Odontosina mahendra, (Sugi, 1993)

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 : 199

Himalodontosia mahendra ( Sugi, 1993)

[ Fig. 6 H ; Fig. 9 A–C ]

1993. Odontosina mahendra Sugi , Tinea , 13 (3): 152.

2013. Himalodontosia mahendra ; Schintlmeister, World Cat. Ins., 11: 216.

Material examined: India: 1 ♀, Uttarakhand, Pithoragarh dist., Askot WLS, Kanar , 1630 m, 29.8911 °N, 80.393 °E, 10. VI. 2018, leg. A. K. Sanyal & G. N. Das.

India: 1 ♂, Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley dist., Dihang-Dibang BR, Anini , Basam , 1743 m, 28.0406 °N, 95.8136 °E, 15. IV. 2018, leg. R. Ranjan & G. N. Das .

TL: Godavari [ Nepal]; TD: NSM

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 24.5 mm; ♀ 23 mm. Himalodontosia is a monotypic genus with only described species H. mahendra having characteristic ochreous-grey forewing irrorated with dark grey and marked by black and white. Forewing displays a slightly sinuous antemedial line; a horizontal, longitudinal black streak in cell connecting two black short, vertical streaks situated at the beginning and at the end of cell; a medial black line; postmedial highly crenulated line bordered exteriorly with white and a black, highly irregular, waved subterminal line. The hindwing is dirty-white with a faint medial line and darker marginal area. Male genitalia are characterized by robust, apically round uncus, socii with screw-like apex and valvae with tapered apical flap and subapical spine. The most characteristic feature being the asymmetrical, stout, curved costal basal process with bilobed right-half. The phallus bears a stout, curved, apical hook and the 8 th sternite has a caudal depression.

Remarks: This monotypic genus was so far known only from the type locality at Mount Pulchouki in Godavari district of Eastern Nepal ( Sugi 1993). The current records of the species for the first time from the country from Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh clarified that the species is rather well distributed throughout the entire length of the Himalaya ( Fig. 2 ). This apparently rare species was recorded from Quercus forest habitat at around 1600 m from Western Himalayan landscape in Askot WLS and Wet Temperate Forest habitat at around 1700 m from Eastern Himalayan landscape of Dihang-Dibang BR. Though the male individual from Arunachal Pradesh in our study displayed minute, yet recognizable variations both in external and genitalia morphology from that of the Nepalese specimen illustrated in Sugi (1993), they can merely be considered as individual variations until the examination of further specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Map showing distributions of Ogulina ochrocinerea and Himalodontosia mahendra 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.

FIGURE 9. Male genitalia of Notodontidae spp. new records to India, (A–C) Himalodontosia mahendra: A. 8th abdominal segment, B. Ventral view, C. Aedeagus; (D–F) Periphalera albicauda: D. 8th abdominal segment, E. Ventral view, F. Aedeagus; (G–I) Ptilodon amplius: G. 8th abdominal segment, H. Ventral view, I. Aedeagus.