Short Communication Present status of the genus Sphrageidus Maes, 1984 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae) from India

The surveys to different localities of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand yielded three species of genus Sphrageidus Maes, namely S. similis (Fuessly), S. simlensis (Gupta) and S. xanthorrhoea (Kollar) of subfamily Lymantriinae. The external morphological characters particularly wing maculation and venation along with genitalia characteristics have been studied and illustrated in detail. The male genitalic features like distinct saccus, ring-like juxta, simple valva, aedeagus with a hook or reversed spine at the apex and distinct wing venation, i.e., absence of vein M2 in hindwing completely conform the characterization of the genus. In the present studies, the species simlensis has been placed under genus Sphrageidus Maes making a new combination as Sphrageidus simlensis (Gupta) for its proper placement. The genus diagnosis has also been updated. The external morphological characters including wing maculation, venation and particularly the genitalic features proved significant from taxonomic point of view in all the three species.


PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS
For the proper placement of a group of Palaearctic, African, and Madagascan species with white or yellowish forewings and a yellow anal tuft, genus Sphrageidus by Maes (1984) with similis Fuessly, 1775 as its type species from Europe was proposed. Holloway (1999) updated the status of virguncula Walker, 1855 and xanthorrhoea Kollar, 1848; he placed them under the genus Sphrageidus. He further remarked that the genus is related to two other genera namely Toxoproctis Holloway, 1999 and Urocoma Herrich-Schaffer, 1858 on the basis of long saccus in male genitalia. The genus is closely allied to genus Euproctis Hübner, 1819, but it is distinct in terms of wing venation, i.e., absence of vein M 2 in hindwing and male genitalic features such as ring-shaped juxta and presence of hook or reversed spine at apex of aedeagus. It also resembles with other allied genera namely Somena Walker, 1856 and Orvasca Walker, 1865 due to the absence of vein M 2 in hindwing (Holloway 1999). It is widely distributed in India, Africa, Myanmar, Sundaland, and Thailand. Gupta (1986) described a new species i.e., simlensis under genus Porthesia Stephens, 1829 from Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) but the male genitalia completely conforms the characterization of genus Sphrageidus. A new combination as Sphrageidus simlensis (Gupta, 1986) is J TT proposed for the proper placement of the species.

Material and Methods
Different localities of Himachal Pradesh (32.084 0 N & 77.571 0 E), Jammu & Kashmir (34.083 0 N & 74.797 0 E), and Uttarakhand (30.316 0 N & 78.032 0 E) were surveyed for the collection of adult moths. The distribution map of the species studied was also drawn (Fig.1). The light traps equipped with a 160w mercury bulb and vertical white sheet were used for collection. To study of wing venation, the methodology proposed by Zimmermann (1978) was followed. The male and female moths were dissected to examine the external genital features (Robinson 1976) and the terminology for naming various genital parts given by Klots (1970) was followed in the present communication.

Results and Discussion
The external morphological characters like ornamentation of antennae, legs and abdomen, wing maculation, wing venation, and significantly the external genitalic features contributed towards the authentic identification and characterization of examined taxa. The taxonomic status of the genus Sphrageidus has been Image 1. Distribution of the genus Sphrageidus Maes in India.

Genus Sphrageidus
Diagnosis: Small sized moths, usually white in colouration. Labial palpi porrect, hairy. Antennae bipectinate in both sexes. Forewing with ground colour whitish or yellowish; discal cell half the length of wing, closed; 1A+2A from base of wing, reaching apex; 3A absent; R 5 -R 2 stalked, R 5 branching off more basally from Rs system than R 2 ; Sc from base of wing not reaching the apex. Hindwing with ground colour white; discal cell half the length of wing, closed; 1A+2A from base of wing, reaching apex; 3A absent; Cu 1 and M 3 stalked or arising independently from lower angle of cell; M 2 absent; M 1 and Rs stalked from upper angle of cell; Sc+R 1 from base of wing anastomosing with discal cell. Legs dressed with scales; fore-tibia with an epiphysis; mid-tibia with one pair of tibial spurs of unequal length; hind-tibia with two J TT pair of tibial spurs of equal length. Abdomen slender, clothed with scales; distinct yellow anal tuft in females. Male genitalia with uncus robust; saccus long; juxta ring-like; valva simple, slightly upcurved; aedeagus with a hook or reversed spine at the apex. Female genitalia with papilla analis relatively short, extending ventrally in a quadrate manner like the head of manta-ray; corpus bursae may be with bicornute signum. (Fuessly, 1775) (Image 1-10) Phalaena similis Fuessly, 1775, Verz. Schweiz. Ins., 1775 Sphrageidus similis: Maes, 1984, Nota. Lepid.,7(1): 55-58;Holloway, 1999, Moths Borneo, 5: 59. Euproctis similis: Inoue et al., 1957, Journ. Med. Sci and Biol., 10: 198. Porthesia similis: Chao, 2003, Fauna Sinica, 30: 321. Type locality: Europe Diagnosis: Head with vertex and frons clothed with white scales, an orangish-yellow line behind the head. Labial palpi fringed with white scales. Antennae with scape and flagellum studded with white scales. Thorax with collar and tegula covered with white scales. Legs dressed with white scales. Abdomen furnished with white scales; anal segment fringed with orangish-yellow scales.

Sphrageidus similis
Wing maculation: Forewing with ground colour white, a small black or brown tornal mark, absent in females; fringe white; underside with costal area irrorated with greyish scales. Hindwing white.
Wing venation: Forewing with Cu 2 from middle of cell; Cu 1 from well before lower angle of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 from above lower angle of cell; M 1 from upper angle of cell; R 5 -R 2 highly stalked from before upper angle of cell; R 1 from well before upper angle of cell. Hindwing with Cu 2 from beyond middle of cell; Cu 1 just before lower angle of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 absent; M 1 and Rs stalked from upper angle of cell; Sc+R 1 from base of wing anastomosing with discal cell beyond middle.
Female genitalia: Corpus bursae wedge-shaped, membranous without any distinct signum; ductus bursae from one side of the corpus bursae, narrow, almost half the length of corpus bursae, membranous; ductus seminalis originating from the junction of ductus bursae and corpus bursae; apophysis well-sclerotized, posterior apophysis narrower than anterior ones having tapering apices; papilla analis relatively short; rectangular, produced on one side, setosed with small setae; pseudopapillae small, triangular, setosed with small setae.  Inoue et al. (1957) transferred it to genus Euproctis Hübner, 1819. Maes (1984) proposed a new genus, Sphrageidus for its proper placement. Holloway (1999) followed the same nomenclature. Chao (2003) included it under another genus, Porthesia Stephens, 1829. In the present studies, the male and female genitalia of the present species have been studied in detail and it has been concluded that it completely conforms the characterization of Sphrageidus and the nomenclature proposed by Maes (1984) has been adopted.
Wing venation: Forewing with Cu 2 from middle of cell; Cu 1 from beyond three-fourth of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 from above lower angle of cell; M 1 shortly stalked with common stalk of R 5 -R 2 ; R 5 -R 2 well stalked from upper angle of cell; R 1 from well before upper angle of cell. Hindwing with Cu 2 from beyond middle of cell; Cu 1 before lower angle of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 absent; M 1 and Rs highly stalked from upper angle of cell; Sc+R 1 from base of wing anastomosing with discal cell beyond its middle.
Body Length: Male: 11-21 mm; female: not examined. Male genitalia: Uncus of moderate size, well sclerotized, broad at base, dorsally setosed with small setae, gradually narrowing towards blunt apex; tegumen broad, U-shaped, medially dilated, narrow, quite narrow towards vinculum; vinculum semi-sclerotized, narrow, ending into long saccus with rounded end; juxta well sclerotized forming a circular ring and having a long backwardly projected projection. Valva simple; semisclerotized; setosed; without any demarcation; distal end narrow, rounded, reaching upto the level of uncus. Aedeagus of moderate size, moderately sclerotized; proximal end flap-like; ductus ejaculatorius entering directly under this flap; distal end armed with backwardly directed long spine and circumference with two patches of fine denticles.
Remarks: Gupta (1986) described the present species as a new species under genus Porthesia from Shimla (Himachal Pradesh). During the present studies, the external morphological structures including the wing venation and genitalia have been studied in detail. On the basis of characters such as absence of vein M 2 in hindwing and robust uncus; long saccus; simple, slightly upcurved valva; ring-like juxta and reversed spine at the apex of aedeagus in male genitalia, it has been concluded that it completely conforms to the characterization of the present genus. Thus, it has been placed under the present genus Sphrageidus making a new combination as Sphrageidus simlensis (Gupta, 1986). Its collection from Lamberi is its first record from Jammu & Kashmir.

Sphrageidus xanthorrhoea (Kollar)
(Image 21-29) Liparis xanthorrhoea Kollar, 1848, in Hugel, Kaschmir und  Type locality: Sri Lanka Diagnosis: Head with vertex and frons clothed with white scales. Labial palpi fringed with white scales. Antennae with scape and flagellum studded with white scales. Thorax, collar and tegula dressed with white scales. Legs furnished with white scales. Abdomen covered with white scales; distal segment fringed with orangish-yellow scales.
Wing maculation: Forewing with ground colour white, marginal area irrorated with yellow scales; J TT underside blackish-grey, outlined with pure white; fringe white. Hindwing with ground colour blackish-grey; basal area white; fringe white; underside blackish-grey, outlined with pure white.
Wing Venation: Forewing with Cu 2 from well before two-third of lower angle of cell; Cu 1 from well before lower angle of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 from above lower angle of cell; M 1 from upper angle of cell; R 5 -R 2 highly stalked just before upper angle of cell. Hindwing with Cu 2 from two-third of lower angle of cell; Cu 1 from just before lower angle of cell; M 3 from lower angle of cell; M 2 absent; M 1 and Rs stalked from upper angle of cell; Sc+R 1 from base of wing anastomosing with discal cell beyond its middle.
Wingspan: Male: 24-32 mm; female: not Eeamined. Body length: Male: 12-13 mm; female: not examined. Male genitalia: Uncus of moderate size, well sclerotized, basal half triangular, distal half laterally compressed with blunt apex, appears pointed in lateral view; tegumen quite broad, U-shaped, quite narrow towards vinculum; vinculum narrow, moderately sclerotized ending into quite long, narrow saccus with rounded end; juxta well developed, well sclerotized, ringlike, a backwardly directed projection from inner side of distal end. Valva simple, semi-sclerotized; setosed; saccular area broad; distal end narrow, round having a slight protrusion/hump on saccular margin; valva ending well above the level of uncus. Aedeagus of moderate size; proximal end flap-like; slightly more sclerotized; ductus ejaculatorius entering directly from proximal end; distal end armed with backwardly directed spine, circumferenced with fine denticles; vesica without any distinct cornuti. Remarks: Kollar (1848) originally described the present species, xanthorrhoea under Liparis Ochsenheimer, 1810 from Sri Lanka. Hampson (1892) transferred it to genus Porthesia Stephens. Swinhoe (1922) studied it under Arctornis Gremar, 1810. Kishida (1993) considered it as Euproctis xanthorrhoea Kollar 1848 and described its male genitalic features. Holloway (1999) placed it under Sphrageidus Maes on the basis of its definitative male genitalic features which completely conforms the characterization of the genus. Though Chao (2003) followed Hampson's nomenclature but its placement proposed by Holloway (1999) has been followed. The species under reference closely resembles with Sphrageidus simlensis Gupta in general appearance. The morphological features such as black hindwings with white basal area; underside of both wings uniformly black outlined by white and distally narrow valva with a slight protrusion/hump on saccular margin in male genitalia further makes it a distinct species.
In insects, genitalic features are highly species-specific (particularly in Lepidoptera) and play a significant role in species identification and delimitation. In the present study, the external morphological characters including wing maculation, venation and particularly the genitalic features proved significant from taxonomic point of view. The male genitalic features of all the three species such as robust uncus; long saccus; simple, slightly upcurved valva; ring-like juxta and reversed spine at the apex of aedeagus in male genitalia and distinct wing venation, i.e., absence of vein M 2 in hindwing completely conforms the characterization of the present genus. www.threatenedtaxa.org The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservation globally by publishing peer-reviewed articles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All articles published in JoTT are registered under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License unless otherwise mentioned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of articles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.