Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana Wileman, 1910

Mazumder, Arna, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar, Schintlmeister, Alexander, Gayen, Subrata, Chandra, Kailash & Raha, Angshuman, 2022, New records of Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) from India, Zootaxa 5092 (2), pp. 191-208 : 193

Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana Wileman, 1910

[ Fig. 6 A ; Fig. 7 A–C]

1910. Tarsolepis taiwana Wileman, Entom. , 43: 138.

2013. Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana ; Schintlmeister, World Cat. Ins., 11: 451.

TL: Nantou [ Taiwan]; TD: NHMUK

Material examined: India: 1 ♂, Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley dist., Dihang-Dibang BR, Anini , Brango , 1467 m, 28.9382 °N, 95.8169 °E, 09. IV. 2018, leg. R. Ranjan & G. N. Das .

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 27 mm. The genus Tarsolepis containing 15 globally known species is divided into three subgenera with five species till now reported from India viz. subgenus Tarsolepis including T. remicauda remicauda Butler, 1872 , subgenus Tarsolepisoides comprising T. japonica Wileman & South, 1917, T. malayana Nakamura, 1976 and T. rufobrunnea Rothschild, 1917 and subgenus Megashachia containing T. fulgurifera (Walker, 1858) . All species of the genus Tarsolepis can easily be recognized by having large, triangular silvery spots on the forewing, apical tuft of spatulate scales in abdomen, pair of brushes of red hairs on the underside of abdomen; male genitalia are characterized by prominent bifurcate uncus with paired socii. Tarsolepis taiwana can be easily diagnosed from its congeners by having an additional prominent small, dorsal, silver spot with a bifurcate end, towards the inner margin at the base of forewing. The male genitalia of T. taiwana are typified by having a much broader valvae apex and elongated, slender, apically curved harpe.

Remarks: Although intraspecific variation in the male genitalia of T. taiwana is not mentioned in previous literature, some recognizable differences are found, such as more roundish apex of valvae, more robust and inwardly curved harpe and the weaker medial depression of the distal part of 8 th sternite in our specimen when compared to that in Taiwanese specimen as illustrated in Schintlmeister (2008). Outside Taiwan, the species was so far known to be locally restricted within South China, Vietnam and Thailand ( Schintlmeister 2008). The newly reported record extends its known range farther westward up to Subtropical Wet Evergreen Forests of eastern Arunachal Pradesh ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map showing distributions of Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana and Pseudosomera noctuiformis yunwu with their Type localities.

FIGURE 6. Adult males of Notodontidae spp. new records to India,A. Tarsolepis (Tarsolepis) taiwana, B. Ogulina ochrocinerea, C. Odnarda leechi, D. Torona lucida, E. Syntypistis synechochlora, F. S. witoldi, G. Pseudosomera noctuiformis yunwu, H. Himalodontosia mahendra, I. Periphalera albicauda, J. Ptilodon amplius.