Lemyra (Thyrgorina) excelsa Thomas, 1990: 19

Singh, Harsimranjeet, Raha, Angshuman, Kirti, Jagbir Singh & Singh, Navneet, 2024, Taxonomic review of the genus Lemyra Walker (Erebidae: Arctiinae) from India, Zootaxa 5454 (1), pp. 1-69 : 33-36

Lemyra (Thyrgorina) excelsa Thomas, 1990: 19

( Figs 87, 88 , 193, 194 )

TL: Indien, Sikkim, Bakim , ca. 3000 m .

= Lemyra alternata Fang, 1993: 177 (TL: “Zhangmun, Xizang 2200 m ” [Tibet])

Material Examined: India , Arunachal Pradesh: [Tawang district], Jang , 1 ♂, 1.vii.2018, H. Singh leg. ( NZCZSI; 12843/H10); [Lower Subansiri district], Old Ziro, Putu Home Stay, 1 ♂, 3.xi.2018, R. Lenka leg. ( NZCZSI; 12842/ H10)

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 18 mm. Lemyra (T.) excelsa ( Figs 87, 88 ) is closely similar to the group of species with pure white wings and yellowish abdomen, but is distinct by the yellowish red colour of the pectus, which is yellowish white in L. (T.) neglecta ( Fig. 2 ), fuscous in L. (T.) melanosoma ( Fig. 71 ), and ochreous in L. (T.) khasiana ( Fig. 86 ). In male genitalia ( Figs 193, 194 ), it is reminiscent of L. (T.) khasiana ( Figs 191, 192 ), but is distinct by the shorter valva having broad apical portion and small subapical processes situated below the apex, rounded juxta and vesica having two short and thin patches of spines.

Distribution. Indian records: Sikkim ( Dubatolov 2010; Singh et al. 2021), Arunachal Pradesh (present study). Global records: Tibet (western slope of Himalaya in Zhangmu) ( Dubatolov 2010).

Remarks: Herein, we extend the distribution of L. (T.) excelsa from Central Himalaya (Sikkim) to East Himalaya in Indian Himalayan region, flying within an altitudinal range of 1600–3000 m. The species is found in East Himalayan subtropical wet evergreen forest and East Himalayan wet temperate forest in Arunachal Pradesh.

Figures

FIGURES 85–94. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 85–86. L. khasiana, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Saho, Himachal Pradesh, India); 87–88. L. excelsa, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Jang, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 89–90. L. obsoleta sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India); 91–92. L. pinus sp. nov. holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Old Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 93–94. L. sordidescens, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh, India).

FIGURES 191–200. Genitalia of Lemyra spp. 191–192. L. khasiana, male: 191, ventral view, 192, Aedeagus; 193–194. L. excelsa, male: 193, ventral view, 194, Aedeagus; 195–196. L. obsoleta sp. nov., holotype male: 195, ventral view, 196, Aedeagus; 197–198. L. pinus sp. nov. holotype male: 197, ventral view, 198, Aedeagus; 199–200. L. sordidescens, male: 199, ventral view, 200, Aedeagus.

FIGURES 1–11. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 1–2, L. neglecta, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Jang, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 3. ditto, dorsal side, male (Pfutsero, Nagaland, India); 4–5, L. rubripecta sp. nov., holotype male, dorsal and ventral sides (Old Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 6. L. rubripecta sp. nov., female, dorsal side (Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India); 7. L. biseriata, female, dorsal side, (Jatinga, Assam, India); 8–9. ditto, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Kohima, Nagaland, India); 10–11. L. densimacula sp. nov., male, dorsal and ventral sides (Kohima, Nagaland, India).

FIGURES 63–73. Habitus of Lemyra spp. 63–64. L. spilosomata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Ahwa, Gujarat, India); 65–66. L. multivittata, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Jhandi, West Bengal, India); 67. ditto, female, dorsal side (Manebhanjyang, West Bengal, India); 68–69. L. pseudoburmanica, male, dorsal side and ventral sides (Devikulam, Kerala, India). 70–71. L. melanosoma, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Mangan, Sikkim, India); 72–73. L. persephone, male, dorsal and ventral sides (Yoksum, Sikkim, India).