Miltochrista terminata
Creators: name: Volynkin, Anton V.
name: Singh, Santosh
name: Černý, Karel
name: Kirti, Jagbir Singh
name: Datta, Harvinder Singh
name: Singh, Navneet
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Erebidae
Miltochrista
Miltochrista terminata

description: Miltochrista terminata (Moore, 1878)
(Figs 64–72, 123–126, 147, 148)
Lyclene terminata Moore, 1878, Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London, 1878: 33 (Type locality: “Khasia hills”).
Type material examined. Lectotype (designated by Hampson (1900)) (Figs 64, 123): ♂, “ Khasia | Hills ” (upper side) “ Lyclene | terminata | type) Moore” (under side) / “Moore Coll. | 94–106.” / red ring “Type” label / blue label “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 5341♂” / QR-code label with unique ID “ NHMUK010604624 ” (NHMUK).
Additional material examined. INDIA: Assam: 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Nambor Reserve Forest, Garampani, 100m, 26°30’N 93°55’E, 21–29.XI.1997, V. Sinyaev & M. Murzin leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1020 ♂, ZSM Arct. 2019- 1028 ♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1038 ♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1043 ♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1044 ♀ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Kaziranga Wildlife, Pan Bari Reserve Forest, 26°45’N 93°10’E, 100m, 12–21.XI.1997, V. Sinyaev & M. Murzin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 412/2017 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); Meghalaya: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park, 25°40’N 91°04’E, 1150m, 2–13.VII.1997, Afonin & Sinyaev leg., gen. prep. Nos.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1034 ♂, ZSM Arct. 2019-1035 ♀ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Pynursala, 11.IX. [20] 14, 1350m, H.S. Datta leg. (NZCZSI, 12637/ H 10); Tamil Nadu: 1 ♂, 1000m, Kalkad Wildlife Sanctuary, Manjolai, 6–7.IV.1997, 8°15’N 77°27’E, tea estate / rainforest, Sinyaev & Schintlmeister leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 281/2017 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); MYANMAR: 1 ♂, 25 km E Putao, env. Nan Sa Bon vill., 800m, 6–9. V.1998, Murzin & Sinyaev leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1016 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); 1 ♀, 21 km E Putao, Nan Sa Bon village, 550m, 1–5. V.1998, Murzin & Sinyaev leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-1062 ♀ (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM / ZSM); 1 ♂, Bernardmyo, 5500–7000 ft., V.1890, W. Doherty, unique ID: NHMUK010292578 (NHMUK); THAILAND: 1 ♂, Mae Hong Son Prov., 12 km E Khun Yuam, 1200m, 18°48’10’’N 98°06’04’’E, forest with riparian vegetation, 2. V.2006, K. Černý leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3417 ♂ (CKC).
Notes. (1) Moore (1878) described the species from the unspecified number of males. Subsequently Hampson (1900) cited only one male specimen as “Type”, which is a valid lectotype designation, according to the Article 74.5 of ICZN (1999). (2) The species greatly varies in its size, forewing width and the forewing pattern elements. In the male genitalia, the size of the medial process of the uncus, the size and shape of the lateral processes of the tegumen, the length of the distal costal process, and the length and width of the cornuti are also variable.
Diagnosis. The forewing length is 9.0– 10.5 mm in males and 10.0– 11.5 mm in females. Miltochrista terminata is superficially largely reminiscent of M. neoseriata and M. nuranang sp. nov. and the reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. In the male genital capsule, M. terminata is distinguished from M. nuranang sp. nov. by the apically pointed subuncal lobes, and the presence of triangular lateral processes of the tegumen. The phallus of M. terminata is medially upcurved whereas it is almost straight in the similar congener, and the vesica is somewhat broader. The female genitalia of M. terminata differ clearly from M. nuranang sp. nov. in the considerably shorter antrum with a basally narrower but markedly longer ventral crest, the slightly narrower postero-lateral subostial lobes, and the corpus bursae lacking the postero-lateral sclerotised protrusion.
Distribution. Northeast and South India (Meghalaya, Assam, and Tamil Nadu) (Moore 1878), Myanmar (Kachin State and Mandalay Region) (new record), and Northern Thailand (Mae Hong Son Province) (new record).
description: Published as part of Volynkin, Anton V., Singh, Santosh, Černý, Karel, Kirti, Jagbir Singh, Datta, Harvinder Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2025, On the taxonomy of the genus Miltochrista Hübner with descriptions of six new species from the Oriental Realm (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), pp. 401-445 in Zootaxa 5566 (3) on pages 420-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14703099