Introduction

Genus Lakshmia Yakovlev, 2004, was established for placement of two new species, Lakshmia zolotuhiniYakovlev, 2004 (type species by original designation) and L. hauensteiniYakovlev, 2004 from Thailand. Yakovlev (2006) described two more species, Lakshmia sirenaYakovlev, 2006 (South Vietnam) and L. deaYakovlev, 2006 (Nepal). However, L. dea was shifted under genus Sansara Yakovlev, 2004 in the world catalogue of Cossidae (Yakovlev, 2011). Lakshmia pandavaYakovlev & Nakao, 2013 was added in the genus from Thailand. The presence of an ochreous brown band on the forewing, elongate valvae with parallel edges, and a greatly reduced saccus in the male genitalia are diagnostic characters of Lakshmia (Yakovlev & Nakao, 2013). The genus comprises four species and is distributed in Thailand and Southern Vietnam.

In the present paper, a new species of genus Lakshmia is described from Mizoram, India that also represents the first record of this genus from India. Images of the adults and genitalia are provided. A complete checklist of the known species of genus Lakshmia is also provided.

Material and methods

Collection of adult moths was done from the Mizoram (Dampa Tiger Reserve) by using vertical sheet light trap illuminated by 160W mercury vapor lamp. The collected specimens were processed as per standardized techniques in Lepidopterology. The collected specimens and slides of genitalia are deposited in the National Zoological Collections of Zoological Survey of India (NZCZI), Kolkata.

Taxonomy

LakshmiaYakovlev, 2004

Lakshmia (Zeuzerinae) Yakovlev, 2004. Atalanta, 35(3/4), 34.

Type species: Lakshmia zolotuhiniYakovlev, 2004

Distribution: Thailand and Southern Vietnam (Yakovlev, 2004), India (present study).

Lakshmia narayani Singh, Ahmad, Yakovlev & Joshi, sp. nov. (Figures 1-6)

Figures 1-6.
Lakshmia narayani sp. nov.: 1. Adult male, Holotype. 2. Adult male, Paratype. 3-4. Male genitalia and aedeagus (holotype). 5. Dorsal view. 6. Lateral view

Material examined: Holotype: 1 ♂, India, Mizoram, Aizawl, Dampa Tiger Reserve, Teirei Rest House, 03-XII-2019, (N 23º43’27.728, E 92º43’7.143) leg. Sandeep Kushwaha (Coll. NZCZSI). Paratype: India, Mizoram, Aizawl, Dampa Tiger Reserve, Teirei Rest House, 1 ♂, 28-XI-2019, (N 23º43’27.728, E 92º43’7.143) leg. Sandeep Kushwaha (Coll. NZCZSI).

Description: Forewing length 19 mm. Antennae bipectinate. Head, thorax, and abdomen densely covered with pale yellow scales; basal area of abdomen with a tuft of dark brown hairs dorsally. Forewing brownish yellow with a broad oblique brown band, slightly interrupted in the middle towards inner margin; costal margin brown at base; marginal fringe dark brown at veins with pale yellow patches between them. Hindwing light yellow with some fuscous suffusion and fringe of hairs on inner margin; terminal patched similar to forewing. Male genitalia with uncus hood-like, narrowing towards apex; Juxta in the form of pair of long lateral processes; valva long with curved apex; saccus short; aedeagus long slightly shorter than valva; vesica with a sclerotized long patch present laterally. Female unknown.

Diagnosis: The new species, Lakshmia narayani Singh, Ahmad, Yakovlev & Joshi, sp. nov., is closely allied to Lakshmia zolotuhiniYakovlev, 2004 and Lakshmia pandava Yakovlev & Nakao, 2013. However, Lakshmia narayani sp. nov. is medium in size with forewing length 19 mm (22-24 mm in L. zolotuhini and 15 mm in L. pandava) and have uninterrupted and evenly curved black band on forewings (FW with band interrupted in the middle third in L. zolotuhini and is humped at upper angle of the cell in L. pandava). Male genitalia of L. narayani sp. nov. is having valves longer, going beyond tip of uncus (shorter than uncus in L. zolotuhini and L. pandava), and apex of valva is more evenly rounded (broader in broad in L. zolotuhini and saccular margin strongly curved before apex).

Distribution: India, Mizoram (present study).

Etymology: The new species is named after Vedic deity Narayan (husband of goddess Lakshmi).

Checklist of the species in genus Lakshmia

Genus LakshmiaYakovlev, 2004

Lakshmia (Zeuzerinae) Yakovlev, 2004. Atalanta, 35(3/4), 34.

Type species Lakshmia zolotuhiniYakovlev, 2004 (by original designation).

Lakshmia hauensteiniYakovlev, 2004

Lakshmia hauensteiniYakovlev, 2004. Atalanta, 35(3/4), 35.

Type material: (holotype) in the private collection of Armin Hauenstein (Untermünkheim, Germany).

Type locality: North Thailand, Prov. Chiang Mai, 450 m, Mok Fa Garden Resort.

Distribution: N. Thailand.

Lakshmia narayani Singh, Ahmad, Yakovlev & Joshi, sp. nov.

Type material: (holotype) in NZCZSI.

Type locality: India, Mizoram, Aizawl, Dampa Tiger Reserve, Teirei Rest House.

Distribution: India, Mizoram.

Lakshmia pandavaYakovlev & Nakao, 2013

Lakshmia pandavaYakovlev & Nakao, 2013. Zootaxa, 3736(2), 19.

Type locality: Thailand, Chiang Mai, Chae Son National Park.

Type material: (holotype) in Museum Witt (Munich, Germany).

Distribution: N. Thailand.

Lakshmia sirenaYakovlev, 2006

Lakshmia sirenaYakovlev, 2006.Tinea, 19(3), 20.

Type locality: Süd Vietnam, Bao Lok, Rung Kat Tien.

Type material: (holotype) in Museum Witt (Munich, Germany).

Distribution: South Vietnam (Yakovlev, 2014).

Lakshmia zolotuhini Yakovlev, 2004

Lakshmia zolotuhiniYakovlev, 2004.Atalanta, 35(3/4), 34.

Type locality: Thailand, Changwat Nan, 5 km E of Bo Luang.

Type material: (holotype) in Museum Witt (Munich, Germany).

Distribution: N. Thailand.

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for providing necessary facilities; to forest officials of Mizoram state and DFO of Dampa Tiger reserve, Mizoram for help during the survey tour.

References

Yakovlev, R. V. (2004). Cossidae of Thailand. Part 1. (Lepidoptera: Cossidae). Atalanta, 35(3-4), 335-351. https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2020.35.1

Yakovlev, R. V. (2006). New Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Asia, Africa and Macronesia. Tinea,19(3), 188-213.

Yakovlev, R. V. (2011). Catalogue of the Family Cossidae of the Old World. Neue Entomologische Nachrichten, 66, 1-129.

Yakovlev, R. V. (2014) Descriptions of three new species of Cossidae (Lepidoptera) from Vietnam, with an updated annotated checklist. Zootaxa, 3802(2), 240-256. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3802.2.6 PMid:24871005

Yakovlev, R. V., & Nakao, K. (2013) A new species of Lakshmia Yakovlev, 2004 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from northern Thailand with a world catalogue of the genus. Zootaxa, 3736(2), 198-200. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3736.2.7 PMid:25112623

Author notes

* Autor para la correspondencia / Corresponding author: joshiarctiidae@gmail.com