Genus Hollowayosia gen. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FE4EDF51-4DE1-4A70-9BD7-18580C98DA17

Type species: " Eilema " longpala Holloway, 2001, by present designation.

Diagnosis. Species of the genus (Figs 59–62) are characterised by the orange yellow body and forewing colouration and the straighter outer margin of the hindwing, in comparison to Tarika and Cernyia. The sexual dimorphism is moderate: females have narrower and more elongate forewing and paler hindwing than in males. The male genitalia of Hollowayosia gen. n. (Figs 116, 117) are characterised by the combination of the following features. (1) The uncus is broad, swollen but laterally flattened. (2) The valvae are asymmetrical with the right one being broader and somewhat longer than the left one (a feature characteristic of the genus). (3) The costa is long and distally strongly dilated, forming a sclerotised and apically tapered or pointed ‘cucullus’ ventrally fused with the valvula (a feature characteristic of the genus). (4) The editum is short, thin and gelatinous. (5) The diaphragmal section of the transtilla thick-walled membranous. (6) The lamella centralis is present, broad, dorsally articulated with the costa. (7) The distal saccular process is proximally broad and flattened. (8) The phallus is cylindrical, the carina with a process directed dorsally. (9) The main chamber of the vesica is broad (unlike in Tarika and Cernyia) and has several conical and utricular diverticula of various sizes, some of which are ornamented by graniculi or clusters of spinules, whereas the vesicae of Tarika and Cernyia bear cornuti, sclerotised plates or clusters of short but robust spines. The female genitalia of Hollowayosia gen. n. (Figs 147, 148) are characterised by the broad and asymmetrical antrum bearing areas of sclerotisation (similar to Cernyia), and the asymmetrical corpus bursae with a narrow and rugose posterior section and a globular and membranous section bearing two signa (whereas Tarika and Cernyia lack the signa, except for Tarika paradoxa sp. n. having one irregular signum). The appendix bursae of Hollowayosia gen. n. is well-developed, semiglobular, membranous and situated laterally whereas in Tarika and Cernyia, the appendix bursae is reduced or is conical, gelatinous and/or sclerotised, and its base is hardly distinguishable from the corpus bursae.

Etymology. The generic name is an aggregate of the surname Holloway and the genus-group name Lithosia. The new genus is dedicated to the memory of Jeremy Daniel Holloway (1945–2025), renowned British lepidopterist, author of the fundamental book series “The Moths of Borneo” along with a number of taxonomic papers, whose contribution to the knowledge of the Oriental Lepidoptera is difficult to overestimate. The gender is feminine.

Distribution. Species of the new genus are known from Sri Lanka, Northeast India, continental Thailand, Cambodia, Sundaland and Sulawesi Island.

Note. The genus is under revision by Volynkin & Černý (in prep.).