Euhampsonia rubricata, Schintlmeister & Irungbam, 2019

Schintlmeister, Alexander & Irungbam, Jatishwor Singh, 2019, Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov., a new moth species from northeastern India and western Myanmar (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae), Zootaxa 4560 (1), pp. 195-200 : 195-196

Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov.

Holotype: ♂, India, Manipur, Shirui Hills , 25°07’24.81” N, 94°26’28.80”E, 2198 m, 12. vii. 2016, leg. Irungbam, J. S., (barcoded IJ-285)—in coll. A. Schintlmeister, Dresden.

Paratypes (16 ♂♂): 11 ♂♂, India, Manipur, Shirui Hills , 25°07’24.81” N, 94°26’28.80” E, 2198 m, 12. vii. 2016, leg. Irungbam, J. S., genitalia slides GU 66-65, IJ 281, IJ 284, IJ 282, IJ 283, IJ 286, IJ 288 ; 3 ♂♂, Shirui Hills , 25°6’40.40“N, 94°27’12.35“E, 2425 m, leg. Irungbam, J. S., genitalia slides IJ 291, IJ 293, IJ 294 ; 2 ♂♂, W Myanmar, Chin state, Kennedy Peak, summit near Pagoda , 2690 m, 18. v. 2001, 2690 m, leg. Stefan Naumann (genitalia slide GU 66-70) .

Etymology. The species is named for its reddish-brown (lat: rubricata) external appearance, particularly in the hind wings, that distinguishes it from its closely related sister species sinjaevi .

Diagnosis. Forewing length (measured from base to right apex of forewing) ♂♂ 35—36 mm, 2—3 mm smaller than a series (n> 50) of Euhampsonia sinjaevi from Vietnam and Yunnan. The new species resembles E. sinjaevi (figs. 5-8) but differs by darker reddish brown coloured wings (figs. 1-4). The discal spot on the forewing is large and yellowish, sometimes somewhat indistinctly marked. Along vein M 2, between the discal spot and the outer margin, a contrasting yellow streak occurs; this streak is less contrasting and more brownish tinged in sinjaevi . Presence of a forewing streak distinguishes rubricata and sinjaevi from all other members of Euhampsonia . The remaining forewing pattern in the series from Manipur is indistinct and consists of brownish basal, median and postmedian fasciae. Both paratype males from western Myanmar are richer in their forewing pattern and displays more fasciae, partly marked as brown spots. The outer margin of the forewings shows deep, irregular indentations, a characteristic feature of all Euhampsonia . The hind wings of rubricata are darker reddish brown than those of sinjaevi . The female of rubricata is unknown.

The male genitalia of E. rubricata (figs. 9-11) resemble those of E. sinjaevi (figs. 12, 14) The uncus of rubricata is pointed at its tip, slightly broader and shorter than in sinjaevi . The socii are acute at their apices and characteristically elbowed (approximately 100°). In sinjaevi the socii are longer, gently curved and much more slender. The valval costa of rubricata is club shaped at its apex and displays a large projection half way out; this process is rounded at its tip in rubricata , but acute in sinjaevi . Overall, the valva of rubricata is narrower than that of sinjaevi . The phallus of rubricata is short and straight, with a long, hook-shaped process at its apex; in some individuals a small second spine arises from this apical process (fig. 10). In sinjaevi a pair of short processes of variable shape arise from the phallus tip. The everted endophallus in both species (figs. 9, 11, 14) displays a well sclerotized carina, but no cornuti. In both species, the 8 th sternum bears a large V-shaped mesal notch on its posterior margin, with the notch in sinjaevi being somewhat deeper. The anterior margin of sternum 8 bears a wide apodeme, which is transverse in rubricata , but slightly convex in sinjaevi . In both species, the 8 th tergum is squarish and gently bilobed at its posterior margin.

Molecular diagnosis. We barcoded three specimens of E. rubricata , including the holotype (IJ-285). For comparison, we barcoded two additional species of Euhampsonia ; E. niveiceps (Walker) and E. sinjaevi . We also supplied the dataset for 28 of other samples of the genus Euhampsonia available from BOLD (DNA Barcode data from BOLD, Barcode of Life Database, cf. Ratnasingham and Hebert 2007) and we used barcodes from Dudusa nobilis and Gangarides vardena as outgroups. We calculated the genetic distances using Kimura 2-p substitution model and we constructed the Maximum Likelihood tree using more proper GTR+G model and 1000 bootstrap replicates in Mega-X ( Kumar, et al. 2018). The species is sister to E. sinjaevi ( Fig. 15 ). The minimal genetic difference from its sister species, E. sinjaevi is 5.4%. The interspecific difference is 1.5% of the variability.

Habitat. E. rubricata is currently known from the Shirui Hills, Manipur (northeastern India) and from Kennedy Peak, Chin state (western Myanmar). It occurs at altitudes between 2200 m to 2700 m above sea level. The type locality, Shirui Hills in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, has a cold climate, with temperatures between 3°C and 33°C. The Shirui Hill are covered with clouds almost throughout the year but receive rain from May to the beginning of October. Average annual rainfall in the region is approximately 1763.7 mm. Vegetation in the area is dominated by various Rhododendron and Quercus species ( Fig. 16 ). The region is not densely populated, but the area surrounding the forest is heavily disturbed due to anthropogenic activities such as seasonal cultivation, illegal felling of trees, burning of the forest, and grazing by domesticated animals; nearly all the natural vegetation has been disturbed. The habitat is classified as Tropical Semi Evergreen forests ( Champion & Seth 1968).

Full references to the genus Euhampsonia and its taxa on specific level, including subspecies, synonymy, type locality and type depository are given in Schintlmeister (2013): 154. Euhampsonia includes the following species:

Euhampsonia Dyar, 1897

albocristata Kishida & Wang, 2003—SE China.

cristata (Butler, 1877)— Japan, Far East Russia, Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan, E China, Laos, Thailand. formosana (Matsumura, 1925)— Taiwan.

niveiceps (Walker, 1865) —Himalaya (N India, Nepal).

roepkei Holloway, 1983—Malayan peninsula, S Thailand, Borneo, Palawan, Sumatra, Java.

rubricata spec. nov. — NE India (Manipur), W Myanmar.

serratifera Sugi, 1994— China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar.

sinjaevi Schintlmeister, 1997 —S China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, E Myanmar.

splendida (Oberthür, 1880)—Far East Russia, Korean Peninsula, Japan, E China.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Maximum Likelihood tree of Euhampsonia based on GTR+G substitution model. Values above branches show bootstrap probability based on 1000 iterations.

FIGURE 16. Habitat of Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov. at Shirui Hills, Manipur, NE India.