Arcanusa Wang, Chen & Wu, 2017

Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2022, A new genus, three new species and a new species record of Epipaschiinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from India, Zootaxa 5222 (4), pp. 385-394 : 391

Genus Arcanusa Wang, Chen & Wu in Wang et al., 2017a: 88

Type species: Arcanusa apexiarcanusa Wang, Chen and Wu in Wang et al., 2017a

Diagnosis: The genus Arcanusa closely resembles the members of the genus Lista Walker, 1859 . Both genera share the synapomorphies of a long hair-like structure at the base of the forewing, and the extension of the sacculus base into a sclerotised spined process. However, species of Arcanusa are darker and not as bright as those of Lista . In the male genitalia of Lista , the apical lobes of the juxta are free, and the uncus is conspicuously broader than that of Arcanusa . Another similar genus is Coenodomus from which Arcanusa is distinguished by the filiform antennae (bipectinate in Coenodomus ) and in differences in the wing venation.

Taxonomic notes: Arcanusa was established to place its type species Arcanusa apexiarcanusa from Yunnan, China. In the same publication ( Wang et al. 2017a), Scopocera sinuosa ( Moore, 1888) ( India: Darjeeling) was assigned to Arcanusa . At present, the genus contains two species, with only Arcanusa sinuosa recorded from India. Herein, we describe a new species of Arcanusa that closely resembles A. sinuosa .

Distribution: India, Bhutan, China ( Hampson 1896b, Wang et al. 2017a).