Plutodes subcaudata Butler, 1880: 224

Singh, Manpreet, Raha, Angshuman, Mallick, Kaushik, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2023, A review of the genus Plutodes Guenée (Geometridae: Ennominae) from India with description of one new species, Zootaxa 5323 (4), pp. 499-523 : 509-511

Plutodes subcaudata Butler, 1880: 224

( Figs 12–13 , 40–42 )

TL: Darjiling [Darjeeling] (West Bengal, India)

Material examined: India, Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley dist.: 1 ♂, DDBR, Cheepe , 8.vii.2016, leg. A. K. Sanyal & party (13659/H10, NZCZSI). Sikkim, South Sikkim dist.: 1 ♀, Ravangla , 23.vii.2019, leg. R. Lenka & party (13660/H10, NZCZSI) . West Bengal, Kalimpong dist.: 1 ♂, Rishop , 13.ix.2018, leg. R. Lenka & party (13661/ H10, NZCZSI); Darjeeling dist.: 2 ♂, Echey Gaon , 15.ix.2018, leg. R. Lenka & party (13662/H10, NZCZSI); 1 ♀, Maneybhanjang , 16.ix.2018, leg. M. Singh (13663/H10, NZCZSI) .

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 16–18 mm, ♀ 16–17 mm. The wing pattern of P. subcaudata is unique among the congeners and easily recognizable by the distal patch of forewing extended below to a distinct narrow stalk to meet the inner margin. The rufous patches on the wings are traversed by distinct irregular darker rufous lines, as present and specifically distinct in most other species of Plutodes . The distal patch on the hindwing has a distinctly irregular inner border and is joined with the narrow basal area at the anal angle, with a kind of eye-spot at tornus, somewhat similar to P. exquisita Butler, 1880 . The male genitalia have a distinctively long and twisted sacculus which is sharply angled near the base, then highly concave and distally extended with a sharp elbow, terminating into a slender, acute process. The aedeagus vesica has a conspicuous row of large, tooth-shaped cornuti forming a ring. In female genitalia, papilla analis elongated, squarish; anterior apophysis nearly two-third the length of posterior apophysis; ostium round, weakly sclerotized; ductus bursae narrow, rod-like, sclerotized; corpus bursae constricted and twisted proximally, large, globular and slightly sclerotized distally with minute scobinations.

Distribution: India: Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya (Khasis), Sikkim, West Bengal ( Butler 1880, Hampson 1895, Pathania et al. 2021). Global: Nepal ( Yazaki 1992).

Remarks: To date, the species is reported from the central and eastern part of Himalayas in India indicating its preference for the mid and upper montane semi-evergreen forests up to 2200 m altitude. The male genitalia of this species are discussed and illustrated here for the first time. Our study has uncovered a new location for this species in Arunachal Pradesh, adding to its known distribution range.

Figures

FIGURES 10–17. Habitus of Plutodes spp. 10–11, P. nilgirica, male, Kalakad WLS (Image source, Dr. D. Sţning); 12–13, P. subcaudata, male, Darjeeling (Image source, Dr. D. Sţning); 14–15, P. exquisita, female, Singtam; 16–17, P. flavescens, male, Singtam. Ventral sides: 11, 13, 15, 17.

FIGURES 37–43. Genitalia of Plutodes spp. 37–39, P. nilgirica, male, Munnar: 37, ventral view, 38, valva, 39, aedeagus (vesica not everted); 40–41, P. subcaudata, male, Rishop: 40, ventral view, 41, aedeagus; 42, ditto, female, Ravangla; 43, P. exquisita, female, Singtam (corpus bursae torn). (diagnostic characters indicated by black lines).