Orthobrachia owadai Yazaki, 1992

Huang, Guo-Hua, Su, Zi-You & Stuening, Dieter, 2016, Taxonomic notes on the genus Orthobrachia Warren, with description of a new species from China and Thailand (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), ZooKeys 609, pp. 121-137 : 127

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Geometridae

Orthobrachia owadai Yazaki, 1992 Figs 3B, 4D, 5D

Orthobrachia owadai Yazaki, 1992, Tinea, 13 (Suppl. 2): 23. Type locality: West Sikkim, India.

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished from other Orthobrachia species, especially from the very similar female of latifasciata , based predominantly on the following characters: In the forewing, the postmedial line is situated more distally and less deeply waved. In the hindwing, the postmedial line is shaded distally with brown, more broadly than in flavidior , but much less than in latifasciata . In the latter the whole apical one-third is dark brown, with a rounded posterior border. In the male genitalia, the valva has a large triangular, distally rounded costal process just before the middle, a second, smaller one at the base of the valva and the saccular lobes are shorter and broader, roundish, curved basad. The aedeagus is slender with a bunch of short spines externally near apex, the vesica bears two cornuti situated one after another on a large diverticulum (looking like one large cornutus in our Fig. 4D). In the female genitalia, a large lamella postvaginalis is absent and the antrum bears only two spines distally, pointing laterally. Longitudinal sclerotized band and round, ring-like signum are uniting owadai with the three species mentioned before.

Material examined.

INDIA, 1♂, Holotype, West Sikkim, Choka, 3050 m, 23-24.IX.1983, M. Owada leg., NSMT. 1♂, Indien, W. Bengal, 2400 m, Darjeeling, Tigerhill, 10-12.VII.1986, leg. W. Thomas. Gen. prep. no. 2305-DS. ZFMK.

Biology.

The two adults known were flying in Juli and September, at elevations between 2400 and 3050 m.

Distribution.

N.E. India, Sikkim.

Remarks.

This species has so far been observed near the type locality only.