Niganda phichai (Pellinen, 2012)

Pellinen, Markku J., 2019, Description of the females of Niganda phichai and Saliocleta puyak (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae, Ceirini), with breedings of both species, Zootaxa 4560 (3), pp. 583-586 : 583

Niganda phichai (Pellinen, 2012) ( Figs. 1–3 )

Material examined: Since described in 2012 N. phichai has been found from type locality frequently, though not common. In 2014 female was detected and made lay eggs. Later two more females appeared in same location. Breeding resulted also two more females. All specimens are presently kept in collection of the author.

Diagnosis of female. Unlike other members of genus Niganda there is no clear sexual dimorphism in N. phichai . Females are externally like males, except beeing somewhat (7–8 mm) larger by wingspan and having filiform antennae.

Description of female. ( Figs 1 a–b) Wingspan/ forewing length of non reared specimens (3 exx) 42–43 mm / 18–19 mm., ex.o. specimens smaller 36 mm / 16 mm. Frons narrow, grey with porrect scales, palpae upturned short, grey. Antennae black filiform. Thorax and abdomen with brownish grey thin scales upperside and lighter color underside. Forewings narrow with blunt apex, ground color grey, with some brown in the middlepart of the wing, black stripe with small white spot in the middle, one third of costa. Diagnostic black basal line, unclear broken dark subbasal line, double broken postmedial line and brownish grey wide submarginal line, marginal black spots on veins, cilia greyish brown. Hindwing lighter grey brow, without any markings. Underside lighter yellow brown without markings. Legs grey brown. Female genitalia. ( Fig. 2 ) Papillae anales setose roundish, apophyses posteriores longer than apophyses anteriores quite narrow, antrum broad strongly U-shaped anteriously, ostium bursae medium broad, narrowing towards short, bended ductus bursae, corpus bursae small pyriform with clear strong horseshoe shaped signum. N. radialis females have also same kind signum in corpus bursae.

Preimaginal stages. ( Fig. 3 a–c) Eggs round, smooth with small chorion, dirty yellow. First instar larva with primary setae, later instars sparsely hairy with short setae. Third instar larva green, with light yellow stripe on both sides, four lighter stripes on back. Last instar alike, but with red color stripes under sidestripe, clearest in thoriac segments 2–3 and abdominal segments 8–9. Planta of prolegs are red.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. 1 a. Niganda phichai female (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 01.vii.2016). 1 b. N. phichai female, ex. o. (Thailand: Lampang, Phichai, 17.i.2017). 1 c. N. phichai male (Thailand: Lampang, Muban Phichai, 11.x.2016). 1 d. N. phichai male (Thailand: Lampang, Muban Phichai, 03.ix.2010). 2. female genitalia of N. phichai, slide MJP992 (Thailand: Lampang Phichai, 09.viii.2016). 3 a. N. phichai larva third instar, 3 b. larva last instar, 3 c. larva last instar.