Xyleutes ramamurthyi Yakovlev & Sankararaman, 2021

Yakovlev, Roman V., Sankararaman, Hariharakrishnan, Balaji, Rajasekaran Krishna & Balakrishnan, Valappil, 2021, A world catalogue of Xyleutes Hübner, 1820 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae: Zeuzerinae) with description of a new species from the Western Ghats of India, Zootaxa 5040 (4), pp. 565-574 : 567

Xyleutes ramamurthyi Yakovlev & Sankararaman , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:78FF2A1D-8657-4ADA-B98B-4FCBC900166F

( Fig 2 )

Type material: Holotype ♂, [ INDIA] Kerala, Malappuram, Thottapally , 11°21′52.0″ N, 76°06′30.20″ E, 10.ii.2019, Valappil Balakrishnan & Sankararaman. H. leg., light trap ( UASB) . Paratypes: [India] 2 ♂, Kerala, Malappuram, T.K. colony, 11°14′04.60′′ N, 76°23′19.70′′ E, 25.xii.2020, Valappil Balakrishnan. leg., light trap ( EDAU) .

Diagnosis. This new species is the smallest representative of the genus (males of the previously known species are always bigger than 100 mm in the wingspan); there is a white spot on the fore wing between CuA 2 and CuP (discally); the angle between the upper and lower margins of the valva is distinctly expressed.

Description. MALE. Fore wing length 28–30 mm; wingspan 62–64 mm. (Holotype fore wing length: 30 mm; wingspan 64 mm). Antenna bipectinate in proximal half (seta 3.5–4 times exceeding antenna rod diameter), filiform in distal half. Tegulae and patagia floury-white, thorax brown from above, abdomen brown. Fore wing elongated, apically acute, light-brown, with wide bright black stroke cubitally and black strokes in radial portion (postdiscally), white spot between CuA 2 and CuP (discally); reticulated pattern of thin black strokes throughout all wing area. Hind wing light-brown with thin reticulated pattern of fine black strokes.

Male genitalia. Uncus long, acute apically, beak-like; gnathos arms long, thin, ribbon-like, not fused; valve simple, basally narrow, distally more extended, costal and lower edges of valve relatively smooth; anal angle sharp; juxta robust with long leaf-like lateral processes; saccus oval, of medium size; phallus very big, strongly curved in medium third, with long lobe-like cornutus in lateral surface.

FEMALE. Unknown.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. The second and third author dedicate this species to Dr. Vilayanoor V. Ramamurthy (Retired Professor, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi), a well-known weevil taxonomist, who motivated them to take up insect taxonomy.

Distribution. The sightings in the present study were made from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu ( Fig. 3 ), hence it is likely that X. ramamurthyi sp. nov. is distributed throughout the Western Ghats region, where it is endemic and co-occurring with other two species of Xyleutes , X. personus and X. strix . Apart from the type material, several individuals were observed from the states of Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu. The first sighting of this new species was in January 2012, from Devala, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu (11°47′37.30′′ N, 76°37′87.10′′ E) made by Geetha Iyer (personal communication) during the expedition for documenting moths from Tamil Nadu. Several observations were also made during butterfly and moth surveys conducted in Kerala and Karnataka from 2019–2021 from the Western Ghats, South India. Six individuals were attracted to light trap during December, 2020 survey, at the Aralam wildlife sanctuary, Kannur (11°55′41.74′′ N, 75°54′33.21′′ E). Twelve individuals were attracted to light trap during January, 2021, at Karuvarakundu, Malappuram (11°07′17.37′′ N, 76°20′26.07′′ E). And two individuals were also observed during January, 2020 from Kodagu, Karnataka (12°25′49.69′′ N, 75°44′ 9.98′′ E). No collections were made during these surveys.

Flight period. The flight period of this new species is very specific, since we started recording them from 2019. They emerge from late November to end of February. The population observed on light traps, during January was higher compared to rest of the months.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Xyleutes ramamurthyi Yakovlev & Sankararaman, sp. nov. male holotype: A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Male genitalia (frontal projection). C. Phallus (lateral projection). D–F. Males in the nature (photos by Balakrishnan Valappil). D. from Aralam wildlife sanctuary, Kerala. E. from Aralam wildlife sanctuary, Kerala. F. from T.K. Colony, Kerala. G–H. Habitat. G. T.K. Colony, Malappuram, Kerala (photo by Jishad). H. Aralam wildlife sanctuary, Kannur, Kerala (photo by Balakrishnan Valappil).

FIGURE 3. Distributional map of Xyleutes ramamurthyi Yakovlev & Sankararaman, sp. nov.