Stigmatophora (Stigmatophora) inanis Seitz, 1913

Volynkin, Anton V., Huang, Si-Yao & Dubatolov, Vladimir V., 2021, A review of the Stigmatophora palmata (Moore, 1878) species-group (Lepidoptera Erebidae: Arctiinae) with description of a new species from China, Zootaxa 4999 (3), pp. 243-257 : 255-256

Stigmatophora (Stigmatophora) inanis Seitz, 1913 , stat. nov.

( Figs 20–23 , 31, 37)

Stigmatophora palmata form inanis Seitz, 1913 , Die Grossschmetterlinge der Erde, 10: 120 (Type locality: [ Pakistan, Punjab] “ Murree ”) .

= Stigmatophora palliduspalmata N. Singh, Kirti & Joshi in Kirti & Singh, 2016, Arctiid moths of India, 2: 112 (Type locality: [ India] “Jammu & Kashmir, Patnitop”), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype (by monotypy) of Stigmatophora palmata form inanis Seitz, 1913 ( Fig. 20 ): female, “Murree. 92-98 Harford Coll.” / “ Stigmatophora palmata ab. inanis Holotype. Seitz, Hampson Ab. 1” / red ring “Type” label / “560”, QR-code label with an NHMUK unique number “010606144” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. PAKISTAN: 1 male, NW Frontier, Sawar Gali , 1900m, 31.VII.1979, leg. W. Thomas ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, Kashmir, Himalaya Mts, 30 km N Murree, near Nathia Ghali , Ayubia , 2600 m, 25–27. VI.1998, leg. Gy. Fábián & B. Herczig ( MWM / ZSM) ; INDIA: 1 male, Sabathu, Simla ( NHMUK) ; 1 male, Kumaon Himalaya, Distr. Naini Tal, Bhim Tal , 1500 m, 27. VI.1971, leg. de Freina ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, the same locality and collector but 05. VI.1971 ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, Kumaon Himalaya, Distr. Naini Tal, Bhim Tal , 1500 m, 27. VI.1971, leg. de Freina ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, the same locality, but 26.IX.1977, leg. F. Smetaček ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, the same locality and collector but 27.III.1979 ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, the same locality and collector but 5.XI.1980, gen. prep. No.: MWM 31401 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, the same locality and collector, but without date, gen. prep. No.: MWM 31400 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; NEPAL: 2 males, Annapurna Himal , 1200 m, 1 km N of Syange, 84´25´´E, 28´24´´N, 07. VI.1996, leg. Hreblay & Szaboky, gen. slide No.: MWM 31474 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, Annapurna Himal , 1000m, 1 km S of Bahundanda, 84°25’E, 28°20’N, 06. VI.1996, leg. Hreblay & Szaboky ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, Annapurna Himal , 850 m, 1 km N of Besisahar, 84´23´´E, 28´14´´N, 05. VI.1996, leg. Hreblay & Szaboky ( MWM / ZSM) ; 2 males, 1 female, Annapurna Himal , 1200 m, 8 km SW of Tatopani, 83´37´´E, 28´27´´N, 25. VI.1996, leg. Hreblay & Szaboky ( MWM / ZSM) ; 4 males, Annapurna Himal, Geirigan village , 1340 m, 83°45´E, 28°20´N, 25. VI.1996, leg. Gy. M. László & G. Ronkay ( MWM / ZSM) ; 3 males, 2 females, Annapurna Himal, valley of Kali Gandaki, 1300 m, near Tatopani , 83°39’E, 28°29’N, 20. VI.1996, leg. Gy. M. László & G. Ronkay ( MWM / ZSM) ; 3 males, 4 females, the same locality and collectors but 03. VI.1996 ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, Ganesh Himal , 2 km W of Thangjet, 21.VII.1995, 2300 m, 85°17’E, 28°10’N,), leg. M. Hreblay & T. Csővári ( MWM / ZSM) .

Remarks. 1. In the original description, Seitz (1913) introduced the name inanis as a form of S. palmata for the ‘aberration’ with a reduced pattern from Murree described by Hampson (1900). According to the article 45.6.4 of ICZN (1999), the name published before 1961 as a ‘form’ is subspecific and therefore valid. Subsequently, Strand (1922) considered this taxon as only an aberration of S. palmata . However, its male and female genitalia are clearly different from those of S. palmata and we hereby upgrade inanis to species level. 2. Seitz (1913) did not mention a number of specimens, but Hampson (1900) cited one female from Murree, therefore we hereby consider the ‘Type’ female specimen from Murree deposited in the NHMUK collection as a holotype by monotypy. 3. The male genitalia of S. palliduspalmata illustrated by Kirti & Singh (2016) display no differences from those of different populations of S. inanis examined therefore we hereby synonymize S. palliduspalmata with S. inanis .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 13–14 mm in males and 13–15 mm in females. The species is similar externally to the pale form of the Taiwanese S. karenkonis but can be distinguished by the postmedial line interrupted into three transverse streaks whereas the postmedial line of S. karenkonis is entire or interrupted only in its fore half. Additionally, the posterior section of the postmedial line of S. inanis is straight and separated from the anal wing margin while that of S. karenkonis is curved outwards and reaching the wing margin. The male genitalia of S. inanis are clearly different from those of other congeners by the short and wide valva (it is narrower and more elongate in other species) and the strongly elongate distal saccular process having a long, thin and pointed tip (it is markedly shorter with a less elongate tip in other species). In the aedeagus vesica, the bases of the largest cornuti are the widest in the species-group. The female genitalia of S. inanis are easily recognizable by their broad distal section of the appendix bursae with a relatively wide tip, whereas the distal sections of the appendices bursae of other species of the species-group are conspicuously tapered with a narrow tip.

Distribution. The species is known from Pakistan (Punjab) ( Seitz 1913), North India (Jammu & Kashmir ( Kirti & Singh 2016, as S. palliduspalmata ) and Uttarakhand) and Nepal.

Figures

FIGURES 16–23. Stigmatophora spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 16, 17, 21–23 in MWM/ZSM; 18 and 19 in ZFMK; 20 in NHMUK (© The Trustees of NHMUK).