Churingosia, Volynkin & Černý, 2025

Volynkin, Anton V. & Černý, Karel, 2025, On the taxonomy of the genera Katha Moore, Tarika Moore, Cernyia Bucsek and Churingosia Volynkin & Černý, stat. n. with the description of a new genus and thirteen new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini: Lithosiina), Ecologica Montenegrina 87, pp. 1-45 : 17-18

Genus Churingosia stat. nov.

Manulea subgenus Churingosia Volynkin & Černý, 2022 , Zootaxa , 5205 (2): 163.

Type species: Ilema nigripes Hampson, 1900 , by original designation ( Volynkin & Černý 2022).

Note. This genus-group name was proposed in the rank of a subgenus of Manulea due to the similarity of their male genital capsule configurations. However, the moths of Churingosia are externally largely different from the typical Manulea . The detailed examination and comparison of the genitalia structures of Churingosia with Manulea and related genera suggested the generic distinctness of this lineage.

Diagnosis. Moths of the genus ( Figs 63–66 , also illustrated by Volynkin & Černý (2022)) are considerably larger than members of Manulea ( Figs 67, 68 ) and have markedly broader forewing with a convex costal margin, which is nearly straight in Manulea . The male genital capsule of Churingosia ( Fig. 118 , also illustrated by Volynkin & Černý (2022)) differs from Manulea ( Fig. 119 ) in the following characters. (1) The vinculum is shorter, has a broad saccate medial corema bearing short and sparse androconial scales, and lacks the pair of casellus-like bunches, which are characteristic of Manulea . (2) The outer wall of the valva has a short arcus stretching from the costa to the middle of the basis valvae whereas the arcus of Manulea is longer and stretching from the costa to the sacculus base. (3) The lamella centralis is fold-like and setose whereas in Manulea it is flat and smooth. (4) In the phallus, the carinal process is free whereas it is fused with the basal diverticulum in the typical group of Manulea . (5) The main chamber of the vesica is relatively narrow and most of its diverticula are short and bear clusters of graniculi or scobination whereas in Manulea , the vesica is markedly broader and has long and broad diverticula, some of which bear robust claw- or nail-shaped cornuti. The female genitalia of Churingosia ( Figs 150–152 , also illustrated by Volynkin & Černý (2022)) differ from Manulea ( Fig. 149 ) in the following characters. (1) The presence of the gelatinous dorsal subostial pocket apparently receiving the robust carinal process of male during the copulation. (2) The posterior section of the ductus bursae is sclerotised while the anterior, shorter section is membranous, whereas in Manulea , the ductus bursae is entirely sclerotised. (3) The corpus bursae has membranous walls and is teardrop-shaped without recognisable subdivision into posterior and anterior sections whereas in Manulea , the corpus bursae is subdivided into two sections by the medial constriction, and the posterior section is gelatinous and rugose, and bears areas of sclerotisation and scobination, while the anterior section is evenly granulose. (4) The appendix bursae has a narrower, tubular, weakly gelatinous and longitudinally rugose proximal and a dilated and membranous distal sections whereas in the typical Manulea , its proximal section is broad, heavily gelatinous and rugose, and covered with graniculi, while the distal section is evenly granulose, distally tapered and curved or twisted.

Distribution. Species of the genus occur in Himalaya (North and Northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan) and mountain regions of northern Indochina (Northern Myanmar, Northern Thailand, Northern and Central Laos, and Northern Vietnam) ( Volynkin & Černý 2022).

Figures

Figures 57–68. Adults of Cernyia (57, 58), Hollowayosia gen. n. (59–62), Churingosia (63–66) and Manulea (67, 68) spp. Depositories of the specimens: 57, 67 and 68 in MfN; 58, 61 and 66 in MWM/ZSM (61: ex CKC); 59, 60 and 62 in CKC; 63–65 in NHMUK.

Figures 116–119. Male genitalia of Hollowayosia gen. n. (116, 117), Churingosia nigripes (118) and Manulea palliatella (119). Depositories of the specimens dissected: 116 in CKC; 117 in MWM/ZSM; 118 in OUMNH; 119 in MfN.

Figures 147–152. Female genitalia of Hollowayosia gen. n. (147, 148), Manulea palliatella (149) and Churingosia spp. (150–152). Depositories of the specimens dissected: 147 and 148 in CKC; 149 in MfN; 150 and 152 in NHMUK; 151 in MWM/ZSM.