Review of the Eospilarctia yuennanica group (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) from the Indo – Himalayan region, with description of two new species and one subspecies

Abstract Twonew Eospilarctia species and one new subspecies from China, Myanmar and Vietnam, respectively, are described. Superficially the new species Eospilarctia maciai sp. n., Eospilarctia naumanni sp. n. and Eospilarctia yuennanica fansipana ssp. n. resemble related congeners but they can be distinguished by the differences in wing pattern, genitalia and distribution provided. Eospilarctia yuennanica guangdonga Dubatolov, Kishida & Wang, 2008 is upgraded to species level. A checklist of the genus Eospilarctia and a key to the Eospilarctia yuennanica (Daniel, 1943) species-group, based on external characters and male genitalia, is presented.


Introduction
The genus Eospilarctia Kôda, 1988 contains 13 species and two subspecies mainly distributed in China (ten species), Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam. All species of genus Eospilarctia have typical wings patterns concist from longitudinal white or yellowish streaks. Identification of species is available by compare genital structures of similar species. Comparisons of the genitalic structures of specimens found in the Zoologische Staatssammlung der Bayerischen Staaten (Munich, Germany)/Museum of Thomas Witt with E. yuennanica -cotype led to the description of the new species and subspecies.

Materials and methods
We examined specimens of Eospilarctia Kôda preserved in the Zoologische Staatssammlung der Bayerischen Staaten, Munich, Germany (ZSM) and the Museum of Thomas Witt (MWM). Examined specimens were collected in China, Myanmar and Vietnam using ultraviolet light traps. 31 genital slides were prepared and 124 photos were made. Reference to relevant literature (Freina de 1999, Fang 2000, Dubatolov, Kishida and Wang 2008Dubatolov 2010) and consultation with expert taxonomists in addition to numerous genitalia dissections were used to resolve the taxonomy of Eospilarctia yuennanica species group.
Examination of morphology: after maceration, male and female genitalia were dissected and mounted in euparal on glass side. The abdominal integument was cut lengthwise, descaled, and mounted on the slide, dissection of genitalia follows Lafontaine (2004 Genus characteristic. Species of this genus typically have a medium wingspan, long bipectinate antennae, a red patagium, a narrow red abdomen, yellow tegulae, white or yellow longitudinal fascia transversing brown forewings, pale white or yellowwhite hindwings with various sized brown spots in terminal and discal areas.
Male genitalia. Uncus massive, wide base abruptly narrowing at the tip; tegumen medium size; gnathos reduced; valvae simple with even edges but concave, rough or rounded at the apex; juxta wide with wide excision; saccus short, semioval form; aedeagus straight, longer than valvae; vesica multiplex.
Distribution. Fourteen species of Eospilarctia are distributed in China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan.
Key to Eospilarctia species related to Eospilarctia yuennanica yuennanica (Daniel, 1943 Diagnosis. The new subspecies is larger than other Eospilarctia species and nominate E. yuennanica yuennanica (Plates 3, 4). The pale yellow fascia of the forewings are much wider than in the nominate subspecies. Costal fascia of E. yuennanica fansipana ssp. n. extend to the middle of discal cell and the basal fascia ends in a sharp diagonal tip. E. yuennanica yuennanica is smaller (cotype forewing 28 mm, wingspan 59mm), forewing markings are similar except that the fascia are much narrower. In the male genitalia the valvae widen without a dorsal excision at apex; juxta with big lateral protrusions, subbasal diverticulum of the vesica has a simple mammilla form; median diverticulum is gently curved, wide.
Description. Male: Forewing length of holotype and paratype 33 mm, wingspan 66 mm. Wing pattern typical of genus; forewings' pale yellow fascia very wide; costal fascia reaching middle of medium cell; basal fascia with sharp diagonal tip.
Male genitalia (Plate 2: figs 4-6): valvae of the same type as the nominate subspecies, but dorsal margin near apex with big excision; oval juxta with wide excision at top, lateral arms very short; aedeagus longer than valvae, gently curved; vesica with footshaped subbasal diverticulum; median diverticulum long, narrow, strongly curved with short spines.
Female genitalia: unknown. Bionomics and distribution. Known only from the Fan-si-pan mountains in far northern Vietnam. Two male specimens were attracted to light at the end of May at elevations ranging from 1600 to 1800 m.
Etymology. The specific name refers to the type-locality of the new subspecies.  (Daniel, 1943) and Eospilarctia naumanni sp. n. In E. guangdonga (species was recently described and well illustrated (Dubatolov et al 2008)) the wing markings are noticeably paler and in the male genitalia the valvae do not widen at the excavated apex. The forewings of E. yuennanica yuennanica have more intensive brown markings, with fascia pale white, and the male valvae widen to rough-edged apex. In E. naumanni, the costal fascia from the forewing base do not extend to apex of medial cell. In the male genitalia the valvae are almost the same width as length, slightly curved at the middle and wide at tip; saccus massive, slightly narrowing with a blunt tip; juxta "X" shaped, top and bottom deep, juxta lateral sides with weak excavations; aedeagus straight, longer than valva, with visible bulge at ventral tip.
Description. Male: Forewing length of holotype 26 mm, wingspan 50 mm; antennae strongly bipectinate; ground color of forewings dark blackish brown, veins yellow, wing pattern typical of genus. Costal fascia from base not extending to M cell apex. Terminal streak from M2 straight, direct to termen at 45 degree angle crossing vein M1, narrow, with even edges. Hindwings whitish yellow, with brown patches, ventral pattern and color of wings similar to dorsal.
Male genitalia (Plate 2: figs 7-9, Plate 6: figs 1-3): Uncus severely narrowing to blunt tip; valvae almost the same width as length, slightly curved medially to the wide, oval apex; tegumen wide, narrowing; saccus massive, slightly narrowing to blunt tip; juxta wide at top and bottom deep, sides slightly excavated; aedeagus straight, longer than valvae, with ventral bulge at tip; vesica with two subbasal diverticula. Diagnosis. Externally the new species is most similar to sibling species Eospilarctia guangdonga Dubatolov, Kishida & Wang, 2008, Eospilarctia yuennanica (Daniel, 1943 and Eospilarctia maciai sp. n. In E. guangdonga the wing markings are noticeably paler and in its male genitalia the valvae are not widening at the apex, here with a noticeable excavation. E. yuennanica forewings are intense brown with pale white markings, in male genitalia the valvae are widening with cut and rough apex. In E. maciai, the forewing terminal streak from M 2 is straight, extending to termen at about a 45° Plate 7, figures 1-5. Eospilarctia naumanni, ♂, holotype: 1 Clasping apparatus with opened valvae, prep. OP1228 2 Clasping apparatus 3 Aedeagus 4 Adult 5 8 th abdominal segment. angle, crossing vein M 1 , narrow, with even edges. The costal fascia does not extend to apex of the medial cell. In the male genitalia valvae almost the same width as long, in middle slightly curved, tip of valva wide, oval, tegumen wide narrowing, saccus with well visible blunt tip, juxta "X" form top and bottom wide deep, sides slightly excavated; aedeagus straight longer than valva, at the tip in ventral side with visible bulge. Female. Forewing length of paratype 27 mm; wingspan 55 mm; antennae weakly bipectinate; patches on hindwings very small; other morphological feature as in male. Male genitalia (Plate 2: figs 10-12, Plate 7: figs 1-3). Uncus bulbous; valvae short, almost the same width as length; slight curvature in mid-ventral portion of valve with tip transversely cut; tegumen narrow; saccus slightly narrowing without visible blunt tip; juxta wide, rounded, top deeply excavated; aedeagus straight, longer than valva, at the tip curved nearly 90°, vesica with two subbasal diverticula, one of them twice as wide as the other; median diverticulum short with short spines.
Bionomics and distribution. Eospilarctia naumanni sp.n. is known only from the Kachin region of northern Myanmar (Plate 9: figs 1, 2). The new species was collected in late May at elevations of 2200 to 3000 m in mountainous virgin mixed forest, with swampy and mossy meadows. The habitat dominated by various species of Alnus, Prunus, Quercus, Rhododendron, Abies, different species of small bamboos and other smaller shrubs and ferns. Specimens of the new species were attracted to light (pers. comm. S. Naumann).
Etymology. The new species is named after Mr Stefan Naumann (Berlin, Germany), a renowned Saturniidae specialist. Dubatolov, Kishida and Wang (2008) described Eospilarctia yuennanica guangdonga as a new subspecies and included imago and male genitalia images, however we rise this taxa to species status, E. guangdonga stat. nov. The E. guangdonga forewing length is 31 mm compared to 28mm for E. yuennanica yuennanica. In E. guangdonga male genitalia the uncus is cruciform, valvae are not dilatable, tips of valvae are excavated, the juxta has short lateral protrusions, and aedeagus is shorter and stouter. In E. yuennanica yuennanica male genitalia the valvae widen without excision at dorsal side of the apex, the juxta have bigger lateral extensions, and aedeagus is longer and thinner.

Checklist of the genus Eospilarctia
Species distributions are given in Dubatolov (2010).