Indophanes keralaensis Suryanarayanan, Bijoy & Ábrahám, 2025

Indophanes keralaensis Suryanarayanan, Bijoy & Ábrahám sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–4 View FIGURES 1 View FIGURES 2 View FIGURES 3 View FIGURES 4 ).

Type material

Holotype ♂ INDIA, Kerala, Palakkad, Silent Valley National Park, Sairandhri ; 11°05′33.36″N, 76°26′44.06″E; 1042 m a.s.l.; 11 Mar. 2023; T. B. Suryanarayanan leg.; sweep net; ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV30032. GoogleMaps

Paratypes 1♀ INDIA, same collection data as for holotype except 12 Mar. 2023; SERLNR358 GoogleMaps . 2♂♂ INDIA, Kerala, Palakkad, Siruvani ; 10°58′46.85″N, 76°36′33.72″E; 860 m a.s.l.; 13 Mar. 2023; T. B. Suryanarayanan leg.; sweep net; ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV30033, SERLNR362 GoogleMaps . 1♀, INDIA, Kerala, Palakkad, Siruvani ; 10°58′46.85″N, 76°36′33.72″E; 860 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2023; T. B. Suryanarayanan and S. Subin leg.; light trap; SERLNR392 GoogleMaps . 2♀♀ INDIA, Kerala, Idukki, Pampadum Shola National Park ; 10°07′35.86″N, 77°15′29.41″E; 1930 m a.s.l.; 30 May 2023; T. B. Suryanarayanan leg.; light trap; SERLNR426, SERLNR427 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis

Male (length of body: 28 mm) slightly smaller than female (length of body: 30 mm). Pronotum slightly longer than wide, with a clearly visible, wide yellow medial band and two longitudinal dark brown stripes dorso-laterally. Mesonotum and metanotum with only two lateral brown bands. In forewing, radius sector originates before meeting point of Cua 2 and Cup+A 1; number of cross-veins before origin of radius is less than ten. Membrane is transparent with dark brown spots along Cup+A 1; a brown curved line from confluence Cup+A 1 and Cua 2 curved apically, and many spots form parallel markings with hind margin in cubital and radial areas. A 2 and A 3 variable in anal area.

The new species can be easily distinguished from the morphologically similar species, I. barbara , based on the pattern of the notum and forewing ( Figs. 1A–B View FIGURES 1 ). More information is included in the key to the species.

Description

Measurements. Holotype ♂: Length of body: 28 mm. Forewing length 35 mm, width 8 mm; hindwing length 36 mm, width 7 mm.

Paratypes ♂♂ (n=2) Length of body: 27–28 mm. Forewing, length 34–35 mm, width 8 mm; hindwing, length 35–36 mm, width 7 mm. ♀♀ (n=3) Length of body: 30–31 mm. Forewing, length 40–41 mm, width 9 mm; hindwing, length 40–41 mm, width 8 mm.

Head ( Figs. 2A–B View FIGURES 2 ). Vertex dominantly yellow, with a wide, dull black cross-brand on dorsal side, sparsely covered with black setae. Frons pale yellow, covered with sparse white setae, shiny dark brown transversal stripes below and above scapus, inter-antennal marking distinct, shiny black, anterior tentorial pits yellow without setae. Gena brown in upper part, yellow in lower part, hairless. Eyes large, wider than half of head width. Clypeus pale yellow, covered with sparse brown hairs; labrum pale yellow; maxillary and labial palps yellow; base of mandible yellow with dark brown apices and inner side. Antenna longer than length of head and prothorax combined; scape and pedicel dark brown with pale brown annulations distally; flagellomeres annulated with wide brown and narrow pale yellow rings. Proximal half of club yellow, distal half brown, with dark brown bristles on last segment.

Thorax ( Fig. 2B View FIGURES 2 ). Pronotum slightly longer than wide, yellow, brown dotted anteriorly, and two longitudinal dark brown stripes, stretching dorsally from transversal furrow to posterior margin, covered with short black hairs. Mesonotum and metanotum yellow, with black markings on lateral sides, sparsely covered with black hairs on distal margin.

Wings ( Fig. 2C View FIGURES 2 ). Forewing, slightly shorter than hindwing. Wing tips subacute and nearly straight below, forewing tapering basally, anal area sharply obtuse, anal margin slightly concave, venation dense. Membrane almost completely transparent, but with dark brown shading along posterior margin. Venation covered with short, sparse, dark brown setae. Costa yellow with short, dense, dark brown setae. Cells longer than wide in costal area. Cross-veins simple, excepting 2–3 bifurcated ones in front of pterostigma, both ends brown. Pterostigma indistinct white with 9–10 cross-veins, all veins bifurcated anteriorly, and simple distally. Subcosta and radius yellow, alternating pale brown at cross-veins. 11–12 branches in radial sector, 13–14 cross-veins in front of origin of Rs. Mp, Mp 1 and Cua, Cua 1 also pale yellow, alternating dark brown at cross-veins. Cross-veins dominantly brown and slightly shaded in basal medio-cubital area. Cubital fork ca. 30°, acute enough. A 1, A 2 and A 3 yellow basally and brown distally, A 1, A 3 simple, A 2 bifurcated distally.

Hindwing narrower than forewing. Costa yellow with short, dense, and dark brown setae. Cross-veins simple in front of pterostigma, but some bifurcated, both ends brown. Pterostigma indistinct, with 7–8 bifurcated veins. Subcosta and radius pale alternating dark brown at cross-veins. 13 branches in radial sector, one cross-vein in front of origin of Rs. Mp 1, Mp 2, and Cua predominantly pale yellow, but small dark brown sections at meeting points with cross-veins. Cross-veins dominantly brown basally, yellow distally in medio-cubital area. Membrane almost completely transparent, but with dark brown marks at rhegma and distal cross-vein of hypostigmatic cell, and with light brown shadow along distal margin of radial area.

Legs ( Figs. 2D–E View FIGURES 2 ). Long and slim, yellow with dark brown spots. Coxae yellowish-brown, densely covered with long yellowish-white setae; trochanters yellow; Femora yellow with dark brown dots at base of bristles and hairs, covered with short dark brown hairs and upstanding long black bristles in two rows laterally. Dark brown ring at distal joints. Femora slightly shorter than tibiae. Tibiae generally yellow, with dark brown dots and half rings on proximal and distal ends, covered with long stiff and black bristles and small black setae; Hind tibia pale yellow, with dispersed dark brown dots at setal bases, covered with black setae. Tibial spurs almost straight, reddish-brown, as long as tarsomeres 1–3 in foreleg, and as long as tarsomeres 1–2 in hindleg; tarsi yellow covered with black setae; distal half of tarsal segment 5 dark brown. In foreleg, tarsal segment 1 shorter than tarsal segments 2–4 together; tarsal segment 5 longer than segment 1. In hindleg, tarsal segment 1 as long as tarsal segment 5. Claws slightly curved, reddish-brown, half as long as tarsal segment 5.

Abdomen. Slim, brownish-black, shorter than hindwing, covered with short black setae; posterior margin of each tergite with yellow marks and with pale brown longitudinal line. Sternites dark brown, with black setae.

Male terminalia and genitalia ( Figs. 3A–C View FIGURES 3 ). In lateral view, T9 nearly quadrate; S9 subquadrate, brown with a yellow caudal margin. Ectoproct oval plate, covered with black bristles, becoming slightly longer ventrally, with white setae along lateral margin. In ventral view, sternite 9 triangular-shaped, covered with long black hairs on caudal margin. Genitalia complex as in Fig. 3C View FIGURES 3 in ventral view.

Paratype female terminalia ( Figs. 3D–E View FIGURES 3 ). Sexual dimorphism insignificant. Abdomen shorter than hindwing. In lateral view, T8 and T9 quadrate shape; ectoproct ovoid, covered with black setae in lateral view. In ventral view, gonocoxite 8 (gx8) long, covered with long black hairs; gonocoxite 9 (gx9) club-shaped, caudally covered with black bristles; gonophysal plate caudally covered with strong, curved black bristles.

Variability. There is no significant difference between males and females of I. keralaensis Suryanarayanan, Bijoy & Ábrahám sp. nov. except for size. In the anal area of forewing, there are large differences in connection and branching of A 2 and A 3, not only between specimens, but also between two forewings of a specimen. Almost all types of variation are found in the anal area, namely A 2 simple and A 3 bifurcated, A 2 bifurcated or trifurcated and A 3 simple, both veins bifurcated, etc. There is a similar variation in origin of cross-veins connecting A 2 +A 3, A 2 and Cup+A 1 veins. However, the intensity of pattern on wing is less variable.

Etymology. The name of the species ‘ keralaensis’ is derived from the Indian state of Kerala, where the Western Ghats, occupying most of its territory, are one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots.

Flight period and habitat. Sairandhri forest ( holotype locality) is known for its pristine, untouched rainforest and is a key part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve associated with the Silent Valley National Park in Kerala, India . Adults normally active at night are attracted to artificial light. In the daytime, it rests on dry twigs in the branches of trees ( Figs. 4 View FIGURES 4 A-B). The habitat is surrounded by thick forest above 800 m as well as 1400 m, which come under mid and high-altitude regions in Kerala . [According to the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department (https://forest.kerala. gov.in/index.php/about-us/ 2022-11-29-07-11 -17/forest-types), the localities of Kerala are classified into different altitude regions like low ( 0-800m), medium ( 800-1450m) and high ( 1450-2000m)]. The adult flight period of I. keralaensis sp. nov. is mainly observed in March, April , and May based on the fieldwork in Kerala .

Distribution. Known only in India: Kerala: Palakkad (Sairandhri, Siruvani), Idukki (Pampadum Shola National Park) ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 9 ).