Clepsis laetornata (Wang Li & Wang, 2003 )

Naik, Santhosh & Shashank, P. R., 2024, Discovery of two new species and three new records of the tribe Archipini (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from India, Zootaxa 5492 (3), pp. 409-420 : 412-413

Clepsis laetornata (Wang Li & Wang, 2003)

( Fig. 1B–C , 2B , 3C–D , 4E–F )

Type locality: China, (Yunnan Province, Weishan County)

Holotype: NUTC (♂)

Diagnosis. Clepsis laetornata (Wang Li & Wang, 2003) is closely related to Clepsis rurinana (Linnaeus) , but can be distinguished from it by basal blotch on the surface of the forewing very large and distinct; uncus shorter and much stronger than that of the latter species; phallus much slender, laterally without subterminal denticle.

Description. Head. Ocellus moderate, well developed and brownish black compound eyes. Head brownish dusted with pale brownish, face brownish. Vertex and dorsal part of frons clothed with long pale ochreous brownish rough, upwardly projected scales.Ventral part of frons region covered with small, flat, upwardly raised pale brownish ochreous scales. Labial palpi slender, clothed with forwardly projected pale yellowish scales, first segment clothed with ochreous cream, tinged with whitish cream scales; second segment long and curved, ochreous interspersed with long pale brownish yellow along dorsal margin from base to near apex; small third segment, porrect with long ochreous brown scale. Antenna filiform, pale ochreous, cilia not visible. Chaetosemata present.

Thorax: Pronotal collar, tegulae, mesonotum, and posterior crest brownish mixed with pale yellowish orange scales; legs unmodified, middle legs with a pair of tibial spurs; hind tibia covered with dense, white scales interspersed with light brown scales, inner margin with tuft of brown scales. Wings: Forewing (wingspan 14–16 mm; n= 7) sub rectangular, slightly widening distally, strongly sinuate and slightly convex from basal 1/3; pale brown ground color with three prominent dark brown band at basally, medially and apically. Hindwing pale brown with concolor cilia along the apical and anal margin. Wing venation: Forewing with all the veins separated beyond the discal cell, R4 and R5 stalked, CuP remain at margin. Hindwing with Rs and M1 connate basally, M3 and CuA2 connate basally, CuP distinct.

Abdomen: Dorsal surface pale brown, ventral surface pale yellow with ochreous brown annual tufts. Male genitalia: Uncus medium, moderately sclerotized, distinctly broadened at middle, obtuse apically; tegumen broad, sub rectangular; socius small; gnathos sclerotized indistinct lateral plate; gnathal hooks sclerotized band from tegumen shoulder join medially and pointed; sacculus narrow, slightly convex near base with minute setae; valva subrectangular, with densely setose inner margin; transtilla lobes large, spinose; juxta medium, heart shaped, rounded base; anellus cup-shaped and fused with phallus; vinculum medium, slightly sclerotized. Phallus elongated and narrow towards apex. Female genitalia: Papillae anales medium, narrow with setae; posterior apophyses almost as long as anterior apophyses; sterigma large, slightly sclerotized, forming a large cup shaped plate; ostium small oval shaped slit opening sclerotized; ductus bursae broad, membranous with scelerotised band run along with its length; corpus bursae rounded sac like membrane with signum large, horn-shaped, inner side with denticles.

Material studied. India: CPGSAS, Umiam : Meghalaya; (25°40’42’’ N, 91°54’42’’E, 1520 MSL), 3♂ and 1♀, 16.iii.2021, Mercury vapour lamp coll. Santhosh Naik G & Sunil ; India: Karnataka: Chikkamagaluru: N B Colony (13°35’00’’N, 75°46’51’’E, 12 MSL), 1♀, 18.ix.2020, Mercury vapour lamp coll. Santhosh Naik G ; India: Himachal Pradesh: Kinnaur: Kalpa (31°53’77’’ N, 78°27’54’’E, 2960 MSL), 1♂, 15.viii.2020, Mercury vapour lamp coll. Shashank P R ; India: Kerala: Ernakulum: Pindimana (10°10’51’’ N, 76°62’68’’E, 680 MSL), 1♂, 18xi.2016, Mercury vapour lamp coll. Shashank P R ; genitalia slide no. L00051156 (♂), L00051157 (♀).

Distribution. India (Meghalaya, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala).

Remarks. The specific name comes from the Latin word, laetus (distinct) and ornatus (ornate), corresponding to the distinct basal blotch, median fascia and subapical blotch in the forewing ( Wang et al., 2003). Until now, ten species of Clepsis have been described from India ( Pathania et al., 2020) namely: C. gemina Razowski, 1979 ; C. humana (Meyrick, 1912) ; C. ingenua (Meyrick, 1912) ; C. kupwari Ganai & Khan, 2017 [nomen nudum]; C. leptograpta (Meyrick, 1924) ; C. melissa ( Meyrick, 1908) ; C. neomelissa Rose & Pooni, 2004 ; C. provocata (Meyrick, 1912) ; C. rurinana (Linnaeus, 1758) and C. translucida ( Meyrick, 1908) . This study adds one more species to the Indian fauna of Clepsis , including a description of the female and the first illustrations of Indian Clepsis .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus illustrations. A. Choristoneura ribhoiensis sp. nov. (holotype, male); B. Clepsis laetornata (male); C. Clepsis laetornata (female); D. Diplocalyptis ferruginimixta (male); E. Diplocalyptis operosa (male); F. Terthreutis subrectangulus sp. nov. (holotype, male). Scale bar = 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Labial palpi. A. Choristoneura ribhoiensis sp. nov. (holotype, male); B. Clepsis laetornata (male); C. Diplocalyptis ferruginimixta (male); D. Diplocalyptis operosa (male); E. Terthreutis subrectangulus sp. nov. (holotype, male). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Wing venation; Choristoneura ribhoiensis sp. nov. (holotype, male) (A. Forewing, B. Hindwing); Clepsis laetornata (C. Forewing, D. Hindwing)); Diplocalyptis ferruginimixta (E. Forewing, F. Hindwing); Diplocalyptis operosa (G. Forewing, H. Hindwing); Terthreutis subrectangulus sp. nov. (holotype, male) (I. Forewing, J. Hindwing). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Choristoneura ribhoiensis sp. nov. (A. Male genitalia, B. Uncus, C. Transtilla process, D. Phallus); Clepsis laetornata (E. Male genitalia, F. Female genitalia). Scale bar A, E, F= 0.5 mm; B, C, D= 0.1 mm.