Neobotyodes 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 : 388

Neobotyodes Singh, Kirti & Singh , gen. nov.

Type species: Botyodes crocopteralis Hampson, 1898

The new genus is described here as monotypic for its type species, B. crocopteralis . Originally, crocopteralis Hampson, 1898 was described in the genus Botyodes on the basis of a female representative from Sikkim. Robinson et al. (1994) commented on the sexual dimorphism of this species and provided images of both male and female adults.

Diagnostic characters: Strong sexual dimorphism. In males, forewings fuscous black with an oblique and broad orange band from middle of costa to anal angle, slightly constricted at middle. In females, forewings orange yellow with markings fuscous brown, ante-medial spot on median nervure, a reniform on disco-cellular, a postmedial spot below vein Cu 2, whole apical area black with rounded inner edge. A complex pattern of dark grey and white is present on the underside of thorax and on the legs. This pattern is identical in both the sexes ( Robinson et al. 1994). Male genitalia with a broad, inverted “U” shaped uncus having a minute notch at apex; unornamented, tongue shaped valvae with a prominent thumb like process from inner wall of basal half.

Diagnosis: The forewing marking of N. crocopteralis ( Figs. 5, 6 ) are very distinct and unmistakable from the members of its parental genus Botyodes , where the sexual dimorphism is absent and generally, the moths of Botyodes are with yellowish ground colour having brownish bands at post-medial region of forewing. Antennae of males are simple in N. crocopteralis whereas in Botyodes species, antennae of male bear four teeth on the basal joint enclosing a hollow. In male genitalia: a small, inverted ‘U’ shaped uncus of crocopteralis ( Fig. 19 ) is completely different from a long, curved uncus having setosed and spatulated head with a quadra-radiated base in B. asialis (type of genus Botyodes ) ( Figs. 11–14 ). Simple tegumen and narrow, elongated valvae with a strong process from inner wall of basal half in crocopteralis is entirely distinct from a tegumen having quadra-radiated tip (modified for attachment of uncus having similar base), and a complex valvae of B. asialis .

Etymology: New generic name refers to the relationship of crocopteralis Hampson with Botyodes .

Biology: Not known.

Distribution: North East India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand ( Robinson et al. 1994); Bhutan, ( Irungbam et al. 2016)

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Adults. 1, Botyodes asialis, ♂, NE India, Mizoram, 2, ditto, ♀, NE India, Mizoram; 3, Botyodes principalis, ♂, NE India, Arunachal Pradesh, 4, ditto, ♀, NE India, Arunachal Pradesh; 5, Neobotyodes crocopteralis, gen. & comb. nov., ♂, NE India, Arunachal Pradesh, 6, ditto, ♀, NE India, Mizoram.

FIGURES 19–23. Male genitalia. 19, 20, Neobotyodes crocopteralis, gen. & comb. nov. 21–23, Caldubotys caldusalis gen. & comb. nov.

FIGURES 11–18. Male genitalia. 11–14, Botyodes asialis; 15–18, Botyodes principalis.