Rapala selira, (Moore, 1874)

3. R. selira ( Moore, 1874) View in CoL Figs 1c View FIGURE 1 , 4 View FIGURE 4

Deudorix selira Moore, 1874: 272 View in CoL

Type Locality: Bashahr ( India)

Common Name: Himalayan Red Flash

Material Examined: NEPAL. Karnali Province. Humla. Bargaon, 20.v. 1985, 2805 m, leg. C.P. Smith ( ANHM, 1♂); same locality, 23.v.1985, leg. C.P. Smith ( ANHM, 1♂). INDIA. Himachal Pradesh. San Damiano [sic], Shimla Hills, June, 2285 m, MGCL 1201223 , Genitalic Vial KW-24-92 ( MGCL, 1♂) ( Fig. 4a View FIGURE 4 ); Shimla, Mashobra, 2410 m, 25/4, MGCL 1201222 , Genitalic Vial KW-24-86 ( MGCL, 1♀) ( Fig. 4b View FIGURE 4 ) .

Wingspan: 32–34 mm ( Van der Poel & Smetacek 2022).

Diagnosis ( Figs 4a, 4b View FIGURE 4 ): Rapala selira can be distinguished from congeners in Nepal by the orange patches on the discal area of the dorsal forewing and the marginal area of the dorsal hindwing, resembling the females of Heliophorus Geyer, 1832 species. Ventrally, it resembles R. iarbus but can be differentiated by its ochraceous background and the straight, non-lunulate margins of the postdiscal bands. It also resembles R. nissa and R. huangi on the ventral side but typically has much wider bands with more distinct white edging. Males have smaller orange patches, whereas females have broader ones dorsally.

Male Genitalia ( Figs 4c–4e View FIGURE 4 ): Aedeagus vesica with a pair of strongly sclerotized thick cornuti; distal margin of vesica normal with minute spines; valvae wide, narrowed at the apices; cleft between the valvae slightly less than half the length of the valval plate.

Female Genitalia ( Fig. 4f View FIGURE 4 ): Anterior apophysis short; ductus bursae wide with lateral margins straight, distal end wider with convex margin; corpus bursae large and bulbous in situ (punctured in Fig. 4f View FIGURE 4 ), with a longitudinal slender signum on either side with rows of strong spines inside.

Biology: Larvae are believed to feed on the flowers of Indigofera atropurpurea Buch.-Ham. ex Hornem. ( Wynter-Blyth 1957).

Natural History: Adults are typically found in open areas, woodlands, and flowers ( Van der Poel & Smetacek 2022).

Variation: Variation occurs primarily in the ventral postdiscal bands, ranging from wide to narrow. See Kumar (2013) for variation in genitalia.

Phenology in Nepal: April to August ( Van der Poel & Smetacek 2022).

Elevation: 2,070 –3,660 m ( Smith 1994; Van der Poel & Smetacek 2022).

Distribution on the Indian Subcontinent: Pakistan, northwestern India to central Nepal, and Bhutan (needs confirmation) ( Van Gasse 2018).

Distribution in Nepal: Sudurpaschim Province (excluding the Terai districts), Karnali Province, and Manang and Mustang districts ( Van der Poel & Smetacek 2022).