Oecophorid ( Micro Lepidoptera ) diversity from Shivalik hills of northwestern Himalaya

Acknowledgement: We are thankful to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (GOI), New Delhi, and Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi for funding the projects on moths and to the ViceChancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana for providing necessary facilities to run the projects. We also thank to Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy, Principal Scientist, Division of Entomology, I.A.R.I., New Delhi for giving permission to visit National Pusa Collection and valuable suggestions during the course of these studies. 1 6 : ! *' ! + % ! 0 3 *6 + 0 ! 6 1 1 & 1 7 ; 5 4 *0 3 + 5 "--< 5 =$$" ! 6 ! 7 ( ;


Methodology
Adults were collected during the night time with the help of portable light traps.Specimens were also collected by hanging a source of light (125 -Watt mercury vapour lamp) on a white sheet or white washed wall.The collected Oecophorid moths were killed using 1,1,2,2, tetrachloro ethane or ethyl acetate.The methodology discussed by Lindquist (1956), Tagestad (1974), Zimmerman (1978), Mikkola (1986) and Landry & Landry (1994) was followed for the pinning, stretching and preservation of specimens.For study of wings and genitalia standard techniques given by Zimmerman (1978) and Robinson (1976), respectively, have been followed.To study the taxonomic descriptions on various morphological characters (Robinson 1976;Park 1995;Hodges 1998), wing venation (Common 1970;Zimmerman 1978) and external genitalia (Klots 1970), were consulted.Illustrations and diagrams were made using a Camera Lucida attached to a stereoscopic light microscope.Colour photographs of all the species were taken before dissection.
Vertex and frons covered with smooth scales; antenna filiform, longer than half the length of forewing; labial palpus long, upturned; male genitalia with gnathos broad basally, unarticulated, tapering to slender or rounded apex.
Description of species recorded in this study are given below under their respective subfamilies.
Antenna simple; forewing with CuA1 and CuA2 stalked, forewing with CuP absent; abdomen with band of spiniform setae on posterior part of terga two to six.
Material examined: 1 male, 9.viii.1998; 1 male, 12.iv.1999; 2 females, 4.ix.1999; 1 male, 5.ix.1999,Renuka Lake, Dist.Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, 740m; 1 female, University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Dist.Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 1360m; 1 male, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 700m, 2 males, 12.viii.1999Vertex and frons decorated with semi-erect scales; labial palpus two segmented in male, upturned, second segment exceptionally long and acute; antenna long, filiform, longer than ¾ length of forewing; legs with semi-erect scales on tibia; forewing with veins R4+R5 stalked, R5 to termen or apex, M1 and M2 free, CuA1 and CuA2 free; hindwing with Rs to costa, M1 and M2 free, M3 and CuA1 connate, 1A+2A forked at base; male genitalia with uncus large, broader apically, narrowed basally, sclerotized; socii absent; gnathos with well developed ventral plate, with minute spines; tegumen small or broad, saccus absent; valvae with costa distinct, sclerotized, sacculus prominent with processes distally, cucullus with long, dense setae; aedeagus small, with spine apically, coecum present, vesica without cornutus; female genitalia characteristic papillae anales large, setose; ostium bursae broad, centrally placed; ductus bursae small; corpus bursae large; signum India.In the present field surveys, four species have been captured and reported.The Oecophorid genus, Periacma Meyrick proposed on the basis of the type-species P. ferialis Meyrick by Meyrick (1894) is unique in having two segmented labial palps in the male.It is mainly distributed in the Oriental Region (Moriuti et al. 1985;Ueda & Moriuti 1996).While reporting this genus as new to the fauna of Nepal, the latter authors could not get sufficient material as the latter species has been named and described on the basis of a lone male specimen.In the current work, the congeneric nature of the presently studied two species could not be made out on the basis of their female genitalia, as the same has been examined only for one species i.e., P. circumclusa Meyrick, yet it can be safely stated that it broadly conforms to that of P. himalayanesis Ueda & Moriuti (Ueda & Moriuti 1996).Both the species i.e.P. himalayanesis and P. continuata are closer to each other in view of structures such as the lamella antevaginalis, the ductus bursae and the ductus seminalis which originates 1/3rd posteriorly from the ductus bursae in the female genitalia.