Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2024-07-15
Page range: 66-78
Abstract views: 64
PDF downloaded: 1

Schistophleps kendricki sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from Bangladesh with an overview of the genus

Department of Zoology; University of Chittagong; Chittagong‒4331; Bangladesh
Slovak Academy of Science; Institute of Zoology; Dúbravská cesta 9; 845 06; Bratislava; Slovak republic
Department of Zoology; University of Chittagong; Chittagong‒4331; Bangladesh
Lepidoptera tiger moth citizen science Chittagong digitate process Bengal

Abstract


Schistophleps Hampson, 1891 is one of the most frequently occurring genera of tiger moths, widely distributed in the Oriental and Australian regions. However, a lion’s share of the species belonging to this genus are poorly known except the original descriptions. In this article, we provide a brief overview of all known species currently assigning to this genus. We divide the species into albida, bicolora, bipuncta, flavia, fulvia, hyalina, and subtilis species groups on the basis of wing pattern elements along with geographic distributions, and four highly obscure species are discussed as a miscellaneous group. Among the species, Schistophleps bipuncta Hampson, 1891 is the most frequently occurring taxon having a distribution stretching all over the South East Asia. However, the variable wing maculations and other features, reflected through the observations on various citizen science platforms from different regions of the Indian subcontinent indicate to a sibling species yet to discover. Herein, we describe the species as Schistophleps kendricki Rayhan, Bucsek, & Jahan sp. nov., from Chittagong, Bangladesh that is similar to the Schistophleps bipuncta species group in wing maculation, but markedly differs from all of its closely allied congeners in the genitalia configurations in having characteristic modification of uncus. Besides, a comparison of observations on different citizen science platforms from the Indian subcontinent is provided that suggests the possible distribution of this new species throughout the Bengal including West Bengal, India and Bangladesh.

 

References

  1. Bethune-Baker, G.T. (1904) New Lepidoptera from British New Guinea. Novitates Zoologicae, 11 (2), 367‒429. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.26838
  2. Bethune-Baker, G.T. (1908) New Heterocera from British New Guinea. Novitates Zoologicae, 15, 175‒243. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.15472
  3. Bucsek, K. (2012) Erebidae, Arctiinae (Lithosiini, Arctiini) of Malay Peninsula-Malaysia. Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, 170 pp.
  4. Bucsek, K. (2014) Erebidae, Arctiinae (Lithosiini, Arctiini) of Malaya Peninsula-Malaysia (Supplementum). Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, 45 pp.
  5. Bucsek, K. (2020) Contribution to the knowledge of Lithosiini (Erebidae, Arctiinae) of central and northern Laos, part 1. Entomofauna carpathica, 32 (1), 42‒66.
  6. Daniel, F. (1951) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Arctiidae Ostasiens unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Ausbeuten von Dr. h. c. H. Höne aus diesem Gebiet. III. Teil: Lithosiinae. Bonner zoologische Beiträge, 2 (3‒4), 291‒327.
  7. Dubatolov, V.V., Kishida, Y. & Min, W. (2012) New records of lichen-moths from the Nanling Mts., Guangdong, South China, with description of new genera and species (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae: Lithosiinae). Tinea, 22 (1), 25‒52.
  8. Hampson, G.F. (1900) Catalogue of the Arctiadae (Nolinae, Lithosinae) in the collection of the British Museum Vol. 2. British Museum, London, 589 pp.
  9. Hampson, G.F. (1891) The Lepidoptera Heterocera of the Nilgiri district. Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of the British Museum Part VIII. British Museum, London, 144 pp.
  10. Haidar, I.K.A., Rahman, M.M., Ahsan, M.F. & Islam, M.A. (2017) Status, abundance and habitat preference of butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera) in Chittagong University Campus, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 9 (3), 9988–10003. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2213.9.3.9988-10003
  11. Holloway, J.D. (1979) A survey of the Lepidoptera, Biogeography and Ecology of New Caledonia. Series Entomologica, 15, 1‒588.
  12. Holloway, J.D. (2001) The Moths of Borneo: Family Arctiidae: Subfamily Lithosiinae Part VII. Malaysian Naturalists Journal, 55 (3‒4), 279‒469.
  13. Kirti, J.S. & Gill, N.S. (2008) Two new species of Schistophleps Hampson (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Lithosiinae) from India. Oriental Insects, 42, 379‒384. https://doi.org/10.1080/00305316.2008.10417563
  14. Lucas, T.P. (1894) Descriptions of new Australian Lepidoptera, with additional Localities for known Species. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 8 (2), 133‒166.
  15. Reich, P. (1937) Die Arctiidae der China-Ausbeute des Herrn Hermann Höne in Shanghai. Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift Iris, 51, 113‒130.
  16. Robinson, G.S. (1976) The preparation of slides of Lepidoptera genitalia with special reference to the Microlepidoptera. Entomologist’s Gazette, 27 (2), 127–132.
  17. Roepke, W. (1946) The lithosiids, collected by Dr. L.J. Toxopeus in Central Celebes, with remarsk on some allied species. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 87, 77‒91.
  18. Rothschild, W. (1913) New Lithosianae. Novitates Zoologicae, 20 (1), 192‒226.
  19. Rothschild, W. (1916) On the Lepidoptera in the Tring Museum sent by Mr. A. S. Meek from the Admiralty Islands, Dampier and Vulcan Islands. Novitates Zoologicae, 23 (3), 319‒334.
  20. Schaus, W. (1924) New species of moths in the United States National Museum. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 65 (2520), 1‒74. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.2520
  21. Singh, J., Singh, N. & Joshi, R. (2014) A Checklist of Subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae: Noctuoidea: Lepidoptera) from India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 367, 1‒76.
  22. Singh, N., Joshi, R., Kirti, J.S., Bisht, S.S. & Param, H.S. (2021) A catalogue of Indian Arctiinae (Erebidae, Lepidoptera). Zootaxa, 5058 (1), 001–118. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5058.1.1
  23. Strand, E. (1922) Arctiidae: Subfam. Lithosiinae. Lepidopterum Catalogus, Part XXVI. W. Junk, Berlin, 501‒825 pp.
  24. Walker, F. ([1865]) List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum Part XXXI. Order of the trustees, London, 322 pp.