Lemyra (Thyrgorina) rhodophila ( Walker, 1864 )

Singh, Harsimranjeet, Raha, Angshuman, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2024, Taxonomic review of the genus Lemyra Walker (Erebidae: Arctiinae) from India, Zootaxa 5454 (1), pp. 1-69 : 21

Lemyra (Thyrgorina) rhodophila ( Walker, 1864) : 294 ( Spilosoma )

( Figs 51, 52 , 153, 154 )

TL: Hindostan [ India]

Material Examined: India , West Bengal: [Darjeeling district], Kurseong , 1 ♂, 28.iv.1995, A.P.S. Kaleka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12834/H10); Manebhanjyang, 2 ♂, 16.ix.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12830/H10); [Kalimpong district], Jhandi, 1 ♂, 10.ix.2018, S. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12835/H10); Rishop, 1 ♂, 12.ix.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12828/H10), 7 ♂, 13.ix.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12829/H10); [Alipurduar district], Jayanti, 1 ♂, 24.ix.2018, R. Lenka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12831/H10) ; Arunachal Pradesh: [West Kameng district], Bomdila , 3 ♂, 25.vi.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12827/H10), 1 ♂, 27.vi.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12826/H10) ; Sikkim: [East Sikkim district], Gangtok , 1 ♂, 11.ix.2003, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12833/H10) ; Jammu and Kashmir: [Baramulla district], Uri , 1 ♂, 10.v.2014, D.P. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12832/H10) .

Diagnosis: Forewing Length: ♂ 19 mm. Lemyra (T.) rhodophila and the next nine species: L. (T.) melanosoma , L. (T.) nigrifrons , L. (T.) kaikarisi , L. (T.) spilosomata , L. (T.) multivittata , L. (T.) pseudoburmanica and the three new species described herein share in common the whitish ground colour and a single patch of spines on vesica. Externally, Lemyra (T.) rhodophila ( Figs 51, 52 ) is reminiscent of an unrelated species, L. (T.) rubidorsa ( Figs 21, 22 ), but is distinct due to presences of dorsal black spots on each abdominal segment, whereas, in L. (T.) rubidorsa , abdomen is without any spot. In male genitalia, L. (T.) rhodophila is distinct from its closely similar species (mentioned above) by smaller size of spines in the distal patch of vesica.

Distribution. Indian records: Manipur, Nagaland, Northwest Himalaya, Sikkim ( Hampson 1894, Dubatolov 2010, Singh et al. 2021), Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal (present study). Global records: Tibet (western slopes of Himalaya in Zhangmu), China (Sichuan), Myanmar (Kambaiti), Nepal ( Dubatolov 2010, de Freina & Thomas 2015).

Remarks: In India, L. (T.) rhodophila is so far reported from central Himalaya (Sikkim) and North West Himalaya. Herein, our record of L. (T.) rhodophila from Arunachal Pradesh expands its known range towards East Himalaya. The species is found to fly within an altitude range of 1200–2600 m in the subtropical dry evergreen forest of Northwest Himalaya, sub-Himalayan secondary wet mixed forest and East Himalayan wet temperate forest of central and East Himalaya.

Figures

FIGURES 43–52. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 43–44. L. cornutiata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Ganeshgudi, Karnataka, India); 45–46. L. orhanti, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Chendruni, Kerala, India); 47–48. L. coorgensis, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Madikeri, Karnataka, India); 49–50. L. latauncus, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Madikeri, Karnataka, India). 51–52. L. rhodophila, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Manebhanjyang, West Bengal, India).

FIGURES 143–154. Genitalia of Lemyra spp. 143–144. L. saputarensis, male: 143, ventral view, 144, Aedeagus; 145–146. L. cornutiata, male: 145, ventral view, 146, Aedeagus. 147– 148. L. orhanti, male: 147, ventral view, 148, Aedeagus; 149–150. L. coorgensis, male: 149, ventral view, 150, Aedeagus; 151–152. L. latauncus, male: 151, ventral view, 152, Aedeagus; 153– 154. L. rhodophila, male: 153, ventral view, 154, Aedeagus.

FIGURES 21–31. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 21–22. L. rubidorsa, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Rishop, West Bengal, India); 23–24. L. Proteus, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Wokha, Nagaland, India); 25. L. magnaproteus, syn. nov., male, dorsal side, (Wokha, Nagaland, India); 26. L. bimaculata, male, dorsal side, (Munsiyari, Uttarakhand, India); 27. L. bimaculata (HT of L. kodai), male, dorsal side, (Loharkhet, Uttarakhand, India); 28. L. bimaculata (HT of L. crispens), male, dorsal side, (Loharkhet, Uttarakhand, India); 29. L. bimaculata (HT of L. saccuens), male, dorsal side, (Loharkhet, Uttarakhand, India); 30. Lemyra pseudobimaculata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Tawaghat, Uttarakhand, India); 31. L. tawaghatensis, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Tawaghat, Uttarakhand, India).