Lakshmia pandava Yakovlev & Nakao

Yakovlev, Roman V. & Nakao, Kenichiro, 2013, A new species of Lakshmia Yakovlev, 2004 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from Northern Thailand with a world catalogue of the genus, Zootaxa 3736 (2), pp. 198-200 : 198

Lakshmia pandava Yakovlev & Nakao , sp. nov. ( Figs 6–7 )

Type. Holotype: male, Thailand, Chiang Mai, Chae Son National Park, 1200 m, 26 September 2008, leg. Kenichiro Nakao, deposited in the Museum Witt, Munchen, Germany.

Description. Head with antennae bipectinate; rami rather long basally, gradually shortening towards apexes (in their distal thirds rami absent). Thorax and abdomen densely covered with pale yellow hairs; abdomen with a tuft of dark brown hairs near to the base dorsally. Forewing length 15 mm (n=1), brownish yellow with a brown area basally along the costal margin and a broad oblique brown band, interrupted in the middle third; sparse suffusion of brown scales over all wing area; fringe dark brown at veins and pale yellow between them. Hindwing light yellow; fringe light yellow, with a small tuft of brown scales near to the anterior margin.

Male genitalia. Uncus short, parallel-sided, with acute apex. Tegumen no wider than basis of uncus. Arms of gnathos completely reduced. Valvae elongate, parallel-sided, apexes rounded, directed dorsally. Saccus greatly reduced. Juxta small, with a pair of short lateral processes; lateral processes directed dorsally, parallel to each other, apexes acute. Aedeagus thick, clavate apically, as long as valva. Vesica opening dorso-apical with a strip-like cornutus in lateral surface.

Diagnosis. The new species is distinct from all the known species of the genus in a number of external characters and male genitalia features which include:

the presence of a tuft of brown hairs on the dorsal surface of abdomen basally;

a rather short forewing;

a broad band on the forewing, interrupted in the middle third;

rather small size;

very long valvae;

and a rather slender aedeagus.

Etymology. The new species is named after the clan of the Pandavas, heroes of Ramayana, one of the great epics of India.

Figures

FIGURES 2 − 6. Adults of Lakshmia (scale bar = 1 mm): 2. Lakshmia zolotuhini Yakovlev, holotype; 3. Lakshmia zolotuhini Yakovlev, paratype, female; 4. Lakshmia hauensteini Yakovlev, holotype; 5. Lakshmia sirena Yakovlev, holotype; 6. Lakshmia pandava Yakovlev & Nakao, sp. nov., holotype ..

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia of Lakshmia pandava Yakovlev & Nakao, sp. nov., holotype.