Termioptycha cornutitrifurca Rong and Li, 2017: 163

Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2022, On the taxonomy of genus Termioptycha Meyrick, 1889 (Pyralidae, Epipaschiinae) with description of two new species and two new species records from India, Zootaxa 5165 (3), pp. 415-424 : 417-420

Termioptycha cornutitrifurca Rong and Li, 2017: 163

(Figs. 3, 10)

Type locality: Bubang (Mengla, Yunnan, China)

Material examined: India, MIZORAM , Hmuifang, 1 ♀, 31.ix.2013 (NZCZSI, 8938/H10) , MEGHALAYA , Umtasor, 1 ♀, 16.ix.2014 (NZCZSI, 8939/H10) , SIKKIM , Deorali, 3 ♀, 18.ix.2014 (NZCZSI, 8940/H10), Ribdi, 1 ♂, 07.v.2014 (NZCZSI, 8941/H10) , KARNATAKA , Jogfalls, 1 ♂, 24.11.2013 (NZCZSI, 9332/H10), R. Ranjan leg.

Diagnosis: T. cornutitrifurca is distinct from all its other congeners by the presence of a trifurcate process on the apical membranous part of aedeagus (defined as cornutus in original description). Furthermore, T. cornutitrifurca is externally similar to T. margarita (Fig. 7) and T. albifurcalis ( Rong et al. 2017: fig. 8) but is distinct from T. margarita (Fig. 13) in male genitalia by the presence of a subbasal, triangular costal process and arched gnathos being narrowed apically (whereas in T. margarita (Fig. 13), subbasal triangular process of valval costa is absent and gnathos apically rounded). Furthermore, T. cornutitrifurca (Fig. 10) is distinct from T. albifurcalis ( Rong et al. 2017: fig. 18) by the lateral spine of juxta larger and aedeagus having a trifurcated cornutus (whereas in T. albifurcalis , lateral spine of juxta is shorter and vesica is having a bunch of small cornutus along with a long cornutus). Another closely related species is T. longispina ( Rong et al. 2017: fig. 17) but is distinct by the extraordinary long lateral process of juxta (shorter in T. cornutitrifurca ).

Distribution: Indian records: Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Karnataka (present study). Global records: China, Taiwan ( Rong et al. 2017).

Remarks: So far, T. cornutitrifurca is reported from China and Taiwan. Collection of T. cornutitrifurca from various localities of Mizoram, Meghalaya Sikkim and Karnataka are its new distributional areas and first record from India.