Caldubotys Singh, Kirti & Singh, 2019

Singh, Navneet, Kirti, Jagbir Singh, Singh, Harsimran & Ranjan, Rahul, 2019, Two new genera for the Botyodes species complex (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae), Zootaxa 4623 (2), pp. 387-395 : 391-393

Genus Caldubotys Singh, Kirti & Singh , gen. nov.

Type species: Botys caldusalis Walker, 1859

The new genus is described here as a monotypic for its type species, B. caldusalis . Originally, caldusalis Walker, 1859 was described under genus Botys Latrille. Hampson (1896) studied this species under genus Botyodes Guenée, 1854 but under a separated section Endocrossis Meyrick, 1889 . Hampson (1898, 1918), Klima (1939) followed the same nomenclature. Inoue (1982) resurrected genus Endocrossis and also, shifted caldusalis under this genus.

Diagnostic characters: Male genitalia with uncus petiolated; tegumen short and broad; valvae simple, broad flap like, broadest at middle.

Diagnosis: Externally, caldusalis Walker is closely similar to members of Botyodes , especially to B. asialis . But its male genitalia are distinct and diagnostic. These characters revealed that caldusalis is non-congeneric with Botyodes Guenée, 1854 , Endocrossis Meyrick, 1889 , and Botys Latreille 1802 (type species: Phalaena perpuralis Linnaeus ) ( Figs. 27–28 ). In caldusalis , uncus is petiolated whereas, in Botyodes , it is long and curved having spatulated tip with quadra-radiated base; in Endocrossis , it is simply triangular but, in Botys (presently synonym of genus Pyrausta ), it is tomb shaped. Tegumen is broad and firmly attached to uncus in caldusalis ; however it is quadra-radiated in Botyodes and with wavy edges in Endocrossis . As far as valvae is concerned, it is broad, flap like, broadest at middle, narrowing towards a rounded tip in the new genus Caldubotys . It is a complex structure with windows in its central region and indented costa in Botyodes , and long, elongated with almost similar width in Botys .

Biology: Not known.

Distribution: Sikkim and Assam ( India), Myanmar, Java ( Hampson 1896).

Etymology: The new generic name is derived from the names of its type species caldusalis and the original genus of caldusalis i.e., Botys Latreille.

Figures

FIGURES 24–28. Male genitalia. 24–26, Endocrossis flavibasalis; 27, 28, Pyrausta purpuralis (©British Lepidoptera, https:// britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/007-pyrausta-purpuralis.html.).