Caeneressa diaphana muirheadi
(Felder) and
Caeneressa brithyris
(Druce) have been recorded for the first time from India. Further, a new combination viz.
Caeneressa melaena
(Walker) comb. nov., has also been proposed on the basis of external genitalic features. With these records, genus
Caeneressa
will be represented by five species from India,
Caeneressa diaphana
(Kollar),
Caeneressa diaphana muirheadi
(Felder),
Caeneressa brithyris
(Druce),
Caeneressa melaena
(Hampson) and
Caeneressa swinhoei
(Leech). The studied material was collected from North-Eastern states of India.
Caeneressa brithyris
(Druce) was collected near riverside at low altitude whereas the other two species were collected at high altitude.
INTRODUCTION
Genus
Caeneressa
Obraztsov (1957)
was established on its type species
Syntomis diaphana
(Kollar) from Kashmir, India in order to provide stability to Oriental species previously placed under three genera, i.e.,
Amata
Fabricius,
Syntomis
Ochsenheimer and
Eressa
Walker. Besides this, seven new species
viz
.,
proxima, klapperichi, hoenei, dispar, zernyi, ningyuena, tienmushana
and six new combination
C. pratti
(Leech),
C. obsoleta
(Leech),
C. swinhoei
(Leech),
C. oenone
(Butler),
C. graduata
(Hampson) and
C. rubruzonata
(Pouj.) were also described in this publication by Obraztsov. Holloway (1988) followed the same nomenclature and described one new species,
C. marcescoides
Holloway under this genus and also shifted seven other species under genus
Caeneressa
Obraztsov from Borneo.
In the present manuscript, external genitalia of three species have been studied and a new combination has been proposed,
Caeneressa melaena
(Walker) comb. nov. Further,
C. muirheadi
(Felder) and
C. brithyris
(Druce) have also been recorded for the first time from India. With these records, the genus will be known by following species from India:
Caeneressa diaphana
(Kollar),
Caeneressa diaphana muirheadi
(Felder),
Caeneressa brithyris
(Druce),
Caeneressa melaena
(Hampson) comb. nov., and
Caeneressa swinhoei
(Leech). The studied material was collected from North-Eastern states of India. The collected material was treated as per standardized techniques in Lepidopterology.
Comstock (1918)
and
Klots (1970)
have been followed for study of wing venation and genitalia. Adult moths were photographed using digital camera. Photography of external male genitalia was done with the help of an Image Processing Unit in the Department of Zoology & Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
-
Order Lepidoptera
-
Family Erebidae
-
Genus Caeneressa Obraztsov
- Caeneressa melaena(Walker) n. comb. (Fig. 1)
Synotomis melaena
Walker, 1854: 133
;
Syntomis andersoni
Moore, 1871: 244
;
Synotomis melaena
Walker;
Hampson, 1898: 96
.
Caeneressa melaena (Walker).A, Adult (female); B, Forewing; C, Hindwing; D, Female genitalia. ANT.APO, anterior apophyses; CRP.BU, corpus bursae; CU1, first cubital vein; CU2, second cubital vein; DU.BU, ductus bursae; M1, first median vein; M2, second median vein; M3, third median vein; PAP.A, papila analis; PO.APO, posterior apophyses; R1, first radial vein; R2, second radial vein; R3, third radial vein; R4, fourth radial vein; R5, fifth radial vein; Rs, radial sector; Sc, subcosta; SIG, signum; 1A, first anal vein.
Material examined.
India: Assam, Jatinga, 650 m, 10 Apr 2009, (2♀) coll. R. Joshi (registration no. PUP/RJ-196).
Description.
Female genitalia with corpus bursae large, globular, membranous; single sclerotized signum, large flap-like, continuous with pipe like structure; cervix bursae sclerotized, ductus seminalis entering cervix bursae; ductus bursae short, sclerotized; anterior apophyses as long as posterior apophyses; papilla analis besets with long setae.
Wing span.
Female 54 mm.
Distribution.
Sikkim, Assam, Khasi hills; Burma; Nepal; Yunnan.
Remarks.
Female genitalia of the species has been studied and described for the first time and it falls into the characterization of genus
Caeneressa
which were proposed by
Obraztsov (1957)
and later by
Holloway (1988)
. Hence, on the basis of its external female genitalic features, a new combination,
C. melaena
(Walker) comb. nov. is proposed here.
- Caeneressa brithyris(Druce) (Fig. 2)
Syntomis brithyris
Druce, 1898: 146
;
Syntomis brithyris
Druce;
Hampson, 1898: 90
;
Caeneressa brithyris
(Druce);
Holloway, 1988: 31
.
Caeneressa brithyris (Druce).A, Adult (male); B, Forewing; C, Hindwing; D, Male genitalia; E, Aedeagus; F, Uncus (dorsal view). AED, aedeagus; CRN, cornutus; CU1, first cubital vein; CU2, second cubital vein; DU.EJ, ductus ejaculatorious; M1, first median vein; M2, second median vein; M3, third median vein; R2, second radial vein; R3, third radial vein; R4, fourth radial vein; R5, fifth radial vein; Rs, radial sector; SA, saccus; Sc, subcosta; TG, tegumen; UN, uncus; VES, vesica; VIN, vinculum; VLV, valva; 1A, first anal vein.
Material examined.
India: Meghalaya, Shella, 20 m, 3 Sep 2008 (2♂) coll. N. Singh (registration number: PUP/RJ-198).
Description
. Male genitalia with uncus long, sclerotized, apically hooked; tegumen broad, inverted U-shaped; vinculum longer than tegumen, V-shaped; saccus present. Valvae symmetrical, broad, narrowing towards apex; costal margin smooth slightly excurved; cucullus and valvula not differentiated; harpe present. Juxta inverted V-shaped; transtilla weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus hammer-shaped, long and moderately broad, sclerotized, vesica membranous with on extensive field of short spines, a small sclerotized patch at one end; ductus ejaculatorius entering laterally.
Wing span.
Male 44 mm.
Distribution.
Borneo; Sandakan; India.
Remarks.
Female genitalia of the present species was described by Holloway in 1988. However, male genitalia of
brithyris
(Druce) has been studied and described here for the first time. The reporting of this species from Meghalaya is its first record from India.
- Caeneressa diaphana muirheadi(Felder) (Fig. 3)
Syntomis muirheadi
Felder and Felder, 1862: 37
;
Hampson, 1898: 95
;
Caeneressa diaphana nuirheadi
(Felder);
Obraztsov, 1957: 426
.
Caeneressa diaphans mulrheadi (Felder).A, Adult (male); B, Forewing; C, Hindwing; D, Male genitalia; E, Uncus with Tegumen (lateral view); F, Aedeagus. AED, aedeagus; CRN, cornutus; CU1, first cubital vein; CU2, second cubital vein; DU.EJ, ductus ejaculatorious; M1, first median vein; M2, second median vein; M3, third median vein; R2, second radial vein; R3, third radial vein; R4, fourth radial vein; R5, fifth radial vein; Rs, radial sector; SA, saccus; Sc, subcosta; TG, tegumen; UN, uncus; VES, vesica; VIN, vinculum; VLV, valva; 1A, first anal vein.
Material examined.
India: Mizoram, Champhai, 1,680 m, 26 Sep 2009, (2♂) coll. R. Joshi (registration no. PUP/RJ-199).
Description.
Male genitalia with uncus long, sclerotized, narrow at base, broad towards apex, apical spine present; tegumen sclerotized, bell-shaped, as long as uncus; vinculum as long as tegumen, deep v-shape; saccus present. Juxta sclerotized, globular; transtilla weakly sclerotized. Valvae leaf-like, not well differentiated into costal and saccular processes, thickened near middle. Aedeagus hammer-shaped, long, sclerotized; vesica membranous with an extensive field of short spines, a small sclerotized patch at another end; ductus ejaculatorius entering sub-apicaly.
Wing span.
Male 38 mm.
Distribution.
China, India.
Remarks.
Obraztsov (1957)
shifted
muirheadi
as subspecies under
C. diaphana
by proposing a new combination for it. However, in
muirheadi
uncus is slightly narrow than typical
diaphana
. This is the first record of
muirheadi
(Felder) from India.
Acknowledgements
We thank the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi for providing financial assistance in the form of two major research projects on Taxonomic revision of Indian Arctiidae. We are also thankful to Forest officials of all the visited states for allowing us to collect these moths.
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1918
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Comstock Publishing Co
Ithaca, New York
1 -
430
Druce H
1898
Description of some new species of Heterocera
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, London
1
146 -
149
Felder C
,
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1862
Observationes de Lepidoteris nonullis Chinae centralis et Japoniae
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6
33 -
40
Hampson GF
1898
Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the collection of the British Museum, Syntomidae
Taylor and Francis Ltd
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1 -
559
Holloway JD
1988
The moths of Borneo: family Arctiidae, subfamilies Syntominae, Euchromiinae Arctiinae; Noctuidae misplaced in Arctiidae (Camptoloma, Aganainae)
Southdene, Kuala Lumpur
1 -
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,
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1970
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Munksgaard
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115 -
130
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1871
Descriptions of some new insects collected by Dr. Anderson during the expedition to Yunan
Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London
1871
244 -
249
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1957
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Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College
116
389 -
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Walker F
1854
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Edward Newman
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1 -
278