Parasa herbifera Walker

Katewa, Amit & Pathania, P. C., 2019, Genitalic studies of four Limacodid species (Limacodidae Lepidoptera) including the description of a new species from Western Ghats, India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 119 (4), pp. 373-380 : 377

Parasa herbifera Walker

( Plate 3 , Photo A, Figures. B-F)

Parasa herbifera Walker 1855 . List. Lep. Ins. br. Mus. 5: 1136.

Parasa fumosa Swinhoe, P.Z.S. 1889, p. 408 , pl. 43. fig. 12.

Male: Alar expanse: 23 mm. Vertex pea-green, frons brown; antennae bipectinate, basal one-third strongly bipectinate, pale brown, scape brown scaled; labial palpus expanding upto frons, brown scaled, pale yellow scales on inner side, second segment larger than first and third, tip with pale yellow scales; thorax pea-green throughout; forewing with costa straight, apex rounded, termen oblique, convex, basal two-third dark purplish brown, outer margin light brown; hindwing rounded, purplish brown, cilia on termen dark brown, costa pale brown; legs covered with brown scales, scattered white scales throughout, hairy; abdomen brown dorsally, yellowish brown ventrally.

Male genitalia: Uncus well sclerotized, broad at base, tapering towards tips, slightly wavy at dorsal side, a membranous structure present at ventral side, a bunch of spines present, tip ending to a small spine; gnathos prominent, biarmed at base, tip pointed; tegumen V-shaped moderately broad, well sclerotized; vinculum short, V-shaped, saccus well developed, valva simple, costa and sacculus well differentiated, ampulla and harpae absent, cucullus and valvulla not separated from each other, tip of valva membranous setosed with well formed setae; juxta almost rectangular, transtilla weakly sclerotized, aedeagus long and narrow, aedeagus deeply bent near anterior end, whip-like, ductus ejaculatorius enters subapically.

Female genitalia: Not studied.

Material examined: Karnataka: Dist. Belgaum, FRH, Londa , 420m , 24.iii.2003, 01 ♂; Dist. Kodagu, Baghamandala , 900m , 25.xi.2003, 03 ♂♂, Dist. Uttar Kannada, Ganeshgudi , 480m , 13.xi.2003, 01 ♂, 21.vii.2004, 01 ♂, 16.x.2005, 01 ♂; Dist. Kodagu, Sampaje , 100m ,

13.xi.2002, 01 ♂; Gujarat: Dist. The Dangs, Saputara , 970m , 30.ix.2005, 04 ♂♂; Dist. The Dangs, Ahwa , 520m ,

27.xi.2005, 01 ♂, coll. A. Katewa and Party.

Distribution: Nepal, Nilgiris ( Hampson, 1892).

Remarks: The species P. herbifera Walker has conspicuous coloration of its forewing and hindwing and, this coloration separates it from other species described under this genus by Hampson (1892). The presently collected specimens are smaller than those referred by Hampson (30mm). However, on the basis of morphological characters, particularly coloration and venation, the species has been identified as P. herbifera Walker.

Figures

Plate 3. Parasa herbifera Walker: (A) adult, (B) male genitalia (ventral view), (C) aedeagus, (D) uncus, (E) valva, (F) uncus and gnathos (lateral view).