Lemyra (Thyrgorina) melanosoma ( Hampson, 1894 )

Singh, Harsimranjeet, Raha, Angshuman, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2024, Taxonomic review of the genus Lemyra Walker (Erebidae: Arctiinae) from India, Zootaxa 5454 (1), pp. 1-69 : 27-28

Lemyra (Thyrgorina) melanosoma ( Hampson, 1894) : 15 ( Thyrgorina )

( Figs 70, 71, 171, 172)

TL: Sikhim [Sikkim, India]. Lectotype designated by Thomas (1990)

Material Examined: India , Himachal Pradesh: [Chamba district], Bharmour , 1 ♂, 16.vi.1993, A.P.S. Kaleka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12525/H10); [Kullu district], GHNP , Ropa FRH, 1 ♂, 11.ix.2016, A.K. Sanyal & Party leg. ( NZCZSI;

12526/H10); Sikkim: [East Sikkim district], Gangtok , 1 ♂, 4.vi.2003, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12523/H10), 2 ♂, 7.vi.2003, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12522/H10); [North Sikkim district], Mangan, 1 ♂, 6.vi.2003, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12524/H10); [West Sikkim district], Burmiok, 1 ♂, 15.vii.2019, S.S. Bisht leg. ( NZCZSI; 12530/H10) ;

West Bengal: [Darjeeling district], Palmajua , 1 ♂, 3.xi.2018; Bhattacharyya & Party leg. ( NZCZSI; 12529/H10) ;

Arunachal Pradesh: [Lower Subansiri district], Raga , 1 ♂, 5.v.2016, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12528/H10); [Dibang Valley district], Anini, Old School, 1 ♂, 21.iv.2017, S. Gayan & Party leg. ( NZCZSI; 12527/H10) .

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 16 mm. Lemyra (T.)melanosoma ( Figs 70, 71) is externally similar to an unrelated species L. (T.) neglecta ( Figs 1–3) and is better diagnosed by the male genitalia. However, L. (T.) melanosoma can be externally sorted out from L. (T.) neglecta by the brownish antennae, the orange yellow colour of the shoulders, the area below eyes and palpi is extending till the first pair of legs and the wings are often immaculate (pectus of L. (T.) neglecta is generally white or may be suffused with fuscous). In male genitalia, L. (T.) melanosoma ( Figs 171, 172) is unique by the angular uncus (uncus has a broad, bowl like basal half which abruptly terminates into an acute, pointed apex) and vesica with a distal large patch of moderate to long spines devoid of lateral spined plate. Whereas, in L. (T.) neglecta ( Figs 95, 96), uncus is somewhat triangular with broad base and gradually tapering apex and vesica with a strong lateral spined plate of teeth like spines and devoid of any spinous patch.

Distribution. Indian records: Assam, Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Dalhousie, Kullu), Meghalaya (Khasi Hills), Sikkim, West Bengal (Darjeeling) ( Hampson 1901, Dubatolov 2010, Singh et al. 2021), Arunachal Pradesh (present study). Global records: Myanmar, southern Tibet, China (Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan), Pakistan, Thailand ( Dubatolov 2010).

Remarks: So far, L. (T.) melanosoma is known from Central Himalaya (Sikkim and Darjeeling), Northwest Himalaya (Dalhousie, Kullu and Shimla) and Northeast India (Khasi Hills). Herein, we extend its distribution to East Himalaya from an altitude range of 875 m – 2954 m. The species is seen to fly in Himalayan chir pine forest and lower West Himalaya temperate forests in Himachal Pradesh, East Himalayan subtropical wet hill forest, East Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forest and sub-Himalayan secondary wet mixed forest central Himalaya. In East Himalaya, it is observed in tropical moist deciduous forest and East Himalayan wet temperate forest.