Odnarda leechi ( Schintlmeister, 1997 ) Mazumder & Sanyal & Schintlmeister & Gayen & Chandra & Raha, 2022

Mazumder, Arna, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar, Schintlmeister, Alexander, Gayen, Subrata, Chandra, Kailash & Raha, Angshuman, 2022, New records of Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) from India, Zootaxa 5092 (2), pp. 191-208 : 195-196

Odnarda leechi ( Schintlmeister, 1997) comb. nov.

[ Fig. 6 C ; Fig. 7 G–I]

1997. Besaia (Curuzza) leechi Schintlmeister, Ent. fauna, 9: 69.

2013. Biula (Odnarda) leechi ; Schintlmeister, World Cat. Ins., 11: 59.

TL: Vietnam; TD: in collection of A. Schintlmeister, Dresden

Material examined: India: 1 ♂, Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley dist., Dihang-Dibang BR, Anini, Amika, 3070 m, 28.7641 °N, 95.9611 °E, 05. VI. 2018 ; 1 ♂, Ahipu , 3800 m, 28.7716 °N, 95.9488 °E, 12. VI. 2018, leg. S. Gayen & Team .

Diagnosis: Kobayashi and Nonaka (2016) treated Odnarda sinica ( Kiriakoff, 1962) as the representative taxon to revive Odnarda Kiriakoff, 1962 as a full genus from the subgeneric status under the then extended concept of genus Biula Walker, 1857 on the basis of male genitalia and wing pattern. The basic structure of the 8 th abdominal segment in the male genitalia is one of the simplest, yet best morphological synapomorphy for the species belonging to a genus in Notodontidae . The basic pattern of not only the 8 th abdominal segment, but the entire male genitalia of Biula (Odnarda) leechi ( Schintlmeister, 1997) is similar to that of O. sinica which undoubtedly groups these two species in the genus Odnarda . Therefore, Odnarda leechi ( Schintlmeister, 1997) is being used as a new combination in this study.

Forewing length: ♂ 19.5–20.5 mm. Odnarda leechi belonging to the cryptic sinica -complex, resembles closely to O. sinica ( Kiriakoff, 1962) , O. frugalis ( Leech, 1898) and O. alboflavida ( Bryk, 1949) . Among these, O. leechi is practically indistinguishable from O. sinica externally except its paler colouration. Odnarda frugalis has even darker colouration than both O. leechi and O. sinica . Distinct blackish markings near the forewing apex present in O. frugalis is obsolete in the other three species mentioned here. Odnarda leechi lacks the median prominent shadow and postmedian double rows of blackish specks as present in O. alboflavida . In the male genitalia, the threearmed soccii is the best character to distinguish O. leechi from the other three species which have two-armed soccii. Moreover, the elongated, deeply bilobed uncus, crescent shaped sclerotization in valve sacculus and more apically curved phallus are also typical to O. leechi .

Remarks: Minor differences in the male genitalia of our specimens are observed when compared with that of Vietnam specimens as illustrated in Schintlmeister (1997). The tegumen in the Vietnamese specimen is slightly broader and the 8 th tergite is more deeply bilobed than those in our specimens. This species was described from North Vietnam within altitudinal range of 1600–2250 m ( Schintlmeister 1997). It was later found in China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet up to 3000 m) ( Schintlmeister 2008) and Myanmar (pers. obs.). The present record from Arunachal Pradesh not only extends its distribution limit, but also the altitudinal range of the species ( Fig. 3 ). Within Eastern Himalayan landscape, the species was particularly active in Sub-alpine Birch-Fir Forest distributed from 3000 to 3800 m altitudinal range. Moreover, the species will be the fourth under the genus Odnarda , known until now by O. basistriga ( Moore, 1879) , O. nigrofasciata ( Hampson, 1892) and O. tamurensis ( Nakamura, 1974) from India, all the species being exclusively Himalayan in distribution.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Map showing distributions of Odnarda leechi and Torona lucida with their Type localities.

FIGURE 6. Adult males of Notodontidae spp. new records to India,A. Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana, B. Ogulina ochrocinerea, C. Odnarda leechi, D. Torona lucida, E. Syntypistis synechochlora, F. S. witoldi, G. Pseudosomera noctuiformis yunwu, H. Himalodontosia mahendra, I. Periphalera albicauda, J. Ptilodon amplius.