A new range record of Comostola hauensteini Smetacek, 2004 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Geometrinae) from Bhutan

Comostola hauensteini was described by Smetacek in 2004 on the basis of a holotype and paratype from Bhimtal, Uttarakhand (the western Himalaya). There seems to be no further record and description of this species. The present record extends the known distribution of C. hauensteini to Tsirang District of Bhutan (the eastern Himalaya). </div

Euhampsonia rubricata Schintlmeister & Irungbam 2019, spec. nov.

Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov. Holotype: &male;, India, Manipur, Shirui Hills, 25°07’24.81” N, 94°26’28.80”E, 2198 m, 12. vii. 2016, leg. Irungbam, J. S., (barcoded IJ-285)—in coll. A. Schintlmeister, Dresden. Paratypes (16 &male;&male;): 11 &male;&male;, India, Manipur, Shirui Hills, 25°07’24.81” N, 94°26’28.80” E, 2198 m, 12. vii. 2016, leg. Irungbam, J. S., genitalia slides GU 66-65, IJ 281, IJ 284, IJ 282, IJ 283, IJ 286, IJ 288; 3 &male;&male;, Shirui Hills, 25°6’40.40“N, 94°27’12.35“E, 2425 m, leg. Irungbam, J. S., genitalia slides IJ 291, IJ 293, IJ 294; 2 &male;&male;, W Myanmar, Chin state, Kennedy Peak, summit near Pagoda, 2690 m, 18. v. 2001, 2690 m, leg. Stefan Naumann (genitalia slide GU 66-70). Etymology. The species is named for its reddish-brown (lat: rubricata) external appearance, particularly in the hind wings, that distinguishes it from its closely related sister species sinjaevi. Diagnosis. Forewing length (measured from base to right apex of forewing) &male;&male; 35—36 mm, 2—3 mm smaller than a series (n> 50) of Euhampsonia sinjaevi from Vietnam and Yunnan. The new species resembles E. sinjaevi (figs. 5-8) but differs by darker reddish brown coloured wings (figs. 1-4). The discal spot on the forewing is large and yellowish, sometimes somewhat indistinctly marked. Along vein M 2, between the discal spot and the outer margin, a contrasting yellow streak occurs; this streak is less contrasting and more brownish tinged in sinjaevi. Presence of a forewing streak distinguishes rubricata and sinjaevi from all other members of Euhampsonia. The remaining forewing pattern in the series from Manipur is indistinct and consists of brownish basal, median and postmedian fasciae. Both paratype males from western Myanmar are richer in their forewing pattern and displays more fasciae, partly marked as brown spots. The outer margin of the forewings shows deep, irregular indentations, a characteristic feature of all Euhampsonia. The hind wings of rubricata are darker reddish brown than those of sinjaevi. The female of rubricata is unknown. The male genitalia of E. rubricata (figs. 9-11) resemble those of E. sinjaevi (figs. 12, 14) The uncus of rubricata is pointed at its tip, slightly broader and shorter than in sinjaevi. The socii are acute at their apices and characteristically elbowed (approximately 100°). In sinjaevi the socii are longer, gently curved and much more slender. The valval costa of rubricata is club shaped at its apex and displays a large projection half way out; this process is rounded at its tip in rubricata, but acute in sinjaevi. Overall, the valva of rubricata is narrower than that of sinjaevi. The phallus of rubricata is short and straight, with a long, hook-shaped process at its apex; in some individuals a small second spine arises from this apical process (fig. 10). In sinjaevi a pair of short processes of variable shape arise from the phallus tip. The everted endophallus in both species (figs. 9, 11, 14) displays a well sclerotized carina, but no cornuti. In both species, the 8 th sternum bears a large V-shaped mesal notch on its posterior margin, with the notch in sinjaevi being somewhat deeper. The anterior margin of sternum 8 bears a wide apodeme, which is transverse in rubricata, but slightly convex in sinjaevi. In both species, the 8 th tergum is squarish and gently bilobed at its posterior margin. Molecular diagnosis. We barcoded three specimens of E. rubricata, including the holotype (IJ-285). For comparison, we barcoded two additional species of Euhampsonia; E. niveiceps (Walker) and E. sinjaevi. We also supplied the dataset for 28 of other samples of the genus Euhampsonia available from BOLD (DNA Barcode data from BOLD, Barcode of Life Database, cf. Ratnasingham and Hebert 2007) and we used barcodes from Dudusa nobilis and Gangarides vardena as outgroups. We calculated the genetic distances using Kimura 2-p substitution model and we constructed the Maximum Likelihood tree using more proper GTR+G model and 1000 bootstrap replicates in Mega-X (Kumar, et al. 2018). The species is sister to E. sinjaevi (Fig. 15). The minimal genetic difference from its sister species, E. sinjaevi is 5.4%. The interspecific difference is 1.5% of the variability. Habitat. E. rubricata is currently known from the Shirui Hills, Manipur (northeastern India) and from Kennedy Peak, Chin state (western Myanmar). It occurs at altitudes between 2200 m to 2700 m above sea level. The type locality, Shirui Hills in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, has a cold climate, with temperatures between 3°C and 33°C. The Shirui Hill are covered with clouds almost throughout the year but receive rain from May to the beginning of October. Average annual rainfall in the region is approximately 1763.7 mm. Vegetation in the area is dominated by various Rhododendron and Quercus species (Fig. 16). The region is not densely populated, but the area surrounding the forest is heavily disturbed due to anthropogenic activities such as seasonal cultivation, illegal felling of trees, burning of the forest, and grazing by domesticated animals; nearly all the natural vegetation has been disturbed. The habitat is classified as Tropical Semi Evergreen forests (Champion & Seth 1968). Full references to the genus Euhampsonia and its taxa on specific level, including subspecies, synonymy, type locality and type depository are given in Schintlmeister (2013): 154. Euhampsonia includes the following species: Euhampsonia Dyar, 1897 albocristata Kishida & Wang, 2003—SE China. cristata (Butler, 1877)— Japan, Far East Russia, Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan, E China, Laos, Thailand. formosana (Matsumura, 1925)— Taiwan. niveiceps (Walker, 1865) —Himalaya (N India, Nepal). roepkei Holloway, 1983—Malayan peninsula, S Thailand, Borneo, Palawan, Sumatra, Java. rubricata spec. nov. — NE India (Manipur), W Myanmar. serratifera Sugi, 1994— China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar. sinjaevi Schintlmeister, 1997 —S China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, E Myanmar. splendida (Oberthür, 1880)—Far East Russia, Korean Peninsula, Japan, E China.Published as part of Schintlmeister, Alexander & Irungbam, Jatishwor Singh, 2019, Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov., a new moth species from northeastern India and western Myanmar (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae), pp. 195-200 in Zootaxa 4560 (1) on pages 195-196, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.1.12, http://zenodo.org/record/262735

Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov., a new moth species from northeastern India and western Myanmar (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)

Schintlmeister, Alexander, Irungbam, Jatishwor Singh (2019): Euhampsonia rubricata spec. nov., a new moth species from northeastern India and western Myanmar (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae). Zootaxa 4560 (1): 195-200, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4560.1.1

A century later: Tricolored Pied Flat Coladenia indrani uposathra Fruhstorfer, 1911 (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) and Crenulate Oakblue Apporasa atkinsoni Hewitson, 1869 (Lycaenidae: Theclinae) reported from Manipur, India

The present paper reports the rediscovery of the Tricolored Pied Flat Coladenia indrani uposathra Fruhstorfer, 1911 and Crenulated Oakblue Apporasa atkinsoni Hewitson, 1869 after about 99 years after they were sighted by Tytler (1915) in Irang river and Sebong of Manipur, North East India. C. i. uposathra was sighted a Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) and Heibok hills of Imphal valley on 4th and 16th May 2014 and A. atkinsoni was sighted Munnom village at Yaingangpokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary (YLWS) on 8th December 2015.  A. atkinsoni is protected under schedule II of Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act 1972. The rediscovery of such very rare species in Manipur shows that more survey is needed in hills and valley regions of Manipur to know the butterfly fauna of the region.</p

An addition to the known range of Marumba irata Joicey & Kaye, 1917 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in northeastern India

A species of moth belonging to the family Sphingidae, Marumba irata Joicey &amp; Kaye, 1917, was sighted in Nagaland and Manipur, reported here as the first records from northeastern India and extension of the known distribution range of the species westward from its earlier known distribution in Myanmar, and from the south-eastern parts of China and northern Vietnam.  </div

A century later the Manipur Argus Callerebia suroia Tytler, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) recorded in its type locality in Manipur, India

The present paper reports the sighting of Callerebia suroia Tytler, 1914 at Shirui Kashong Peak, Ukhrul District which confirms the continued presence of the species in Manipur State, India.  The butterfly was sighted on 13 July 2016 near the footpath leading to the summit at an altitude of 2,330m.  Callerebia suroia Tytler, 1914 is protected under Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.  The sighting of such very rare species in Manipur after a decade shows that more surveys are needed in the hills and valleys of Manipur to determine the butterfly fauna of the region

Taxonomic review of the superfamily Pyraloidea in Bhutan (Lepidoptera)

The result of an investigation of the lepidopteran fauna of Central and Southern Bhutan (Bumthang, Dagana, Trongsa, Tsirang, and Sarpang districts) is presented in this study. The investigation was the part of the Invertebrate Documentation Project of Bhutan initiated by the National Biodiversity Center, Thimphu, funded by the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, Thimphu. The checklist was based on the systematic collections by light trapping at nine locations and the occasional collections from native forest and gardens within the five districts of Central and Southern Bhutan. The specimens were photographed and collected as specimens for future identification and reference. A list of 182 species belonging to families Crambidae and Pyralidae is presented, including 92 species as new records for the country. All the studied specimens are deposited at “Invertebrate Referral Collection Center” at the National Biodiversity Center, Thimphu

Notes on the occurrence of Chitoria sordida sordida (Moore, 1866) (Nymphalidae: Apaturinae) in Tsirang District, Bhutan

Observations on the distribution of Nymphalid butterfly, Sordid Emperor (Chitoria sordida sordida (Moore, 1866) in southern Bhutan are presented in this paper.  The confirmation is based on four years of observation of species in the warm broadleaf forest of Tsirang during July to October.  The species is legally protected under Schedule II of the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act, 1997. </div