Caissa aruna N. Singh & Ahmad, 2022

Singh, Navneet & Ahmad, Jalil, 2022, A new species and a new species record of Caissa Hering from India (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae), Zootaxa 5200 (1), pp. 96-100 : 96-97

Caissa aruna N. Singh & Ahmad , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 7, 8 )

Holotype. ♂, India, Arunachal Pradesh, Bhalukpong, Tippi , 13.vii.2018, Pallab Chatterjee leg. ( NZCZSI).

Paratype. 1 ♂, data same as holotype .

Diagnosis. Morphologically, Caissa aruna sp. nov. belongs to the third species group of Caissa . The new species and its closely similar species C. parenti ( Wu & Fang 2008, Fig. 2, 6 ) are distinct from all the other congeners by a prominent process originating from the junction of valva base and transtilla, which is absent in other species of the genus. Caissa aruna sp. nov. is distinct from C. parenti by the valva with almost equal width throughout the length and narrowly rounded at apex, the saccular process is almost straight and apically blunt, and the juxta is mushroom shaped, whereas in C. parenti , the valva is apically broadened, the saccular process is curved towards costa, pointed apically and the juxta is almost quadrilateral. In C. aruna sp. nov. the aedeagus is longer with a dentate apical plate which is absent in C. parenti .

Description. Male. Wingspan 11 mm, Forewing length 22 mm. Ground color pale brownish, antennae filiform. Forewing with antemedial oblique brownish line; postmedial line outwardly curved below costa, then oblique to meet tornus; area between both the lines suffused with brown; discoidal spot black; hindwing pale yellow clothed with brown scales, leaving costal area pales; a prominent black spot at tornus. Male genitalia with uncus having a short sub apical process; gnathos 2/3 rd of the uncus, minutely curved apically; a long horn shape process originating from junction of valva base and transtilla; juxta somewhat mushroom-like; valvae almost tongue-like; basal saccular process small thumb like; aedeagus half the length of valvae, tip with a dentate plate.

Distribution. So far, the species is reported from its type locality only.

Etymology. The new species is named after the sanskrit word ‘Aruna’, prefix ofArunachal, meaning ‘light of rising sun’.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Caissa spp.: adults. 1, C. aruna sp. nov. ♂, Arunachal Pradesh, Holotype (NZCZSI); 2, C. medialis, ♂, India, Sikkim (NZCZSI); 3, C. fasciatum, ♂, BTR, Raja Bhatkhawa, 4, C. gambita, ♂, India, Karnataka (NZCZSI); 5, ditto, Syntype ♂, India, Travancore (©NHMUK); 6, ditto, Syntype ♀, Khasis (©NHMUK) (Scale bar 10 mm)

FIGURES 7–15. Caissa spp.: male genitalia. 7–8, C. aruna, sp. nov., India, Arunachal Pradesh, Holotype; 9–10, C. medialis, India, Sikkim; 11–12, C. fasciatum, BTR, Raja Bhatkhawa, 13–14, C. gambita, India, Karnataka; 15. ditto, India, Travancore slide 1266 NHMUK (Scale bar 1 mm)