Endotricha sikkima Ranjan, N. Singh & Kirti, 2023

Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2023, On the taxonomy of genus Endotricha Zeller (Pyralinae, Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) with description of three new species from India, Zootaxa 5323 (1), pp. 56-70 : 65

Endotricha sikkima Ranjan, N. Singh & Kirti , sp. nov.

( Figs 11 , 24 )

Type locality: Dodak (Sikkim, India)

Material examined:

Holotype (♁). India, Sikkim, Dodak , 24.ix.2014 (13272/H10), R. Ranjan leg. (NZCZSI).

Paratypes (13 ♁). India, Sikkim: Yuksom, 1 ♁, 02.v.2014 (13273/H10), Gangtok, 2 ♁, 29.v.2013 (13274/ H10), Golitar , 4 ♁, 30.iv.2014 (13275/H10), Mangan , 1 ♁, 24.iv.2014 (13276/H10), 2 ♁, 25.iv.2014 (13277/H10), Dzongu , 1 ♁, 28.iv.2014 (13278/H10) ; Arunachal Pradesh: Sessa , 1 ♁, 12.v.2013 (13279/H10), R. Ranjan leg. (NZCZSI) .

Diagnosis: Externally, E. sikkima sp. nov. ( Fig. 11 ) is closely similar to E. mesenterialis species-group (sensu Whalley 1963), but is distinct by the absence of a basal process of the antennae. In male genitalia, E. sikkima sp. nov. ( Fig. 24 ) is distinct by the presence of a robust cornutus in the vesica, which is absent in all other species of the group ( Whalley 1963).

Description: Male. Forewing length 8 mm. Labial palpi upturned, reaching up to frons, covered with loosely packed brown and white scales; vertex brownish with some paler scales; collar purplish brown; patagia black, reaching well beyond thorax. Forewing purplish pink, basal area darker with blackish scales towards costal area; antemedial black line curved, boarding basal dark area; a subcostal, brown, elongate oval patch beyond antemedial line to submarginal black line. Discocellular with black scales. Hindwing pinkish-purple, with fuscous scales; costal, subcostal area paler; a medial, indistinct paler band, bordered with some blackish scales. Cilia long, yellowish with purplish pink and fuscous bases; subapical patch of cilia purely yellowish.

Male genitalia with uncus T-shaped, apico-lateral arms long downwardly curved, densely setose; socii upwardly directed. Gnathos cuneate. Dorsal portion of valva membranous, densely covered with inwardly directed and piliform scales; area posterior to costa weakly sclerotised; protrusion emerging from the centre of valva pointing towards dorsal end of sacculus base; sacculus broad at base, narrowing distally. Tegumen broad at base. Transtilla sclerotised, constricted medially. Juxta elongate, almost rectangular with patches of spines apically. Vinculum squarish. Phallus elongated, vesica with a long spined cornutus with patch of scobination.

Female unknown.

Distribution: The new species is so far reported to be distributed in Indian Himalaya (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim).

Etymology: The species epithet refers to the Indian state of Sikkim, where its type locality is situated. A noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Adult of Endotricha spp. (All India). 9, Sikkim, Ribdi (8778/H10); 10, Sikkim, Yuksom, HT (13270/H10); 11, Sikkim, Dodak, HT (13272/H10); 12, Sikkim, Mangan (8772/H10); 13, Mizoram, Hmuifang (8775/H10); 14, Meghalaya, Cherrapunji (8844/H10); 15, Sikkim, Dodak (8839/H10); 16, Sikkim, Dzongu, HT (13283/H10). Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURES 23–28. Male genitalia of Endotricha spp. 23, Sikkim, Dzongu, HT (13270/H10); 24, Sikkim, Dodak, HT (13272/ H10); 25, Sikkim, Mangan (8772/H10); 26, Mizoram, Hmuifang (8775/H10); 27, Meghalaya, Cherrapunji (8844/H10); 28, Sikkim, Dzongu, HT (13283/H10).