Simplicia concisalis (Walker, [1866])

Raha, Angshuman, Sanyal, Abesh Kumar & Singh, Navneet, 2025, On the taxonomy of genus Simplicia Guenée, with a new species from India (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Herminiinae), Zootaxa 5631 (3), pp. 451-474 : 461

Simplicia concisalis (Walker, [1866])

( Figs. 9–10, 39–40)

Bocana concisalis Walker, [1866] , List Spec. Lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 34: 1171. (TL: Aru, Maluku Province, Indonesia) = Simplicia aroa Bethune-Baker, 1908 , Novit. Zool., 15: 205. (TL: Aroa River, British New Guinea, Papua New Guinea)

Material examined: India, Andhra Pradesh, Vishakhapatnam Dist.: 1♂, Araku Valley (18º16'34.6"N, 82º59'21.8"E, Alt. 1161 m), 05.x.2021 ; 1 ♂, Garudaguda (18º17'46.5"N, 82º56'37.9"E), 06.x.2021, S.K. Shah leg.

Diagnosis: Forewing length: ♂ 14–15 mm. Externally this species is very similar to S. butesalis (Walker, [1859]) ( Holloway 2008: 114, pl. 5, f. 281) distributed in the Sundaland, Indo-Australian tropics East to Papua New Guinea (not in India) and Thailand ( Kononenko & Pinratana 2005). The main differences lie in the male antenna which is ciliate without any node in S. concisalis , while that in S. butesalis has a strong node with raised scales at one-third length and forewing fasciation intensity which is usually more conspicuous in the former. Male genitalia exhibits clear cut differences between these species. Simplicia concisalis differs by larger uncus with less acute distal part, longer valva with minute costal spine at the apex and without any distinct bulge at the middle of the ventral margin, and the aedeagus vesica with shorter spines on the broader distal diverticulum ( Figs. 39, 40). Two more species, S. turpatalis (Walker, [1859]) known from Sri Lanka and S. medioangulata Bethune-Baker, 1908 known from Papua New Guinea seem to have somewhat similar appearance to S. concisalis as per their original description. However, in S. turpatalis , male antenna has a smaller node with raised scales before the middle and S. mediangulata has inwardly oblique ante-medial line on forewing which, in S. concisalis , is nearly straight, crenulate and outwardly oblique.

Distribution: India: Indo-Australian tropics (in Australia), Andhra Pradesh ( Holloway 2008, present study). Global: Papua New Guinea, Sundaland ( Holloway 2008).

Remark: Although, Holloway (2008) mentioned the distribution of S. concisalis in the Indo-Australian tropics, its occurrence in India was hitherto doubtful. Therefore, the current study marks its confirmed report from the country. Hampson (1895) treated S. concisalis and S. murinalis ( Moore, 1867) (reported only from Bengal in the original description) as synonyms of S. butesalis due to apparently similar external appearance. Poole (1989) also followed this concept after studying the type specimens at the British Museum of Natural History where S. murinalis is represented only by the un-dissected holotype female from West Bengal, India. Eventually, Holloway (2008) revived both as valid species based on the differences in male genitalia and antennae discussed above for S. concisalis and wing fasciation for S. murinalis with those in S. butesalis . This species is known to inhabit lowland forests ( Holloway 2008); however, we have encountered it from mid elevation moist deciduous forests up to 1200 m.