Naarda numismata, Tóth, Balázs & Ronkay, László, 2015

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 : 192-193

Naarda numismata sp. n.

male: fig. 50.

Type material. Holotype. ♂: Khasis, Feb. 1895; Nat. Coll.; Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939–1, slide No. BM Noct. 21802♂ (coll. BMNH).

Diagnosis. The closest relative of N. numismata is N. lingualis Tóth & Ronkay, 2015b ( China: Prov. Zhejiang). The new species easily can be distinguished from its sister taxon by the much more reddish ground colour and the much bigger and lighter reniform stigma of the forewing, the much smaller costal lobe of the valva and the much more scobinate vesica of the aedeagus. The other close relative of N. numismata , N. barlowi Holloway, 2008 , can be separated from the new species by its narrower base of valva, the more proximal position of costal lobe and the presence of the apical lobe which is missing from N. numismata .

Description. Wingspan 21 mm, length of forewing 10 mm. Antennae filiform, with setae and cilia on their ventral third; cilia ¾ as long as, setae three times longer than diameter of flagellum, cilia arranged to four bands on each antennal segment. Labial palps slightly more than 2.5 times longer than diameter of eye; 3rd segment indistinct; 2nd segment strongly domed, with equal length of ascending and descending sections. Scale-hood of vertex broad-based, short, semi-circular, ground colour more greyish than rest of head and thorax which are, together with the labial palps, same coloured as forewing. Fore femora slightly swollen and densely haired. Coxae of all legs densely haired. Characteristic wing pattern features: forewing costa minutely concave, its deepest point being slightly proximally of reniform stigma, colouration strikingly monochromatic dark chestnut-red except the stigmata; fringes long, slightly darker than wings, with very narrow, light line at base and another narrow line in distal half; subterminal line marked only by whitish patch at costa and some pinpoint-sized ash-grey dots on veins r4 to cu1; traces of postmedial line visible only between veins r5 and m3, touching reniform stigma; other lines completely absent; reniform stigma large, off-white, circular, with two black dots on crossvein close to borders of stigma; a light grey, mottled, square area between these spots; orbicular stigma big, round, light yellow with narrow dark margin. Hindwing light grey, gradually becoming slightly darker grey towards margins but without any brownish or reddish tone; subterminal line narrow, ash-grey, slightly jagged; other fasciae indistinct; discal spot pale but present; fringe similar to that of forewing but lighter. Male genitalia (fig. 14). Uncus short, apically dilated and slightly bifurcate, with two short and pointed arms and a semi-circular notch between them. Scaphium weak, narrow, slightly shorter than uncus. Tegumen as long as vinculum, saccus very short, truncate. Juxta ca twice longer than broad, ellipsoidal, without any ribs. Valva medium broad and long; basal half strongly, apical half (i.e. the fused structure) slightly tapering; its tip rounded. Costa with rounded triangular, dorsally directed lobe at apical fused part of valva. Sacculus broad-based, abruptly tapering. Aedeagus thick, straight, carina without process, vesica globular, densely scobinate, with smooth dorsal diverticulum and long, straight, broad-based cornutus.

Distribution. India: Khasia Hills.

Etymology. The specific name is explained by the unusually large and round, medal-like reniform stigma.

Taxonomic remarks. A species with particular external characters: the reddish ground colour, the almost complete absence of transverse lines, the white filling and exquisite circular shape of the reniform stigma are all autapomorphies of this taxon. Other morphological features, e.g. the shape of labial palps, the concave costa, the yellow orbicular stigma and the structure of the genitalia assign this taxon to the genus Naarda .