Tarika varana ( Moore, 1865 )

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Černý, Karel & Huang, Si-Yao, 2023, Taxonomic review of the genus Tarika Moore with descriptions of six new species from Nepal, China and Indochina (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 5258 (3), pp. 285-300 : 287

Tarika varana ( Moore, 1865)

( Figs 1–3 , 17, 18 , 34 )

Lithosia varana Moore, 1865 , Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London, 1865: 797 (Type locality: [NE India, north of West Bengal] “ Darjeeling ”).

= Tarika nivea Moore, 1878 , Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London, 1878: 15 (Type locality: [NE India, north of West Bengal, Darjeeling] “ Darjiling ”).

Type material examined. Lectotype of Lithosia varana ( Fig. 1 ) (hereby designated): male, “Darjiling” / red ring “Type” label / “Moore Coll. | 94–106.” / QR-code label with unique number “ NHMUK010401852 ” ( NHMUK). Lectotype of Tarika nivea ( Fig. 2 ) (hereby designated): female, ““Darjiling | ♀ ” / red ring “Type” label / “Moore Coll. | 94–106.” / “nivea | Moore” / QR-code label with unique number “ NHMUK010401853 ” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. INDIA: 1 male, W.B. [West Bengal], 2500m, Darjeeling, Tigerhill , 13. + 16.VIII.1985, W. Thomas leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2021-075 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 male, [West Bengal] Darjeeling, Dr Lidderdale , 79-59, unique number: NHMUK010292058 , gen. prep. No. : NHMUK010317775 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 female, [West Bengal, Darjeeling] Darjiling , Ind. Mus. 79.64., unique number: NHMUK010292104 , gen. prep. No. : NHMUK010317814 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 male [Sikkim] Sikhim, VI .1909, F. Moller , 1910-140, unique number: NHMUK010292103 , gen. prep. No. : NHMUK010317813 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 14 males, 21 females, Sikkim, Pemayangtse , 2000m, 23–28.VII.1990, W. Thomas leg. ( CKC) .

Notes. (1) Both the taxa Lithosia varana and Tarika nivea were described from series of specimens of both sexes ( Moore 1865, 1878). In order to stabilise the nomenclature, we hereby designate the specimens of both taxa labeled as “Type” and deposited in the NHMUK collection as lectotypes. (2) The genitalia structures of the lectotypes of Lithosia varana and Tarika nivea have not been examined due to the dissection policy pertaining to type material currently being implemented in NHMUK. However, the topotypical male specimens dissected and the specimens from Sikkim as well belong to only one species therefore we accept it legitimate to consider them as T. nivea .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 16.0–17.0 mm in males and 19.0–20.0 mm in females. The detailed comparisons with the most similar T. annapurna sp. n. and T. erlanga sp. n. are provided below in the diagnoses of these species.

Distribution. Northeast India (north of West Bengal and Sikkim). The records from Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland ( Kirti & Joshi 2013; Kirti & Singh 2015; Singh et al. 2022) require confirmation. The record from Chiang Mai Province of Thailand ( Černý & Pinratana 2009) belongs to T. reducta sp. n. The records from China (Yunnan, Fujian, and Shandong Provinces) ( Daniel 1954) belong to T. danieli sp. n. whereas other records from China (Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Xizang) ( Fang 2000) require further clarification.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Tarika spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 2 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 3, 4, 7 and 8 in MWM/ZSM; 5 in WIGJ; 6 in AFM.

FIGURES 17–19. Tarika spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 17 and 18 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 19 in MWM/ZSM.

FIGURES 32–35. Katha depressa (32, 33) and Tarika spp. (34, 35): male (32) and female (33–35) genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 32 and 33 in CAV; 34 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 35 in AFM.