Ptilodon amplius Schintlmeister & Fang, 2001

Mazumder, Arna, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar, Schintlmeister, Alexander, Gayen, Subrata, Chandra, Kailash & Raha, Angshuman, 2022, New records of Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) from India, Zootaxa 5092 (2), pp. 191-208 : 204-205

Ptilodon amplius Schintlmeister & Fang, 2001

[ Fig. 6 J ; Fig. 9 G–I ]

2001. Ptilodon amplius Schintlmeister & Fang, Neue Ent. Nachr. , 50: 87.

2013. Ptilodon (Ptilodocuspis) amplius ; Schintlmeister, World Cat. Ins., 11: 363.

TL: Yunnan [ China]; TD: in collection of A. Schintlmeister, Dresden

Material examined: India: 1 ♂, Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley dist., Dihang-Dibang BR, Mayodia , 2163 m, 29.2331 °N, 95.9081 °E, 29. VII. 2016, leg. A. K. Sanyal & Team ; 1 ♂, Anini, Chaipani , 1776 m, 29.0036 °N, 95.9702 °E, 16. IV. 2017 ; 1 ♂, Pattharnallah-1, 2029 m, 29.1047 °N, 96.0807 °E, 19. IV. 2017; 1 ♂, Chigkupani , 1848 m, 29.0574 °N, 96.0517 °E, 26. IV. 2017 ; 2 ♂, Basam, Chapupani , 1968 m, 29.0543 °N, 95.7836 °E, 26. V. 2017; 1 ♂, Meyhoopey , 2314 m, 28.7873 °N, 95.9541 °E, 17. V. 2018, leg. S. Gayen & Team.

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 20.5–23 mm. Ptilodon amplius is a member of the ‘ flavistigma species complex’ and externally very similar to P. flavistigma ( Moore, 1879) , P. saturata ( Walker, 1865) and P. spinosa Schintlmeister, 2007 .All the four species have brownish forewing, among which P. amplius has most prominent yellowish scales on fuscous-brown ground color, especially on outer half of forewing which differentiates it from P. saturata with less yellowish irroration, and P. flavistigma having very dark, brownish-black ground colour with well-marked reniform stigma. P. amplius can be differentiated from P. spinosa by less contrasting forewing pattern. The pale postmedian fascia and the row of pale dots following it are more distinct in P. amplius than P. saturata . The crenulated blackish fascia originating from the tooth scale to the costa of forewing is also more contrasting in P. amplius than that of P. spinosa and P. flavistigma . The male genitalia in P. amplius possesses small triangular gnathos-like structure in uncus. The valvae are variable and may or may not possess basal spine. The spiny-toothed sclerotizations in the 8 th sternite enclosing a deep furrow are typical to this species.

Remarks: Schintlmeister (2008) reported this species as endemic to NW China, Yunnan and Sichuan. Present record from 1700–2300 m altitudinal zone in Wet Temperate Forest habitats in Dihang-Dibang BR further extends its distribution slightly westward to the Indian territory ( Fig. 5 ). Most of the individuals were sampled in the months of April to July, whereas earlier known activity period of the species was between May to August. This new record brings up the total number of species to five under the genus Ptilodon in India.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Map showing distributions of Periphalera albicauda and Ptilodon amplius with their Type localities.

FIGURE 6. Adult males of Notodontidae spp. new records to India,A. Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana, B. Ogulina ochrocinerea, C. Odnarda leechi, D. Torona lucida, E. Syntypistis synechochlora, F. S. witoldi, G. Pseudosomera noctuiformis yunwu, H. Himalodontosia mahendra, I. Periphalera albicauda, J. Ptilodon amplius.

FIGURE 9. Male genitalia of Notodontidae spp. new records to India, (A–C) Himalodontosia mahendra: A. 8th abdominal segment, B. Ventral view, C. Aedeagus; (D–F) Periphalera albicauda: D. 8th abdominal segment, E. Ventral view, F. Aedeagus; (G–I) Ptilodon amplius: G. 8th abdominal segment, H. Ventral view, I. Aedeagus.