Zitha ferrugineofasciata Irungbam & Mally, 2025

Irungbam, Jatishwor Singh & Mally, Richard, 2025, A new species of Zitha Walker, 1866 and three new records of pyraloid moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera) from India, Zootaxa 5653 (4), pp. 524-534 : 525-527

Zitha ferrugineofasciata Irungbam & Mally , sp. nov.

LSID: https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EAE95391-E427-49C8-802D-1D6878714C5D

( Figs 1–3 , 9–12 )

Type material. Holotype. [ INDIA] ♂, Shirui Hills (Site 3), Manipur, 25.11715°N 94.44560°E, 2190 m, 23/ 24 vii 2019, leg. JS Irungbam, deposited at NZCZSI . Paratypes. [ INDIA] 1 ♂, same data as holotype ; 5 ♂♂, Imphal West, Langol RF , near Shiva temple, Manipur state, 24.844944° N 93.9195278° E, 25 iii 2017, 949 m, leg. JS Irungbam, one with gen. prep. JSI 164 ; 4 ♂♂, Shirui Hills (Site 1), Manipur, 25.1264°N 94.4357°E, 1930 m, ASL, 13 iii 2019, leg. JS Irungbam, one with gen. prep. JSI 562 , one with gen. prep. RM 1192 ; 1 ♂, Shirui Guest House , Manipur, 25°7’35.20’’N 94°26’8.60’’E, 1930 m, 12 vii 2016, leg. JS Irungbam; deposited at NZCZSI .

Diagnosis. The species fits well within the concept of Zitha sensu Leraut (2006) , characterized by a relatively slender uncus, a dorsad process arising near the base of the valva, above the sacculus, and a long phallus caecum. Externally, adults of Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov. ( Figs 1–3 ) are most similar to the Indian Z. torridalis ( Fig. 4 ), but the hindwing ground colour in Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov. is antique white, covered with a more or less strong hue of apricot to dark orange, whereas in Z. torridalis the hind wings are generally of a dark rust or chocolate colour. Furthermore, Z. torridalis bears an oval white spot at the centre of the hindwing between the ante- and postmedial lines; no such spot is present in Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov.

In the male genitalia, the width of the valva is more constricted at the distal sacculus in Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov. ( Fig. 12 ) compared to Z. torridalis ( Fig. 13 ), and the dorsad process above the sacculus is considerably larger. Furthermore, the juxta is shorter and basally broader in Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov., and the cornutus-like sclerotisation of the phallus is short and lanceolate, while in Z. torridalis , this structure consists of a long, needleshaped structure.

Description. Head: ( Fig. 9 ) Vertex with brown scales protruding towards the frons, ochre scales on the sides; labial palps porrect, slightly upturned, ochre with a few dark brown scales interspersed, third palpomere pointed forward, almost hidden among the long forward-directed ventral scales of the second palpomere; maxillary palps minute, ochre, mostly hidden between labial palpi and frons scales; proboscis basally scaled with ochre; antenna ( Fig. 10 ) about 2⁄3 of the forewing length, scape hidden under broad, tubular, dark brown pedicel, flagellum dark brown, ciliate with each flagellomere bearing multiple fine chaetae emerging from a hemispherical bulge, chaetae about twice the length of the flagellum diameter; compound eyes large, hemispherical, black; minute ocellus at posterior edge between eye and antenna base; neck with collar of raised scales in the shape, length and colour of those on vertex. Thorax: Dorsal side brown, metathorax yellowish brown, patagia with reddish-brown scales. Legs covered with dark brown, ochre, olive and crimson scales, outside of forelegs and tarsi of mid- and hindlegs oliveochre; midlegs with a pair of short stout spurs, inner spur about twice as long as outer; hindlegs’ distal spur pair resembling midlegs’ pair in size and colour, proximal pair slender, longer than the other spur pairs. Wings: ( Figs 1–3 ) Forewing length: 12–14 mm (n= 12, Ø 13 mm). Forewings slender, triangular, termen evenly convex; costa with a broad beige-grey band running from wing base to postmedial line, where it tapers into a pointed tip ending in the wing apex, a row of small black spots along the forewing edge; antemedial area triangular, reddish-brown at wing base, rust-orange and pale yellow towards the antemedial line; discoidal cell bordered with dark brown scales, proximal discoidal stigma as a diffuse dark brown spot, distal discoidal stigma a somewhat elongate dark brown ellipse; antemedial line dark brown, emerging from slightly beyond proximal part of cell, running straight or slightly concave towards anal margin; area between ante- and postmedial lines trapezoidal, rust-orange and pale yellow but somewhat darker than ante- and postmedial area, with a black border separating it from the costal band; postmedial line dark brown to black, straight towards the costal margin, running slightly concave towards M 3 and CuA 1, then straight towards anal margin; postmedial area rust-orange and pale yellow, somewhat lighter along postmedial line; fringes dark brown. Hindwings broad, antique white ground colour, covered with a more or less strong hue of apricot to dark orange, with some veins narrowly marked by dark scales in the postmedial area; brown postmedial line thin, slightly curved outwards, running from anal angle towards 3⁄4 of the costal area, where it fades out; fringes light to dark brown. Ventral side of wings paler than the dorsal side, but with the same general wing pattern. Males with single frenulum bristle, held in place by an ochre-scaled retinaculum hook. Abdomen: Dorsal side dark brown, with dark brown to black band on distal side of each segment; ventral side dark brown, interspersed with black. Tympanal organs: ( Fig. 11 ) Sacci tympani oval; venulae secundae from distal end of sacci tympani running distad and slightly inward. Male genitalia: ( Fig. 12 ) Uncus finger-shaped, slightly tapering towards a wide round tip, studded with fine simple chaetae, uncus base broadly extended into lateral arms that articulate on both sides with the gnathos; gnathos on the sides bridging a gap between lateral tegumen and lateral uncus arms, gnathos arms arching in- and upwards from apical tegumen to connect in the middle to form an elongate lanceolate dorsad process; tegumen with sclerotised band on anterior side, arching from dorsal end of valva joint up to centre of uncus base; vinculum V-shaped, ending in a U-shaped saccus; valva simple, roughly triangular, costa slightly concave, apex broadly rounded, ventral valva edge bulging outward beyond end of sacculus; triangular fibula emerging from a broad base stretching from near distal sacculus to centre of valva joint, fibula tip drawn-out and bent inwards; sacculus elongate, base broadened and curved towards juxta base; juxta with a broad convexly rounded base, sides tapering towards half-length of juxta, and a broad apex with rounded lateral edges and a short central bulge, subapical juxta with stronger sclerotisation. Phallus elongate tubular, ductus ejaculatorius attached at 1⁄3 from distal phallus end (creating a long caecum), where the phallus apodeme features a rounded opening in its sclerotisation, dorsal side of posterior apodeme unsclerotised; vesica with a narrow spike-shaped cornutus-like area densely covered with granulose sclerotisation.

Female: unknown.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin ‘ ferrugineus ’ = of the colour of iron-rust, and ‘ fasciatus ’, fem. ‘ fasciata ’ = banded, in reference to the rust-coloured band running across the forewing.

Distribution. India (Manipur state).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Adults of Zitha spp. 1, Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov., male, Holotype, dorsal; 2, Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov., male, Holotype, ventral; 3, Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov., male, Paratype, dorsal (abdomen removed); 4, Z. torridalis Lederer, male, dorsal, photo credit: Rahul Ranjan (Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURES 9–11. Morphological structures of male Zitha ferrugineofasciata sp. nov. 9, Head, male, lateral view; 10, Antenna, male, lateral view; 11, tympanal organs.

FIGURES 12–13. Male genitalia of Zitha spp. 12, Z. ferrugineofasciata sp. nov., Paratype; 13, Z. torridalis Lederer, photo credit: Rahul Ranjan (Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Scale bar: 1 mm.