Phlogophora calamistrata ( Moore, 1882 )

Bandyopadhyay, Uttaran, Dey, Rushati, Bhattacharyya, Kamalika, Mallick, Kaushik, Mazumder, Arna, Gayen, Subrata, Das, Moumita, Raha, Angshuman, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar, Kumar, Vikas, Uniyal, Virendra Prasad & Chandra, Kailash, 2021, Taxonomy and ecology of genus Phlogophora Treitschke, 1825 (Lepidoptera Noctuidae) in Indian Himalaya with description of a new species, Zootaxa 5004 (2), pp. 311-342 : 329-330

Phlogophora calamistrata ( Moore, 1882)

[ Fig. 15 , 43, 44 ]

Dianthecia calamistrata Moore, 1882 , Descr. Indian lep. Atkinson, (2): 124.

Euplexia calamistrata (Moore) : Hampson, 1908, Cat. Lepid. Phalaenae Br. Mus., 7: 230.

Phlogophora calamistrata (Moore) : Fibiger & Hacker, 2007, Noct. Eur., 9: 186.

Type locality: Darjeeling [ India, West Bengal] .

Material examined: India: 1 ♀, Sikkim, Dist. West Sikkim, Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Yuksom , 27.37864° N, 88.22087° E, 1879 m, 22. XI. 2019 ; 1 ♂, 24. XI. 2019; 1 ♀, Khoyngtey , 27.37947° N, 088.22678° E, 1950 m, 27. XI. 2019 ; 1 ♀, Sachen , 27.41380° N, 088.19749° E, 2193 m, 01. XII. 2019 ; 3 ♀♀, Dist. North Sik- kim, Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Rabum , 27.65842° N, 088.60463° E, 2000 m, 13. XII. 2019; coll. A. K. Sanyal & team.

1 ♂, West Bengal, Dist. Darjeeling, Darjeeling , 27.0402° N, 088.268° E, 2119 m, 15. X. 2018 ; 2 ♂♂, Singalila National Park, Manedara , 27.1147° N, 088.1000° E, 2168 m, 27. X. 2018 ; 6 ♂♂, 29. X. 2018; 1 ♂, 30. X. 2018; 8 ♂♂, 31. X. 2018; coll. A. K. Sanyal & team; 2 ♂♂, Palamajua , 27.07071° N, 088.09071° E, 1909 m, 03. XI. 2018 ; 4 ♂♂, Dhotrey , 27.0499° N, 088.1093° E, 2531 m, 05. XI. 2018 , 2054 m; 8 ♂♂, Khopidara , 27.00525° N, 088.1189° E, 2054 m, 06. XI. 2018; coll. K. Bhattacharyya & team.

Diagnosis: Wing expanse: Male: 36–38 mm. The species is unmistakable with white head and thorax, forewing ground colour being pale olive to ochreous-brown. A white-bordered black streak between subbasal and antemedial line below median nervure. Orbicular and reniform black and white-bordered and filled in with olive; distinct blackcentred claviform present; postmedial and submarginal lines whitish, defined by black and the latter originating from an olive apical patch. Hindwing pale fuscous, underside with distinct cell spot and postmedial line.

Male genitalia: Uncus long; elongated valva with bulbous cucullus, a distinct costal flap and broad sacculus. Aedeagus with two tiny carinal spines and vesica with robust claw-like cornutus.

Distribution: India: Sikkim, West Bengal ( Moore 1882; Hampson 1908). Global: Bhutan ( Dudgeon 1905).

Bionomics: A very restricted-range species known mainly from Central Himalaya, within a narrow altitudinal range of 1900–2500 m, preferably in Wet Temperate Forest, and active only during post-monsoon months of October–December. The species was only observed in areas having annual precipitation and annual mean temperature range of 2400–2800 mm and 14–16 ºC respectively.

NCBI GenBank accession No.: MT219965 , MT219966 , MT219968

Figures

FIGURES 11–18. Habitus images of Phlogophora spp. 11. Phlogophora albovittata (Moore, 1867); 12. Phlogophora pectinata (Warren, 1888); 13. Phlogophora subpurpurea Leech, 1900 (dorsal); 14. Phlogophora subpurpurea Leech, 1900 (ventral); 15. Phlogophora calamistrata (Moore, 1882); 16. Phlogophora plumbeola (Hampson, 1894); 17. Phlogophora striatovirens (Moore, 1867); 18. Phlogophora discisignata (Moore, 1867)*. *Image procured from Dr Péter Gyulai, Hungary, through personal correspondence.

FIGURES 39–46. Male genitalia images of Phlogophora spp. 39–40. Phlogophora pectinata (Warren, 1888), Uttarakhand, Gen. prep. WHLEP_133; 41–42. Phlogophora subpurpurea Leech, 1900, Uttarakhand, Gen. prep. AS/CK31/3/03.VI.18/8; 43–44. Phlogophora calamistrata (Moore, 1882), Sikkim, Gen. prep. KB/DZ19/1/24.XI.19/11; 45–46. Phlogophora plumbeola (Hampson, 1894), Uttarakhand, Gen. prep. GLA_4.2.