Caltoris cahira austeni (Moore, [1884])

KC, Sajan, Pariyar, Surendra & Sapkota, Anisha, 2025, Refining Nepal's butterfly records: self-corrections and notes on previously recorded Papilionoidea (Lepidoptera) species, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 11 (2), pp. 363-377 : 370-372

Caltoris cahira austeni (Moore, [1884])

Baoris austeni Moore, [1884] , Type locality: Khasia Hills , Cherra Pungi, India.

Material Examined. 1 ♀, NEPAL, Paripatle, Dhankuta District , Koshi Province (27°00'00.1"N 87°18'37.2"E, 1300 m), 1-IX-2021, Coll. Sajan KC ( Figs 4A–4C) .

Diagnosis. Evans (1949) noted that Caltoris species cannot be reliably identified based solely on external morphology. According to Ek-Amnuay (2012), C. cahira austeni can be separated from the similarappearing Caltoris sirius sirius (Evans, 1926) by its smaller size and darker brown color. Males of C. cahira lack a spot in space 1b of the dorsal forewing, whereas in C. s. sirius , it is present in both sexes, albeit small ( Corbet & Pendlebury, 1956). The ventral hindwing in C. cahira austeni is dark chocolate-colored whereas that in C. s. sirius i s yellowish brown ( Ek-Amnuay, 2012). Reliable identification requires male genitalia analysis, which reveals a deeply divided cuiller and valva in C. cahira austeni , in contrast to the shallow division in C. s. sirius ( Evans, 1949; Zhang et al., 2010). The analysis of female genitalia in this study revealed that the shoulders of the lamella postvaginalis in Caltoris sirius fusca (a nominotypical specimen was unavailable) are arcuate, trapeziform, and appear to extend beyond the lamella (potentially due to damage to the lamella) ( Fig. 4F). In contrast, in C. cahira austeni , the shoulders of the lamella postvaginalis are straight, pointed, and subequal in length to the lamella ( Fig. 4 C, Zhang et al., 2010).

Remarks. This record, along with another from the same location, was published in KC and Sapkota (2022) as Caltoris s. sirius based on the presence of a spot in space 1b of the forewing (see Inayoshi, 2024); however, this character is shared by the female of C. cahira austeni as well ( Smith, 2011, Ek-Amnuay, 2012). The latter species is more common and widespread in Nepal ( Smith, 2011). Upon reexamining the female specimen collected from Paripatle, Dhankuta District ( Figs 4A–4C), reconsulting Zhang et al. (2010) for reference on female genitalia, and dissecting a female specimen of Caltoris sirius fusca housed in MGCL ( Figs 4D–4F), we realized our initial identification (C. s. sirius ) was incorrect. Therefore, we retract the reports of C. s. sirius from Dhankuta District, published in KC and Sapkota (2022), and correct the identification herein to C. cahira austeni .

Distribution. Nepal ( Smith, 2011); Sikkim to NE India ( Varshney & Smetacek, 2015); Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia ( Inayoshi, 2024).