Lemyra (Thyrgorina) neglecta ( Rothschild, 1910 )

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 : 7-9

Lemyra (Thyrgorina) neglecta ( Rothschild, 1910) : 121 ( Diacrisia )

( Figs 1–3 , 95–98 )

TL: Sikkim [ India]. Lectotype designated by Hampson (1920)

Material Examined: India, Nagaland: [Kohima district], Kohima , 2 ♂, 14.ix.1994, A.P.S. Kaleka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12511/H10) ; [Phek district], Pfutsero , 1 ♂, 18.ix.94, A.P.S. Kaleka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12512/H10) ; Sikkim: [North Sikkim district], Kalapathar , 2 ♂, 01.ix.2014, D.P. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12514/H10) ; Himachal Pradesh: [Chamba district], Saho , 3 ♂, 12.ix.2006, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12507/H10) ; Pukhri , 5 ♂, 13.ix.2006, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12506/H10) ; [Kullu district], Kullu, GHNP, Khain , 4 ♂, 15.vi.2017, K. Mallick leg. ( NZCZSI; 12508/ H10) ; Jammu and Kashmir: [Ramban district], Patnitop , 2 ♂, 28.viii.1994 ( NZCZSI; 12510/H10), A.P.S. Kaleka leg. Arunachal Pradesh: [West Kameng district], Bomdila , 1 ♂, 23.viii.2006, N. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12513/H10) ; [Tawang district], Jang , 3 ♂, 15.v.2019, R. Lenka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12509/H10) ; Uttarakhand: [Pithoragarh district], Askot WLS, Chipla Kedar , 1 ♂, 30.vi.2018, A.K. Sanyal leg. ( NZCZSI; 12516/H10) ; West Bengal: [Alipurduar district], Jayanti , 1 ♂, 25.ix.2018, R. Lenka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12515/H10) .

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 19 mm. Externally, L. (T.) neglecta ( Figs 1 – 3 ) and nearly thirteen other species in Lemyra have the ground colour of wings whitish with indistinct maculation and abdomen yellowish or reddish in common and thus, are better defined based on external genitalia. Among the species of first group, L. (T.) neglecta is closely similar to L. (T.) melli ( Daniel, 1943) , but is distinguished by a yellow abdomen (reddish in L. (T.) melli ) and in male genitalia, valva is longer, subapical process and apical portion of valva prominent whereas, in L. (T.) melli subapical process and apical portion of valva are reduced ( Thomas 1990: 72, Figs 36, 37 ). In external appearance, L. (T.) neglecta ( Figs 1 – 3 ) is closely similar to two more species distributed in India, L. (T.) nigrifrons ( Walker, 1865) ( Figs 59, 60 ) and L. (T.) melanosoma ( Hampson, 1894) ( Figs 70, 71 ). Among the three, L. (T.) nigrifrons is easier to separate on the basis of its bright yellow tegulae and the ventral side of the abdomen blackish. Lemyra (T.) neglecta and L. (T.) melanosoma are almost indistinguishable externally, but are clearly distinguishable by the male genitalia. In Lemyra (T.) neglecta ( Figs 95, 97 ) uncus is somewhat triangular with a broad base and a gradually tapering apex (in L. (T.) melanosoma ( Fig. 171 ) uncus has a broad, bowl like basal half which abruptly terminates into an acute, pointed apex), valva is shorter and less robust with shorter and more pointed subapical process situated nearer to the apex; aedeagus ( Figs 96, 98 ) vesica with a strong, lateral, spined plate and devoid of any spinous patch (whereas in L. (T.) melanosoma ( Fig. 172 ), vesica has a distal large patch of moderate to long spines and lateral spined plate is absent).

Distribution. Indian records: Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim, South India (Palni Hills, Rampur), West Bengal (Darjeeling) ( Rothschild 1910, Dubatolov 2010, Singh et al. 2021), Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand (present study). Global records: southern Tibet (western slope of Himalaya near Zhangmu), Myanmar, Nepal ( Dubatolov 2010).

Remarks: In the vesica plate of L. (T.) neglecta ( Figs 96, 98 ), we found a variable number of teeth like spines ranging from 3–8 of smaller and larger size. So far, L. (T.) neglecta is reported from Central Himalaya, South India and Northeast India. In the present study, we extend its distributional range to West and East Himalaya. The species is found to prefer lower West Himalayan temperate forests in West Himalaya and in East Himalaya it is observed in East Himalayan wet temperate forest.

Group B: Vesica with lateral spined plate and single patch of spines

Figures

FIGURES 1–11. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 1–2, L. neglecta, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Jang, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 3. ditto, dorsal side, male (Pfutsero, Nagaland, India); 4–5, L. rubripecta sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Old Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 6. L. rubripecta sp. nov., female, dorsal side (Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 7. L. biseriata, female, dorsal side, (Jatinga, Assam, India); 8–9. ditto, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Kohima, Nagaland, India); 10–11. L. densimacula sp. nov., male, dorsal and ventral sides (Kohima, Nagaland, India).

FIGURES 95–106. Genitalia of Lemyra spp. 95–96. L. neglecta, male: 95, ventral view, 96. Aedeagus; 97–98. ditto; 99–100. L. rubripecta sp. nov., holotype male: 99, ventral view, 100, Aedeagus; 101–102. L. biseriata, male: 101, ventral view, 102, Aedeagus; 103–104. L. densimacula sp. nov., holotype male: 103, ventral view, 104, Aedeagus; 105–106. L. flavalis, male: 105, ventral view, 106, Aedeagus.

FIGURES 32–42. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 32–33. L. bucseki, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Vazula, Himachal Pradesh); 34–35. L. eximia, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Kutta, Karnataka, India); 36. ditto, female, dorsal side (Kutta, Karnataka, India); 37–38. L. spinisinferma, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Vallakadavu, Kerala, India); 39–40. L. malshejensis, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Malshej Ghat, Maharashtra, India); 41–42. L. saputarensis, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Saputara, Gujarat, India).

FIGURES 53–62. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 53–54. L. fortiorspina sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 55–56. L. apatani sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Old Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 57–58. L. adunca sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Rishop, West Bengal, India); 59–60. L. nigrifrons, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Singalila NP, Gairibas, West Bengal, India); 61–62. L. kaikarisi, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Pfutsero, Nagaland, India).

FIGURES 63–73. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 63–64. L. spilosomata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Ahwa, Gujarat, India); 65–66. L. multivittata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Jhandi, West Bengal, India); 67. ditto, female, dorsal side (Manebhanjyang, West Bengal, India); 68–69. L. pseudoburmanica, male, dorsal side and ventral sides (Devikulam, Kerala, India). 70–71. L. melanosoma, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Mangan, Sikkim, India); 72–73. L. persephone, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Yoksum, Sikkim, India).

FIGURES 167–178. Genitalia of Lemyra spp. 167–168. L. multivittata, male: 167, ventral view, 168, Aedeagus; 169–170. L. pseudoburmanica, male: 169, ventral view, 170, Aedeagus; 171–172. L. melanosoma, male: 171, ventral view, 172, Aedeagus; 173–174. L. persephone, male: 173, ventral view, 174, Aedeagus; 175–176. L. nigrescens, male: 175, ventral view, 176, Aedeagus; 177–178. L. collarlis, syn. nov., male: 177, ventral view, 178, Aedeagus.