Pagyda arbiter (Butler, 1879)

(Figs 1D, 2C)

Material examined. India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, North Andaman I., 2 males, Diglipur, Tal Tikrey Vill., 13°13.141 ′ N 92°51.658 ′ E, 5 m, 10.III.2019, B.S.K. Rao leg. (reg. no. ZSI SI/ ANRC / T/9903) .

Redescription. Wing span 18–22 mm. Frons and vertex yellowish fuscous, latter with white lateral stripe bordered with black scales anteriorly. Maxillary palpi well-developed, basally with dark greyish scales. Labial palpi obliquely upturned, with long scales on ventral surface of second segment; marginal scales marked with dark grey; basal segment whitish ventrally; apical segment nearly parallel to vertex. Antenna filiform; scape with white stripe on lateroventral surface. Patagia, collar, thorax and abdomen yellowish brown.

Forewings elongate-triangular, with pale ochreous-yellow background; basal area with light yellow patches. Costa light brown, slightly sinuate. Antemedial, medial and postmedial lines ochreous, joined to costa with three stout black patches; medial and postmedial lines connected with each other posteriorly. Subterminal line slightly curved outwards, connecting subcostal and posterior margin near anal angle, in shape of a weak sickle. Terminal line light brown. Cilia yellowish brown.

Hind wings having a distinct antemedial, medial and postmedial bands. Medial band broad. Postmedial band running parallel to outer margin.

Legs light fuscous-brown; fore tibia banded with white and fuscous-brown; inner spur of hind tibia one-third as long as its outer spur.

Male genitalia. Uncus subtriangular, with distally crowded setae. Valva with editum bearing pinnate setae. Sella horn-shaped, without distal spinules. Transtilla slender. Gnathos weakly pointed. Vinculum U-shaped. Saccus triangular, with blunt tip. Phallus short, with cornutus.

Distribution. China and Japan (Qi & Li, 2019). First record from India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

Remarks. We collected this species from nearby a secondary forest with understory foliage.

Botys arbiter Butler, 1879 was described from Japan, Yokohama. Hampson (1896) transferred this species to the genus Pagyda Walker, 1859 . At present, this genus comprises 35 described species with ten species from India, namely P. amphisalis (Walker, 1859), P. argyritis Hampson, 1899, P. auroralis (Moore, 1888), P. botydalis (Snellen, 1880), P. discolor Swinhoe, 1894, P. exalbalis Hampson, 1896, P. lustralis Snellen, 1890, P. pulverulenta Swinhoe, 1901, P. salvalis Walker, 1859, and P. straminealis Hampson, 1896 (Hampson, 1896; Mathew, 2006; Nuss et al., 2003 –2021).