Teulisna ruma (Swinhoe, [1890]), 2023

Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, On the taxonomy of the genus Teulisna Walker from India with a description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5351 (3), pp. 380-388 : 385-387

Teulisna ruma (Swinhoe, [1890]) , stat. rev.

( Figs 9–11 , 16 , 20 )

Cossa ruma Swinhoe, [1890] 1889 , Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London, 1889: 403 (Type locality (hereby fixed by lectotype designation): [W India, Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar] “ Mahableshwar ”).

Type material examined. Lectotype (hereby designated) ( Fig. 11 ): female, “ India | 90–121” / “ Cossa | ruma | Swinhoe | type. ♁” / red ring “Type” label / “90-121” / “2157 | Maha- | bleshwar | 5-87” / QR-code label with unique ID “ NHMUK010401791 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. INDIA: 2 males, 1 female, [Tamil Nadu] Nilgiri Hills, H. L. Andrewes, x.09. 3500 ft. / See diary for data / H.L. Andrewes 212-1935, gen. prep. Nos.: AV7109 (male), AV7112 (female) ( OUMNH) .

Notes. (1) Swinhoe ([1890] 1889) described the species based on a series of specimens from two localities (“Mahableshwar” and “Nilgiri Hills, 6700 feet ”). In order to stabilise the nomenclature, the single female syntype located in the collection of the NHMUK and labelled as “Type” is hereby designated as the lectotype. (2) Cossa ruma was synonymised with T. basigera by Hampson (1900) and since then, was considered as a junior synonym of it ( Strand 1922; Singh et al. 2021). However, the lectotype of ruma is clearly different from the female of T. basigera therefore the former taxon is hereby restored to species level.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 14.5 mm in the male and 16.0– 17 mm in females. Teulisna ruma is most similar to T. munnara sp. n. ( Figs 12–13 ) and the detailed comparison is provided below in the diagnosis of the new species.

Distribution. West and South India (Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu).

Figures

FIGURES 9–13. Teulisna spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 9 and 10 in OUMNH; 11 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 12 and 13 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 16–17. Teulisna spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 16 in OUMNH; 17 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 18–21. Teulisna spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 18 and 20 in OUMNH; 19 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 21 in MWM/ZSM.