer and broader juxta without a medial process, the shorter distal costal process, and the apically pointed distal saccular process (it is distally thicker and apically rounded in A. monpa sp. nov.). Compared to A. monpa sp. nov., the phallus of A. gesar is slightly narrower, the subbasal diverticulum of the vesica is smaller and distally narrower, and the cornuti on the ventral medial diverticulum are markedly smaller.
The female is unknown.
Known only from the type locality in Linzhi County, southeastern Xizang, China.
Barsine garo Volynkin, 2018, Far Eastern Entomologist 358: 6, figs 3, 4, 22, 34 (type locality: “NE India, Assam, W Meghalaya, Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park, 25°40'N, 91°04'E, 1150 m”).
Holotype
: male, “NE India, Assam, W Meghalaya, Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park, 25°40'N, 91°04'E, 1150 m, 2–13.VII 1997, leg. Afonin & Sinajev [recte: Sinyaev]”, slide MWM 31769 Volynkin (MWM/
The forewing length is 10–10.5 mm in males and 10–11 mm in females. Ammathella garo is externally similar to A. midzhan but differs in the markedly larger size, the more reddish forewing ground color, and the pinkish hindwings. The male genital capsule of A. garo is distinguished from that of A. midzhan by the narrower tuba analis, the presence of a long conical medial process of the juxta, the somewhat smaller medial costal process, the smaller dorsal subapical costal process, and the more robust distal saccular process. The phallus of A. garo is longer (in proportion to the size of the genital capsule) than in A. midzhan. The phallus vesica of A. garo differs from that of A. midzhan in the narrower, conical subbasal diverticulum lacking a cluster of cornuti, and the longer and narrower cornuti of both clusters. In the female genitalia, A. garo differs from A. midzhan in the larger lateral ostial ligula, the narrower and markedly longer antrum, the weaker sclerotized appendix bursae, and the weaker spinulose scobination of the corpus bursae.
Known from northeastern India (Meghalaya) (
Barsine midzhan Volynkin, 2018, Far Eastern Entomologist 358: 3, figs 1, 2, 21, 33 (type locality: “Myanmar (Burma), 50 km E Putao, env. Nan Thi village, 950 m”).
Holotype
: male, “Myanmar (Burma), 50 km E Putao, env. Nan Thi village, 950 m, 17. V. 1998, leg. Murzin & Sinjaev [recte: Sinyaev]”, slide MWM 31683 Volynkin (MWM/
The forewing length is 7.5–8 mm in males and 9.5 mm in female. The species is similar to A. garo, the detailed comparison is provided above in the diagnosis of the latter species.
Known from northern Myanmar (Kachin State).
Ammatho (Ammathella) shingwa
Volynkin & S.-Y. Huang in
Holotype
: male, Myanmar (Burma), 50 km E Putao, env. Nan Thi village, 950 m, 11–16. V.1998, leg. Murzin & Sinjaev, slide
The forewing length is 11.5 mm in males and 12.5–13.5 mm in females. Ammathella shingwa is externally reminiscent of A. gesar, A. lhoba, and A. monpa but is clearly different by the ochreous abdomen, the markedly narrower reddish pattern elements on the forewing, the thinner postmedial line, and the yellowish hindwing only slightly suffused with pink scales in the submarginal area, whereas in the similar congeners, the abdomen is pinkish with admixture of blackish scales distally, the reddish pattern elements are broad, and the hindwing is pinkish. The male genitalia of A. shingwa are most similar to those of A. midzhan and A. lhoba due to sharing similar short phallus. However, the species can easily be distinguished from A. midzhan and the externally similar congeners by the distally dilated valva with a longer and broader trapezoid basal section of the sacculus and the vesica lacking a medial semiglobular diverticulum with a cluster of cornuti and thoroughly covered with granulation. The female genitalia of A. shingwa differ from those of the congeners in the broader antrum, the broader corpus bursae with a smaller signum, and the larger and more heavily sclerotised appendix bursae.
Male genitalia of Ammathella 27 holotype of A. garo, slide MWM 31769, NE India (MWM/
Known from northern Myanmar (Kachin State).
Female genitalia of Ammathella 31 paratype of A. longicornuta sp. nov., slide STS-40156, SW China (TAAHU) 32 paratype of A. lhoba sp. nov., slide STS-38864, SW China (TAAHU) 33 paratype of A. garo, slide MWM 31770, NE India (MWM/
1 | Tip of abdomen mainly covered with blackish or darkish hair-like scales | 4 |
– | Tip of abdomen lacking admixture of blackish or darkish hair-like scales | 2 |
2 | Hindwing reddish; semiglobular medial diverticulum in phallus vesica scattered with long and large cornuti basally | A. longicornuta sp. nov. |
– | Hindwing pale pinkish or yellowish; semiglobular medial diverticulum in phallus vesica absent or (if present) covered with short and robust cornuti thoroughly | 3 |
3 | Hindwing pale pinkish; semiglobular medial diverticulum in phallus vesica present, covered with short and robust cornuti thoroughly | A. lhoba sp. nov. |
– | Hindwing pale yellowish; semiglobular medial diverticulum in phallus vesica absent, and ventral medial diverticulum bearing a cluster of short and robust cornuti | A. shingwa |
4 | Juxta with a medial process | 5 |
– | Juxta without a medial process | 6 |
5 | Juxta with a long conical process, subbasal diverticulum conical | A. garo |
– | Juxta with a short and rounded process covered with spinules, subbasal diverticulum sack- like | A. monpa sp. nov. |
6 | Distal saccular process apically pointed; phallus elongate; semi-globular medial diverticulum covered with long, spine-like cornuti | A. gesar |
– | Distal saccular process apically rounded; phallus short and stout; semi-globular medial diverticulum covered with short and robust cornuti | A. midzhan |
The first corresponding author would like to express his sincere thanks to Dr Weixin Liu and Mr Xinyang Jia for helping in photographing genital preparations in