Naarda

Tóth, Balázs & Ronkay, László, 2015, Revision of the Palaearctic and Oriental species of the genus Naarda Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Hypeninae). Part 5. Description of 13 new species from Asia, Zootaxa 3925 (2), pp. 179-201 : 190-191

Naarda sp.

male: fig. 46, female: fig. 47.

Material examined. 1 ♂, 1 ♀: “Khasis; Nat. Coll.”; “67. 20. Ex. Coll. Ed. Brabant; 1920.”; “Joicey Bequest. Brit. Mus. 1934–120”; slide No. Hypen. 71B (coll. BMNH).

Diagnosis. Naarda sp. is closely related to N. lancanga but showing conspicuous differences in external appearance: the vertex of the unnamed species is much lighter, the overall appearance of forewing is more variegated; the transverse lines have rougher impression because their corners are rather angular than rounded; the stigmata are paler and larger; the costa and basal field are lighter and the hindwing is more contrasted than in N. lancanga . In the male genitalia of N. sp., the juxta is shorter and the valva lacks the sclerotised triangular field dorsally to the tip of sacculus which is present in N. lancanga .

Description. Wingspan 18–19 mm, length of forewing 9–9.5 mm. Antennae filiform and ciliate with setae; in male setae 1.5 times longer than, cilia as long as diameter of flagellum, in female ciliation very sparse, setae apparently absent. Labial palps in male three times, in female 3.5 times longer than diameter of eye, 3rd segment recognisable with ease, slightly elongate, angular; 2nd segment in male domed, broadest slightly beyond its midpoint; in female dorsal scales lacking; characterisation of shape not possible. Scale-hood of vertex stramineous, lighter than rest of the body, broad-based, semi-circular. Male fore- and midtibiae slightly swollen and hairy. Characteristic wing pattern features: costa of forewing straight in male, forewing broader in male than in female, otherwise sexes similar; ground colour of forewing light greyish-brown except the straw-coloured area between postmedial and antemedial lines below cell; subterminal line straw-coloured, jagged, broad, running halfway between postmedial line and termen; a patch bordered by vein r5, subterminal line and wing margin being very dark brown; postmedial line blackish, narrow, exactly parallel with subterminal; having a dark patch at outer side between veins r4 and m2; medial line marked only by a handful of dark scales close to dorsum; antemedial line narrow, dark, slightly curved; corners of lines angular, not rounded except for antemedial; reniform stigma big, ovoid, minutely paler than ground colour of medial field; two black dots in top and bottom thirds; size of spots varying but that in bottom third always bigger than other spot; orbicular stigma also big, half the size of reniform, both having the same ground colour; facing sections of their edges dark. Hindwing straw-coloured medially from postmedial line, remaining area brownish grey: slightly more grey than corresponding field of forewing; colour of subterminal line like in forewing but running closer to termen than to postmedial line; postmedial line dark, from slightly sinuous to nearly straight; area bordered by postmedial, vein cu2, subterminal and wing margin conspicuously darker than rest of wing; discal mark narrow, lunulate; medial line as indistinct as on forewing. Male genitalia (fig. 12). Capsule, including uncus, missing. Transtilla large, triangular, its dorsal edge convex, right-angled. Juxta relatively strongly sclerotised, narrow. Valva moderately broad-based, with average length, basal 3/4 section tapering, remaining apical part (i.e. the fused structure of sacculus, costa and cucullus) being evenly broad, apically rounded. Sacculus and costa narrow, both without any process or lobe. Aedeagus stout, slightly curved, not tapering. Female genitalia not studied.

Distribution. Both known specimens were collected in the Khasia Hills in India.

Taxonomic remarks. In spite of the clear diagnostic features in external appearance the standard description of the taxon No. Hypen 71B as a new species is not yet possible because the only existing genital slide is in a bad condition. Study of further male specimens would be desirable.