Melanastera sericeae Serbina & Malenovský & Queiroz & Burckhardt 2025

48 Melanastera sericeae sp. nov. (Figs 12I, 19C, 32S–X) Type material. Holotype ♂: Brazil: MINAS GERAIS: Vargem Bonita, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, Cachoeira Casca d’Anta, around park entrance, S24.8541 /8573, W48.6982 / 7121, 860 m, 4–8.ix.2014, Xylopia sericea (D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz) #141(10) (UFPR; dry). Paratypes. Brazil: MINAS GERAIS: 18 ♂, 22 ♀, same as holotype but (MMBC, NHMB, UFPR; dry, slide, 70% ethanol; NMB-PSYLL0008594–NMB-PSYLL0008597, NMB-PSYLL0008086 [LSMelser-43], NMB-PSYLL0008085 [LSMelser-43], NMB-PSYLL00003113–NMB-PSYLL00003116); 7 ♂, 2 ♀, same but near waterfall, S20.3090, W46.5231, 860 m, 5.ix.2014 (D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz) #143 (NHMB; slide, 70% ethanol; NMB-PSYLL0008094 [LSMelser-43], NMB-PSYLL0008083 [LSMelser-43], NMB-PSYLL0008084 [LSMelser-43], NMB-PSYLL0008082 [LSMelser-43]).— PARANÁ: 1 ♀, Ibaiti, Fazendinha Nova Esperança, BR-153, S23.9416, W50.2400, 635 m, 18.ix.2014 (D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz) #148 (NHMB; slide; NMB-PSYLL0008082 [LSMelser-43]). Description. Adult. Coloration. Orange; head and thorax with expanded white patches and dark brown dots; orange colour on head reduced.Antenna yellow, apices of segments 4, 6 and 8 and entire segments 9–10 dark brown. Mesopraescutum with pale brown patches at fore margin; mesoscutum with four broad pale brown longitudinal stripes and one row of brown dots in the middle. Forewing (Fig. 19C) amber-coloured with sparse, irregular, brown dots; base and apex of pterostigma and apices of Rs, M 1+2, M 3+4, Cu 1a and Cu 1b dark brown. Legs yellow, femora with dark patches, pro- and mesotarsi light brown. Male tergites and terminalia yellow, sternites dark brown; female abdomen dark brown and terminalia brownish yellow. Structure. Forewing (Fig. 19C) obovate, widest in the middle, broadly, slightly unevenly rounded apically; wing apex situated in cell r 2, near M 1+2 apex; C+Sc weakly curved in distal half of its section between base and costal break; pterostigma long and narrow, slightly narrower than r 1 cell in the middle, slightly convex in apical two thirds; Rs weakly convex in apical third; M longer than M 1+2 and M 3+4; Cu 1a irregularly convex, ending at M fork; surface spinules present in all cells, forming hexagons of a double row of spinules, spinules leaving very narrow spinule-free stripes along the veins, surface spinules absent from basal part of cell c+sc. Hindwing with 6–7 + 1–2 grouped costal setae. Metatibia bearing 4–6 grouped apical spurs, arranged as 2–3 + 2–4, separated by 3 bristles. Terminalia (Fig. 32S–X). Male. Proctiger moderately produced posteriorly; densely covered with long setae in apical two thirds. Subgenital plate irregularly ovoid; dorsal margin almost straight; posterior margin regularly convex; with few moderately long setae. Paramere, in lateral view, narrowly acuminate; apex blunt, directed upwards, slightly anteriad and inwards, lacking distinct sclerotised tooth; outer face with sparse, moderately long setae in apical two thirds; inner face with dense, moderately long setae; posterior margin with long setae. Proximal segment of aedeagus with apical part moderately subdivided. Distal segment of aedeagus weakly sinuate in basal half; ventral process situated slightly distal to the middle of segment, in lateral view, broadly tubular widening to apex with lateral lobes, in dorsal view, ventral process subcircular, weakly produced apico-medially, much broader than apical dilation; apical dilation, in lateral view, elongate, subparallel-sided, with rounded apex, in dorsal view, apical dilation narrow, weakly widening towards apex; sclerotised end tube short and almost straight.—Female terminalia cuneate; densely covered with setae. Dorsal margin of proctiger, in lateral view, weakly concave, apex straight, blunt; in dorsal view, apex subacute; circumanal ring, in dorsal view, distinctly cruciform. Subgenital plate, in lateral view, pointed apically; in ventral view, apex blunt. Fifth instar immature. Unknown. Host plant. Adults were collected on Xylopia sericea A.St. -Hil. (Annonaceae) which is a possible host. Distribution. Brazil (MG, PR). Derivation of name. Named after its probable host Xylopia sericea. Comments. Within the duckei -group, Melanastera sericeae sp. nov. resembles M. barretoi sp. nov. and M. burchellii sp. nov. For details see comments under M. barretoi.