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A Survey of the Genus Theretra Hubner, 1819 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from Kodaikanal Hills (Western Ghats), Tamil Nadu, India

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A Survey of the Genus Theretra Hubner, 1819 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from Kodaikanal Hills (Western Ghats), Tamil Nadu, India International Journal of Scientific Research in ______________________________ Research Paper . Biological Sciences Vol.6, Issue.1, pp.253-262, February (2019) E-ISSN: 2347-7520 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26438/ijsrbs/v6i1.253262 A Survey of the genus Theretra Hubner, 1819 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from Kodaikanal Hills (Western Ghats), Tamil Nadu, India Pratheesh Mathew1, Kuppusamy Sivasankaran2, Sekar Anand3, Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu4* 1234Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College Chennai, Chennai-600034, Tamil Nadu, India * Corresponding author:[email protected] Tel.: +9144-28178348 Fax: +9144-28175566. Available online at: www.isroset.org Received: 12/Jan/2019, Accepted: 05/Feb/2019, Online: 28/Feb/2019 Abstract – Kodaikanal hill station with its natural beauty and climatic conditions have become a noteworthy tourist spot in South India over the years. The ideal environmental condition and rich floral diversity homes for diverse fauna in Kodaikanal. Sphingid diversity of Kodaikanal has not been reported in the past. Through this study, we report the diversity and study of the external and genital morphologies of the genus Theretra Hubner, 1819 from Kodaikanal hills for the first time. A total of seven species were reported during the study, namely Theretra alecto, T. clotho, T. gnoma, T. nessus, T. oldenlandiae, T. pallicosta and T. silhetensis. Images and genitalia of male and female adult specimens are illustrated for each species. Key words: Moth, Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Theretra, Genitalia, Biodiversity, Western Ghats. I. INTRODUCTION species of hawk moths are reported from India. [2;3]. Theretra Hubner, 1819 is a genus of hawk moths belonging The economic importance of Sphingid moths are well to the tribe Macroglossini Harris, 1839 under the subfamily studied and reported as one of the important pollinators Macroglossinae Harris, 1839. The genus Theretra can be among the order Lepidoptera that benefits not only the recognized by their palpi with an apical tuft of scales on the natural ecosystem but also the agrarian environment [1]. second segment directed ventrally; apex of the first is Taxonomic studies employ not only the morphological densely and regularly scaled on the inner side, with a cavity characters of lepidopterous insects, but also the various at the apex on the outer side [4]. More than 60 species have anatomical characters as well. Study of genital morphology been recorded under this genus from different parts of the is the traditional method of lepidopteran taxonomy which is world till date. still being used by many taxonomists even after the emergence of molecular taxonomy. The male and female During the present study, seven species of sphingid moths genital characteristics are species specific to all the under the tribe Macroglossini Harris, 1839 of subfamily lepidopterans. These complementarity and specificity of Macroglossinae belonging to the genus Theretra were genital morphology prevent interspecific mating and also act collected, viz. Theretra alecto, T. clotho, T. gnoma, T. as an identifying species specific character for lepidopterists. nessus, T. oldenlandiae, T. pallicosta and T. silhetensis. The genus Theretra Hubner 1819 is distributed worldwide They are recorded for the first time in Kodaikanal hills. with more than 60 species. The genus has appeared in the results of very few diversity studies conducted for the family The systematic account of moths with genital morphology Sphingidae at different locations of India. belonging to the genus Theretra under the subfamily Macroglossini has not been published earlier from India. The Hawk moths or sphinx moths with their larvae known as systematic details given here thus contribute to the hornworms belong to the family Sphingidae Latreille, 1802 taxonomic information of Indian Lepidopterans. under the Superfamily Bombycoidea. There are more than 1500 species of Sphingid moths worldwide. About 204 Section I of this article contains the introduction to the Family Sphingidae and genus Theretra of the Superfamily © 2019, IJSRBS All Rights Reserved 253 Int. J. Sci. Res. in Biological Sciences Vol. 6(1), Feb 2019, ISSN: 2347-7520 Bombycoidea. Section II explains the materials and methods Theretra alecto transcaspica O. Bang-Haas, 1927, employed for this study. Section III is provided with the Horae Macrolepidopt.Reg. palaearct. 1: 80. results of the detailed study of moth genitalia of seven Theretro alecto intermissa Gehlen, 1941, Ent. Z., species from the genus Theretra. The images of moth Frankf. a. Main 55: 185--186. specimens and diagrams of genitalia with description of genital characteristics are also presented. A dichotomous Material examined: Kodaikanal, 2 ♂, 9.III.2014; 1 ♂, taxonomic key for the genus Theretra based on male 25.X.2014; 1 ♂, 5.V.2015. genitalic characters is provided at the end. Section IV Diagnosis: Wingspan – 81mm. Head: Pale brown, two includes the discussion of results of the study. Section V lateral white lines running above the eyes up to the thorax on gives the conclusions from the research results and both sides. Antennae white. Palpi indistinct with long scales discussions. projecting over it. Thorax: Pale brown, lateral white lines II. MATERIALS AND METHODS continued on both sides from the head towards the abdomen. Abdomen: Pale brown slightly lighter than head and thorax; Moths belonging to the genus Theretra of subfamily prominent black mark on lateral sides at the base; tapering Macroglossinae were collected from January 2014 to and pointed towards anal region; single row of basitarsal January 2017 from four different sites in Kodaikanal. spines on the forelegs. Forewing: dorsal side beige ground Kodaikanal (10014‟6”N; 77029‟6”) is located above the color; dark speck at the end of cell; six oblique post medial southern escarpment of upper Palani Hills, between the lines running from apex towards inner margin; fifth Parappar and Gundar valleys with an altitude of 2,133 m postmedian line more prominent; second and fourth lines (6,998 ft) in the Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, India. weak; Hindwings: deep pinkish, minutely variegated;, base Kodaikanal is spread on an area of 21.45km2 with an and dorsum strongly blackened and a diagnostic paler zone average temperature ranging from 110C to 200C. on the tornus. The collection was carried out using mercury vapor lamp Male genitalia: Uncus short, stout and apically curved, with (160W) as the light source and a white cloth as the screen. hairs. Gnathos stout, curved and somewhat pointed. Moths were also collected using sweep nets and plastic Tegumen short and broad. Valve oval shaped, broad with containers and were identified using dichotomous keys of hairs exteriorly, harpe slender and curved.Valvae lobes Hampson (1894) and Bell and Scott (1937). This type of broad with a slender branch towards inner side. Vinculum collection method helps to avoid killing or damaging of short and nearly „V‟shaped; Juxta inversely triangular. previously collected, as well as undesired specimens Aedeagus long and broad with multidentate short structure [5].Many commercially available trap designs are not on the right apically, and on the left with an oblique row of suitable for tropical conditions due to their small size that minute teeth. (Fig. 1a, 1b) cannot accommodate enormous catches [6].The collected specimens were spread and pinned at the study area and Distribution: India, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, were carefully transported; these are laborious and time Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Greece, Bulgaria, Egypt, Lebanon, consuming process as reported by many lepidopterists [7]. Israel, Turkey, Turkmenistan. The collected specimens are deposited at the Museum of Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College Chennai. 2 Theretra clotho (Drury, 1773) -- Common hunter III. RESULTS hawkmoth (Fig. 2) Sphinx clotho Drury, 1773, Illust. nat. Hist. exot. 1 Theretra alecto (Linnaeus, 1758) -- Levant Insects 2: index [91]. hawkmoth (Fig. 1) Chaerocampa bistrigata Butler, 1875, Proc. zool. Sphinx alecto Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (Edn Soc. Lond. :249 10) 1: 492. Deilephila cyrene Westwood, 1847.Cabinet oneni. Sphinx cretica Boisduval, 1827, Annls Soc. linn. Ent;13, pi 6, f1 Paris 6: 118. Chaerocampa aspersata Kirby, 1877, Trans En Theretra freyeri Kirby. 1892, Synonymic Cat. Soc. Lond.:241 Lepid. Heterocera 1: 650. © 2019, IJSRBS All Rights Reserved 254 Int. J. Sci. Res. in Biological Sciences Vol. 6(1), Feb 2019, ISSN: 2347-7520 Material examined: Kodaikanal, 1 ♂, 14.IX.2015; 2 ♂, postmedial line. Hindwing: broad non-uniform yellow band; 21.VI.2016. smoky black area at the base, gradually getting paler towards anal and outer margin yellowish white area below and above Diagnosis: Wingspan 85mm. Head: Greenish brown, a the black patch. white lateral stripe running from the palpus to the thorax on both sides. Antennae white. Thorax: Greenish brown ground Female genitalia: Ovipositor lobes well developed with color, lateral white stripe from the head continued to end of prominent long setae. Anterior and posterior apophysis well thorax. Legs white. Abdomen: Abdomen also greenish- developed; posterior apophysis slightly shorter than the brown, upperside with a pair of black lateral patches at base. anterior apophysis. Ductus bursae long and slender Corpus Forewing: upper side olive-green ground color, postmedian bursae spherical; with long; signum long slender, and well lines generally weak, except for the fourth, which is developed (Fig.3a) conspicuous and runs to the apex of the wing
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