Teulisna (Poikilothosia) pilcheri Volynkin, Černý, 2025

Volynkin, Anton V., Černý, Karel & Huang, Si-Yao, 2025, On the generic assignment of the taxa placed in the Oriental footman-moth genus Teulisna with the description of three new genera, one subgenus and eighteen new species, Ecologica Montenegrina 88, pp. 104-163 : 121

Teulisna (Poikilothosia) pilcheri Volynkin, Černý & Huang, sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BF0209AE-EA6E-4988-8E89-EE384CC5F2F0

( Figs 55–60 , 124–127 , 167 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 55 , 167 ): female, “ Sikkim. | 2800 | May’ [18]95. | Pilcher.” / “ Pilcher coll. | Pres. 1917 | [by] Mrs Pilcher ” / “ Slide | AV7566 ♀ | A. Volynkin ” ( OUMNH).

Paratypes. INDIA: 1 male, [West Bengal, Darjeeling] Darjiling, gen. slide No. : AV7572 ♂ ( OUMNH) ; 3 males, [Meghalaya, Khasi Hills] Khasis, Nat. Coll. / Doncaster private coll., Purch. 1927, gen. slide Nos : AV7105 ♂, AV7560 ♂, AV7569 ♂ ( OUMNH) ; 1 female, [Assam] Dullabcherra / Doncaster private coll., Purch. 1927, gen. slide No. : AV7570 ♀ ( OUMNH) ; NEPAL: 1 male, Annapurna Himal , 1200m, 1 km N of Syange, 28°24'N 84°25'E, 07.vi.1996, Hreblay & Szaboky leg., gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2021 - 450♂ (prepared by A. Volynkin ) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, 1300m, near Tatopani , 28°29'N 83°39'E, 20.vi.1996, Gy.M. László & G. Ronkay leg., gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2021 - 350♂ ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, E. Nepal, Sagarmatha, Okhaldhunga , 1800 m, 16.viii.1990, K. Ito leg., ex coll. Yasunori Kishida, gen. prep. No. YKSY34 ( CHSY) ; 1 female, same data, but 3.vi.1991, K. Ito leg., ex coll. Yasunori Kishida ( CHSY) ; 1 male, 1 female, Kathmandu, Godavari , 1600m, 30.v.1990, ex coll. Yasunori Kishida, gen. prep. No.: YKSY32 (♂) ( CHSY) .

Notes. (1) Although the females of T. protuberans and T. pilcheri sp. n. were matched with the males with a reasonable degree of confidence, the species belonging of the males can only be determined with certainty by molecular analysis or a breeding experiment, which were not available in the current study. In order to avoid a possible confusion, we herein designate a female clearly different in its genitalia from the female lectotype of T. protuberans as the holotype of the new species. (2) The populations from Himalaya and Khasi Hills display slight differences in their male genitalia, namely in the scobination of the medial diverticulum and the length and width of the distal section of the vesica. It is difficult to evaluate the taxonomic importance of these differences based on the limited material and without molecular data therefore those populations are considered herein as belonging to the same biological species.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 13.0–14.0 mm in males and 15.0 mm in females. Teulisna pilcheri sp. n. differs from another widely distributed Himalayan species T. distributa sp. n. in the forewing with a more prominent costal protrusion and a larger black discal marking. The male genitalia of T. pilcheri sp. n. are vaguely reminiscent of T. fimbriata and T. bucseki sp. n. but differ clearly in the markedly smaller pseudoampulla, the narrower distal saccular process, the larger proximal diverticulum with a smaller cornutus, the recurved medial section of the vesica with a broad but very short medial diverticulum bearing a robust horn-shaped cornutus, and the strongly dilated distal section of the vesica with a single broad conical distal diverticulum bearing a robust spike-shaped terminal cornutus. In the female genitalia, T. pilcheri sp. n. is distinguished from T. fimbriata and T. bucseki sp. n. by the shorter anterior apophyses, the posteriorly broader ductus bursae, and the posterior section of the corpus bursae bearing a considerably larger left lateral protrusion but lacking the right sclerotised one with a sclerotised pocket, which is characteristic of the similar congeners. Additionally, the anterior section of the corpus bursae of T. pilcheri sp. n. is longer and narrower than in T. fimbriata and T. bucseki sp. n.

Distribution. The new species is known from Nepal and Northeast India (Sikkim, north of West Bengal, Meghalaya and Assam).

Etymology. The new species is named after J.G. Pilcher, collector of the holotype. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

Figures 49–63. Adults of Teulisna (Poikilothosia) spp. Depositories of the specimens: 49 in NHMUK; 50, 52–54, 56 and 61 in MWM/ZSM (61: ex CKC); 51, 62 and 63 in CKC; 55 and 57–60 in OUMNH.

Figures 123–125. Male genitalia of Teulisna (Poikilothosia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 123 and 124 in MWM/ZSM; 125 in OUMNH.

Figures 126–128. Male genitalia of Teulisna (Poikilothosia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 126 and 127 in OUMNH; 128 in MWM/ZSM (ex CKC).

Figures 166–169. Female genitalia of Teulisna (Poikilothosia) spp. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 166 in MWM/ZSM; 167 and 169 in OUMNH; 168 in CKC.