Tarika inthanona, 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 : 10-11

Tarika inthanona sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:066CB7BB-EEEF-4A91-AC2F-9F8FA97F7BE4

( Figs 35–37 , 100 , 134, 135 )

Eilema cretacea Hampson, 1911 : Černý & Pinratana (2009): 146 (partim.), pl. 30: figs 293a, 293b. Type material. Holotype ( Figs 35 , 100 ): male, “N. Thailand | Chiang Mai-prov. | Doi Inthanon-NP, 1416m | 18°30'59''N, 98°28'13'' E | 6.–7.VI.2005 leg. K. | Cerný [recte: Černý]” / “Slide | AV8357 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” (MWM/ZSM, ex CKC).

Paratypes. THAILAND: 10 males, 8 females , same data as in holotype, gen. slide Nos. : AV8355 ♂, AV8356 ♂, AV8358 ♀, AV8359 ♀ ( CKC) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 14.0–15.0 mm in males and 17.5–18.0 mm in females. The male of T. inthanona sp. n. is externally very similar to the sympatric T. pinratanai sp. n., from which it can be reliably distinguished only by the pale beige head and thorax, which are suffused with ochreous in T. pinratanai sp. n.; the male genitalia of the two species are fundamentally different in their vesica configurations. The female of T. inthanona sp. n. differs from T. pinratanai sp. n. in the darker, creamy colouration of both wings (vs. off-white in T. pinratanai sp. n.) and the lack of the ochreous yellow suffusion on its head and thorax. In the genitalia of both sexes, the new species is similar to T. pallens , from which T. inthanona sp. n. differs externally in the paler, less yellowish hindwing in the male and the pale beige ground colour of both wings in the female whereas that of T. pallens is pale yellowish. The male genital capsules of the two species are very similar but in T. inthanona sp. n. the uncus is distally narrower and the distal saccular process is somewhat longer than the corresponding structures in T. pallens . Compared to T. pallens , the phallus of the new species has a larger coecum and a somewhat larger carinal process. The vesica of T. inthanona sp. n. is markedly broader than in T. pallens and has a longer and broader medial recurved diverticulum, a considerably broader medial-distal diverticulum bearing a cluster of robust spines (it is granulose in the congener), and a markedly shorter but broader distal diverticulum with a larger terminal cornutus. In the female genitalia, T. inthanona sp. n. is distinguished from T. pallens by the broader posterior gelatinous and rugose section of the corpus bursae lacking the anterio-lateral sclerotised plate, the broader anterior section of the corpus bursae, and the proximally broader appendix bursae.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from Doi Inthanon Mt. in Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai Province).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the mountain of Doi Inthanon, where the new species is found. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 25–37. Adults of Tarika spp. Depositories of the specimens: 25–30 and 32–35 in MWM/ZSM (35: ex CKC); 31 in MfN; 36 and 37 in CKC.

Figures 97–100. Male genitalia of Tarika spp. The specimens dissected are deposited in MWM/ZSM (100: ex CKC).

Figures 133–138. Female genitalia of Tarika spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 133 and 137 in MWM/ZSM; 134, 135 and 138 in CKC; 136 in MfN.