Locastra mizo Ranjan, Singh & Kirti, 2022

Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2022, Review of the genus Locastra Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae) from India, with a new species and a new species record, Zootaxa 5169 (1), pp. 71-78 : 73-77

Locastra mizo Ranjan, Singh & Kirti , sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 5 , 9 )

Diagnosis: Locastra mizo sp. nov. ( Fig. 3 ) belongs to the L. muscosalis species group and is most similar to L. viridis ( Fig. 2 ), but is distinct by the medial area of the forewing being less suffused with reddish brown (medial area conspicuously reddish brown in L. viridis ), the antemedial line almost straight (antemedial line zigzag in L. viridis ), and the fulvous markings at the centre of the forewing costa outlined with fuscous (fuscous patch absent in L. viridis ). In the male genitalia, L. mizo sp. nov. ( Fig. 9 ) is distinct from L. viridis ( Fig. 8 ) by the longer vinculum and juxta, whereas in L. viridis the vinculum is only about twice as long as the tegumen, and the juxta is shorter. Locastra mizo sp. nov. is also distinct from L. solivaga ( Rong & Li 2017: fig. 12) and L. muscosalis ( Fig. 7 ) by the vinculum being almost three times longer than the tegumen, while in L. solivaga and L. muscosalis the vinculum and tegumen are almost equally long. Furthermore, the new species is distinct from L. subtrapezia ( Rong & Li 2017: figs 5, 10) by the basal area of the forewing being black, and the uncus with a broad apex, whereas in L. subtrapezia the basal area of the forewing is pale olivaceous fuscous, and the uncus is rectangular. It is distinguished from L. bryalis ( Joannis 1930: 631) by the hindwing being uniformly fuscous and the postmedial line being absent, whereas in L. bryalis the basal area of the hindwing is whitish, and the postmedial line is well marked, outwardly bordered with whitish, and inwardly bordered with blackish.

Material examined

Holotype (♂). India, Mizoram, Kanhmun , 15.ix.2016, R. Ranjan leg. (NZCZSI).

Description: Imago with labial palpi with first segment porrect, small; second segment extremely long with elongated tuft of scales on ventral side; third segment small, semi-porrect. Antennae with first segment enlarged having a small extension of the scape, an additional lateral tuft from base of antennae. Collar covered with mix of greenish, pinkish and fuscous scales. Forewing greenish, speckled with fuscous and brownish scales, a black band covering the basal quarter, with a large tuft on it and below cell, followed by a pale pinkish band which become broader and greenish towards costa, followed by a fine antemedial curved line with a pinkish patch beyond it and below cell; a smaller tuft at discocellular; costal glandular lobe paler, bordered with black scales, area below it with indistinct patch of black scales; a dentate black postmedial line; terminal series of semicircular, small, fuscous spots; cilia blackish and greenish with a fine, basal white line. Hindwing uniformly fuscous. Male genitalia with uncus sub-rectangular, slightly broadened at apex, apical third covered with dense scales, uncus bifurcated basally into two lateral arms to broadly attach to the tegumen. Gnathos arms sclerotised, narrowed distally, fused together in apical half and forming a hooked apex. Tegumen broad, shorter than uncus. Valva simple, elongate, membranous, tongue-like; inner wall covered with dorsally directed hairs; an elongate, small dorso-medial ridge at base of medial sclerotised plate. Juxta in form of two parallel arms outwardly directed at middle where another X-shaped sclerotised plate is present with a weakly sclerotised lateral extension. Vinculum almost three times as long as tegumen. Saccus slightly tapered. Phallus cylindrical, distally with two sclerotised scobinate plates; phallus coecum elongate, bulbous, vesica as long as phallus with a curved cornutus.

Female and preimaginal stages unknown.

Distribution: Indian record: Mizoram (present study).

Etymology: The name of the species is dedicated to the people of Mizoram (Mi = Men, Zo = hills or highland).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Adults. Locastra spp.: 1, L. muscosalis, male; 2, L. viridis, male; 3, L. mizo sp. nov., male; 4, L. crassipennis, male.

FIGURES 5–6. Scape extension of antennae. 5, L. mizo sp. nov., male; 6, L. crassipennis, male.

FIGURES 7–10. Male genitalia. Locastra spp.: 7, L. muscosalis, male; 8, L. viridis, male; 9, L. mizo sp. nov., male; 10, L. crassipennis, male.