Eugoa arorai, Volynkin, 2022

Volynkin, Anton V., 2022, On the taxonomy of the genus Eugoa Walker (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) with a description of a new species from the Andaman Islands (India), Ecologica Montenegrina 60, pp. 36-42 : 37-38

Eugoa arorai sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:615637A5-1286-46B2-87E2-1665FF36C402

( Figs 1 , 7 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1 , 7 ): male, “ India Andaman Islands | Middle Andaman | Tagapure (Rainforest) | 12°50'72''N 092°49'29''E | 22– 26.11.2000, leg. J.-P. Rudloff ” / “Slide | ZSM Arct. | 2021- 284♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( MWM / ZSM).

Diagnosis. The new species ( Fig. 1 ) belongs to the E. bipunctalis van Eecke, 1926 species group comprising four described species: E. bipunctalis , E. alleni Holloway, 2001 , E. mangle Holloway, 2001 , and E. kareli Bucsek, 2016 , and is most externally similar to the latter species ( Fig. 2 ) from which, however, it differs in the somewhat narrower forewing, the paler forewing ground colour, the smaller discal spots, the somewhat more arcuate and diffuse postmedial line, and the less dentate subterminal line. The male genitalia of E. arorai sp. n. ( Fig. 7 ) are well different from E. kareli ( Fig. 8 ) in the shorter and postmedially broader valva with the markedly shorter and broader cucullus. The male genital capsule of the new species is most similar to E. alleni described from Borneo Island (illustrated by Holloway (2001)) but distinguished by the postmedially broader valva, and the shorter and broader cucullus bearing a markedly larger triangular apical thorn directed more inwards. In the vesica of E. arorai sp. n., the subbasal diverticulum is narrower than in E. alleni , and the ventral elongate diverticulum is markedly longer and proximally narrower.

Description. External morphology of adult. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing length 11.5 mm in holotype. Head pale ochreous. Antenna pale ochreous, ciliate. Thorax pale ochreous with two black spots on metathorax. Forewing ground colour pale ochreous with brown suffusion, pattern dark brown. Subbasal line interrupted into two spots: larger triangular one on costal margin and smaller trapezoidal. Antemedial line almost straight, somewhat dilated anteriorly, medially and posteriorly. Cell with two small circular spots distally, with proximal one positioned more posteriorly. Postmedial line more or less straight medially, and arcuate outwards and dilated at costal and anal margins. Postmedial area with more intense brown suffusion. Subterminal line sinuous with two inner protrusions opposite cell in medial and cubital sectors. Forewing cilia pale ochreous. Hindwing ground colour pale ochreous, paler than in forewing, with intense brown suffusion along costal and outer margins at apex, and ochreous-yellow suffusion along anal margin. Hindwing cilia ochreous-yellow. Abdomen ochreous-yellow. Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ). Uncus slender, laterally flattened, smoothly downcurved, distally tapered and apically pointed, and densely setose proximally. Tegumen weakly sclerotised with narrow arms. Vinculum equal in length to tegumen, weakly sclerotised, more or less U-shaped. Valva relatively narrow, with postmedially convex dorsal margin, subapically constricted with apical section forming upcurved and densely setose cucullus bearing large triangular apical thorn and additional small triangular process on ventral surface. Juxta weakly sclerotised, band-shaped. Phallus almost straight, gradually tapered distally. Vesica with small elliptical subbasal diverticulum dorsally and strongly elongate, medially upcurved and distally tapered ventral diverticulum. Basal plate of vesica ejaculatorius long and thin.

Female unknown.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality on the island of Middle Andaman ( India).

Etymology. The species is named after is dedicated to G.S. Arora, author of the basic publication on the Arctiinae fauna of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ( Arora 1983).

Figures

Figures 1–6. Eugoa spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1, 5 and 6 in MWM/ZSM; 2 in SNM (after Bucsek 2016); 3 in CAV; 4 in RMNH.

Figures 7–10. Eugoa spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 7 and 9 in MWM/ZSM; 8 in SNM (after Bucsek 2016); 10 in CAV