Phlogophora humilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998

Bandyopadhyay, Uttaran, Dey, Rushati, Bhattacharyya, Kamalika, Mallick, Kaushik, Mazumder, Arna, Gayen, Subrata, Das, Moumita, Raha, Angshuman, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar, Kumar, Vikas, Uniyal, Virendra Prasad & Chandra, Kailash, 2021, Taxonomy and ecology of genus Phlogophora Treitschke, 1825 (Lepidoptera Noctuidae) in Indian Himalaya with description of a new species, Zootaxa 5004 (2), pp. 311-342 : 323

Phlogophora humilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998

[ Fig. 5 , 27, 28 ]

Phlogophora humilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998 , in Haruta, Tinea , 15: 259.

Type locality: Lal Kharka , Taplejung area [ Nepal] .

Material examined: India: 1 ♂, Sikkim, Dist. West Sikkim, Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Yuksom , 27.37864° N, 088.22087° E, 1879 m, 23. XI. 2019; coll. A. K. Sanyal & team .

1 ♂, West Bengal, Dist. Darjeeling, Singalila National Park, Manedara , 27.1147° N, 088.1000° E, 2168 m, 19. X. 2018 ; 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 29. X. 2018; coll. A. K. Sanyal & team; 2 ♂♂, Palamajua , 27.07071° N, 088.09071° E, 1909 m, 03. XI. 2018; coll. K. Bhattacharyya & team.

Diagnosis: Wing expanse: Male: 36–40 mm, female: 38–40 mm. Almost similar to P. costalis and very difficult to separate from outer morphology. Head, thorax and forewing darker olive-green. The hind wing is much whitish compared to costalis and have a prominent submarginal dark band lacking the postmedial line before it.

Male genitalia: In P. humilis , the male genitalia differ widely from costalis having a much longer and narrower sickle-shaped valva with an acute and curved apex. Shorter, basally inflated harpe and elongated ampulla not crossing the saccular margin are typical to the species. Aedeagus vesica long, with a subterminal scobinated patch.

Distribution: India: Sikkim, West Bengal (Hreblay & Ronkay 1998). Global: Nepal (Hreblay & Ronkay 1998).

Bionomics: Distribution restricted to Central Himalaya, preferably within an altitudinal range of 1900–2500 m, with an annual mean temperature and annual precipitation range of 9–14 ºC and 2300–2500 mm respectively. The species was mainly recorded in wet Temperate and mixed Coniferous forests in the postmonsoon months of October and November.

Figures

FIGURES 3–10. Habitus images of Phlogophora spp. 3. Phlogophora nobilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998; 4. Phlogophora costalis (Moore, 1882); 5. Phlogophora humilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998; 6. Phlogophora meticulodina (Draudt, 1950)*; 7. Phlogophora conservuloides (Hampson, 1898); 8. Phlogophora distorta (Moore, 1881); 9. Phlogophora szecsenyii (Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998); 10. Phlogophora sinuata (Moore, 1882). *Image procured from Dr Péter Gyulai, Hungary, through personal correspondence.

FIGURES 23–30. Male genitalia images of Phlogophora spp. 23–24. Phlogophora nobilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998, West Bengal, Gen. prep. SN/MND21/1/29.X.18/60; 25–26. Phlogophora costalis (Moore, 1882), West Bengal, Gen. prep. SN/ GAR24_2/2/21.V.18/37; 27–28. Phlogophora humilis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998, West Bengal, Gen. prep. SN/PAL19_1/1/03. XI.18/166; 29–30. Phlogophora meticulodina (Draudt, 1950), Sichuan, China, Gen. prep. GYP 5267*. *Image procured from Dr Péter Gyulai, Hungary, through personal correspondence.