CATALOGUE ZOOS' PRINT JOURNAL 22(7): 2745-2751 LECITHOCERID FAUNA (MICROLEPIDOPTERA) FROM SIWALIKS OF NORTHWESTERN INDIA P.C. Pathania 1, H.S. Rose 2, Rachita Sood 3 and Amit Katewa 4 1 Dolphin (PG) College of Life Sciences, Chunni Kalan, Punjab 140 307, India 2,3,4 Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab 147002, India Email: 1 [email protected] ABSTRACT photographs of all the specimens were taken before dissection. In a survey on Lecithocerid moths from northwestern Siwaliks during November 1997 to November 2001, twenty-two species OBSERVATIONS were collected and identified. Diagnosis, nomenclature aspects and distribution are presented in this paper. Earlier, Meyrick (1894,1905, 1907, 1908, 1908a, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912-1916, 1913, 1914, 1916-1923, 1923-1930, 1930- KEYWORDS 1936); Fletcher, (1929); Gaede (1937); Marchand (1947); Inventory, Lecithoceridae, Lepidoptera, Siwaliks Diakonoff (1952, 1954); Janse (1954), Clarke (1955,1965); Gozmány (1971, 1972, 1973, 1978); Nye & Fletcher (1991); ABBREVIATIONS 1A - First anal vein; 2A - second anal vein; 3A - third anal vein; Park & Omelko (1994); Robinson et al. (1994); Park & Hodges CuA - first cubital vein; CuA - second cubital vein; Cup - (1995); Ueda (1995); Lovovsky (1996); Wu & Park (1998, 1 2 cubital posterior vein; M - first median vein; M - second median 1 2 1999, 1999a, 1999b, 1999c); Park (1999, 2000) and Park & vein; M - third median vein; R - first anal vein; R - second anal 3 1 2 Heppner (2000) have made detailed studies on this group of vein; R - third anal vein; R - fourth anal vein; R - fifth anal vein; 3 4 5 insects. In this study, 22 species of Lecithoceridae have been Rs - radial sector recorded. Holotypes of the new species described under this study have been deposited in the Lepidoptera Laboratory, The Siwaliks ranges mountain having elevation reaching Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala. upto 1500m above m.s.l. extends from/bordered by river Kali in Uttaranchal to river Indus in Jammu and Kashmir (Chitkara, Superfamily: Gelechioidea 1998) (Fig. 1). The authors have undertaken insect survey- Diagnosis cum-collection tour to various localities in the region such as Vertex and frons decorated with smooth scales; labial palpus Kangra, Palampur, Dharamshala, Tanyhar, Sarkaghat, three segmented, upturned, third segment long, acute; forewing with veins R +R stalked; hind tibia with dorsal surface furnished with long Baijnath, Andhretta, Solan, Dharampur, Nauni, Sabathu, 4 5 slender scales. Renuka lake, Nahan, Paunta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh), Jammu, Katra, Mansar Lake (Jammu & Kashmir), Dehradun, Family: Lecithoceridae Haridwar, Vikasnagar (Uttarakhand), Kalka, Pinjore Lecithoceridae Le Marchand, 1947, Revue fr. Lepidopt., 11: 153 (as (Haryana), Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Dasua, Dhar, Roopnagar, Lecithocerinae). Dunera, Mirzapur, Nawanshahar and Anandpur (Punjab) Type-genus: Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853, Syst. Bearb. Schmett. Eur., 5: 11 (key), 45. during different seasons between November, 1997 to Diagnosis: Vertex and frons studded with smooth scaled; antenna November, 2001. longer than 3/4th length of forewing; labial palpus long, upturned, second segment long, acute; forewing with Cup (expand this under METHODOLOGY Abbreviations) absent; hindwing with outer margin slightly excavated The adults were collected during the night time with the posterad of apex; male genitalia with uncus thorn-shaped, tapering to slender, acute apex or narrowed base and broad, bilobed apex; help of portable light traps. Besides this, some specimens female genitalia with corpus bursae ovate or subovate in shape. were also collected by hanging the source of light (125-Watt mercury vapour lamp) on a white sheet or white washed wall. Subfamily: Lecithocerinae The collected Lecitocerid moths were killed by using 1,1,2,2, Lecithocerinae Le Marchand, 1947, Revue Fr. Lepidopt., 11 : 153. tetrachloro ethane or ethyl acetate. The methodology discussed Timyridae Clarke, 1953, Cat. Type Specimens Microlepid. BMNH by workers such as Lindquist (1956), Tagestad (1974), described by E. Meyrick, 1: 21. Type-genus: Timyra Walker, 1864, List Secimens lepid. Insects Colln Zimmerman (1978), Mikkola (1986) as well as Landry and Br. Mus., 29: 782. Landry (1994) were followed for the pinning, stretching and Type-genus: Lecithocera Herrich-Schaffer, 1853, Syst. Bearb. preservation of specimens. The standard techniques given by Schmett. Eur., 5: 11 (key), 45 pl. Zimmerman (1978) and Robinson (1976) have been followed Diagnosis: Uncus with narrow base and broad, bilboed apex and for wings and genitalia respectively. To write the taxonomic slender sclerite extending from base of tegumen to mesial surfae of valva, a strongly sclerotized bridge-like structure connecting tegumen descriptions on various morphological characters (Robinson, and costa of valvae. 1976; Hodges, 1998; Park, 1995), wing venation (Zimmerman, 1978; Common, 1970) and external genitalia (Klots, 1970) I. Genus: Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer were followed. Using a Camera Lucida attached to a stereoscopic Herrich-Schäffer, 1853, Syst. Bearb. Schmett. Eur., 5 : 11 [key], 45, pl. light microscope drawn all illustrations. The coloured Manuscript 1523; © ZOO; Date of publication 21 June 2007 Received 14 February 2006; Revised received 24 April 2007; Finally accepted 01 June 2007 July 2007 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) www.zoosprint.org 2745 Lecithocerid fauna from Siwaliks of north-western Himalaya P.C. Pathania et al. Microlepid. XII, figs 10, 11. Larval host plant: Unknown Quassitagma Gozmány, 1978, in Amsel. et al., Microlepid. Palaearctica, 5: 132. Type species : Frisilia indigens Meyrick, 1914, Supplta ent., 3: 50. 5. Lecithocera ianthodes Meyrick Recontracta Gozmány, 1978, in Amsel et al., Microlepid. Palaearctica, 5: Lecithocera ianthodes Meyrick, 1931, Exot. Microlepid. 4: 80. 148. Type species : Recontracta frisilina Gozmány, 1978, ibidem, 5: 149. Material examined: 2 males, 1 female, 27.vi.1999, Norha Richard Holiday Nyctocyrma Gozmány 1978, in Amsel et al., Microlepid. Palaearctica, 5: Home, Andhretta, Dist. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, 900m; 3 males, 18.iv.2000; 149. Type species : Nyctocyrma fraudatrix Gozmány, 1978, ibidem., 5 : 151. 3 males, 19.iv.2000, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Dist. Dehradun, Psammoris Meyrick, 1906, J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc., 17: 149. Type species: Uttarakhand, 700m, coll. P.C. Pathania. Psammoris carpaea, Meyrick, 1906, ibidem., 17: 149. Distribution: Dehradun (India) (Clarke, 1965); Andhretta (Himachal Pradesh); Type-species: Carcina luticornella Zeller, 1839, Isis, Leipzing, 197, by Dehradun (Uttarakhand) (present work) monotypy. Larval host plant: Unknown Diagnosis: Vertex and frons covered with smooth scales; labial palpus long, upturned, second segment scaled, third segment long and acute; antenna 6. Lecithocera immoblis Meyrick long, filiform, longer than the length of forewing; metathoracic leg with hair Lecithocera immoblis Meyrick, 1918, Exot. Microlepid., 2 : 103 like scales on hind tibia; forewing with veins R3+R4+R5 arising from a common Material examined: 1 male, 13.iii.1998; 1 male, 24.iii.1998; 2 males, 25.iii.1998; stalk, R3 from base or near base of the stalk, R4 to costa, R5 to termen, CuA1 3 males, 30.iii.1999; 3 males, 8.iv.1999, 2 males, 29.iii.2000, Punjabi University, and CuA2 stalked or connate, however, the forewing venation with the stalk Patiala, Dist. Patiala, Punjab, 250m; 2 males, 24.vi.1998; 2 males, 25.vi.1999, of M2 and M3 can not be a good separable character, because the venation Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, Dist. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, 700m; 2 is so variable with in genus (Park, 2000); hindwing with Rs+M1 stalked, Rs to males, 24.ix.1999, 2 females, 19.iv.2000, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, costa, M1 to termen, M3+CuA1 stalked. Male genitalia: uncus charac-teristically Dist., Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 700m; 4 males, 09.xi.2001, Jammu University bilobed, setose; gnathos broader at base, apically pointed; vinculum U or Campus, Dist. Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, 350m, coll. P.C.Pathania, Rachita Vshaped; saccus absent; juxta bilobed apically; valvae elongated, cucullus Sood and Amit Katewa. broader or narrow, bearing setae or hair on the inner surface, ventrally with Distribution: Coimbatore (S.India) (Clarke, 1965); Patiala (Punjab); Palampur spiniform row of setae or without, a bridge-like sclerotized structure (Himachal Pradesh); Dehradun (Uttarakhand); Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir) connecting costa and tegumen; aedeagus broad or small; vesica with (present work) multishaped cornutus present or absent. Female genitalia: papillae anales Larval host plant: Unknown sparsely setose; anterior apophyses rod-like, basally broad, posterior apophyses thin; antrum present; corpus bursae long or small, broad or 7. Lecithocera syntropha Meyrick narrowed, ovate or subovate shaped; signum present or lacking. Lecithocera syntropha Meyrick, 1918, Exot. Microlepid., 2 : 109. Material examined: 2 males, 1 female, 27.vi.1999, Norha Richard Holiday 1. Lecithocera affusa Meyrick Home, Andhretta, Dist. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, 900m; 3 males, 18.iv.2000; Lecithocera affusa Meyrick, 1923, Exot. Microlepid., 3: 40. 3 males, 19.iv.2000, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Dist. Dehradun, Material examined: 2 males, 2 females, 10.ix.1998; 2 males, 1 female, 11.ix.1998; Uttarakhand, 700m, coll. P.C. Pathania. 4 males, 11.ix.1999, 8 males, 12.ix.1999; 2 males, 13.ix.1999, University of Distribution: Quetta (N.W.India)