Termioptycha almae Ranjan, N. Singh & Kirti 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ranjan, Rahul
name: Singh, Navneet
name: Kirti, Jagbir Singh
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Pyralidae
Termioptycha
Termioptycha almae

description: Termioptycha almae Ranjan, N. Singh & Kirti, sp. nov.
(Figs. 2, 9)
Type locality: Deorali (Sikkim, India)
Material examined: Holotype (♂). India, SIKKIM, Deorali, 18.ix.2014 (NZCZSI), R. Ranjan leg.
Diagnosis: By the darker ground colour of the forewing, T. almae sp. nov. (Fig. 2) is closely similar to T. nigrimacularis (Rong et al. 2017: fig. 4), T. bilineata (Fig. 4) and T. inimica (Rong et al. 2017: fig. 13) but is distinct from the first two species by the paler hindwing and from T. inimica, by the presence of a sub basal bunch of hairs on the inner margin of hindwing. In male genitalia, T. almae sp. nov (Fig. 9) is distinct from T. nigrimacularis (Rong et al. 2017: fig. 14) by the uncus not bifid apically, gnathos protruded medially and valva having mid-costal process (in T. nigrimacularis uncus is apically bifid, gnathos flat medially, and the mid-costal process of valva is absent), from T. bilineata (Fig. 11) by the absence of apical spine of uncus, absence of ampulla and presence of a mid-costal process of valva (in T. bilineata, the rectangular uncus is having apical spine, a conspicuous ampulla present and mid-costal process of valva is absent), and from T. inimica (Rong et al. 2017: fig. 23) by unspined gnathos, uncus almost rectangular, and presence of a mid-costal process (in T. inimica gnathos is densely spined, uncus is broadest medially and narrow at apex and base, mid-costal process of valva is absent).
Description: Adult. Dark olive. Labial palpi upturned, 2 nd segment longest, 3 rd minute. Antennae ciliated, basally swollen. Patagia reaching upto metathorax. Forewing with a basal pale olive patch outlined with fuscous; a tuft of black scales in cell, another on beyond the cell; a postmedial indistinct line originating from radial vein being excurved between vein M 3 and cubital than incurved to meet at inner margin, outer area suffused with fuscous scales; terminal spots of dark scales; cilia alternatively chequered with pale pinkish and fuscous scales. Hindwing basal and medial area whitish tinged with pale fulvous and with a subbasal bunch of hairs on inner margin, traces of postmedial line, area beyond it dark. Male genitalia with uncus almost rectangular with small basolateral extension, apex with a minute spine on both the terminal. Gnathos narrowed and slightly protruded medially. Tegumen as long as uncus. Vinculum almost double the length of tegumen, forming V shape. Juxta U shape with lateral process elongate and slightly curved. Valva almost rectangular with apical margin oblique, anteriorly directed long apical hairs; costa with strong central process, an elongated flap running along costa from base to apex of valva, a dorsally directed sclerotised flap from saccular region. Aedeagus arched with a sclerotised spine; vesica with bunch of small spines along with some long spines.
Etymology: The species is named in honour of eminent Epipaschiinae worker Dr. Alma Solis, USA, for her great contributions to this field.
Distribution: So far, the new species is known from its type locality only i.e., Deorali, Sikkim.
description: Published as part of Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2022, On the taxonomy of genus Termioptycha Meyrick, 1889 (Pyralidae, Epipaschiinae) with description of two new species and two new species records from India, pp. 415-424 in Zootaxa 5165 (3) on page 417, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6838491