Endotricha valentis Kirpichnikova 2003

Endotricha valentis Kirpichnikova, 2003: 3 (Figs 13, 26) Type locality: Primorskii krai, 18 km SE Ussuriysk, Gornotayozhnoe, Russia Material examined: India, Mizoram: Hmuifang, 2 ♁, 01.x.2013 (8775/H10), R. Ranjan leg. (NZCZSI). Diagnosis: Under E. mesenterialis. Distribution: India (Mizoram) (present study), Russia (Kirpichnikova 2003). Taxonomic note: Endotricha valentis was described as a closely similar species of E. olivacealis (Bremer, 1864). But in the original publication, Kirpichnikova (2003) did not provide the images of adults of E. valentis and E. olivacealis, and the genitalia of E. olivacealis illustrated by Kirpichnikova (2003: 4, figs 1 – 2) is clearly distinct from the genitalia published by Whalley (1963) (pl. 19: fig. 191). Furthermore, the original description and illustrations of E. olivacealis (Bremer 1864: 66, plate 6, fig. 2) also seems to be distinct from that of Whalley’s (1963). Herein, we investigate that the genital illustration of E. valentis (Kirpichnikova 2003: 4, figs 4 – 5) is closely similar to the genital illustration of E. olivacealis provided by Whalley (1963, pl. 19, fig. 191) and thus, E. olivacealis sensu Whalley (1963) is most likely to be conspecific of E. valentis. Remarks: Endotricha valentis is reported for the first time from India. Endotricha albicilia Hampson, 1891: 130 (Figs 14, 15, 27, 32) Type locality: India, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiri, W. slopes, 3000 ft. Material examined: India, Mizoram: Mamit, 1 ♁, 1 ♀, 26.ix.2013 (8831/H10); 1 ♁, 1 ♀, 27.ix.2013 (8832/ H10); 8 ♁, 2 ♀, 07.ix.2016 (8833/H10); 1 ♁, 08.ix.2016 (8834/H10); 1 ♀, 09.ix.2016 (8835/H10); Pynursla, 1 ♀, 10.ix.2014 (13285/H10), 1 ♀, 11.ix.2014 (13286/H10); Zamuang, 1 ♀, 14.ix.2016 (8836/H10); Sikkim: Gangtok, 1 ♁, 1 ♀, 28.v.2013 (8837/H10); 1 ♀, 29.v.2013 (8838/H10); Dodak, 9 ♁, 8 ♀, 24.ix.2014 (8839/H10); Golitar, 3 ♁, 07.ix.2013 (8840/H10); 2 ♁, 09.ix.2013 (8841/H10), Meghalaya: Umtasor, 3 ♁, 5 ♀, 15.ix.2014 (8842/H10, 8843/H10); Cherrapunji, 2 ♁, 4 ♀, 04.ix.2014 (8844/H10); 1 ♁, 1 ♀, 05.ix.2014 (8845/H10); Mawsynram, 1 ♁, 27.viii.2014 (8846/H10); Riat Khwan, 1 ♀, 03.ix.2014 (8847/H10); Kerala: Mukkali, 2 ♀, 27.vii.2013 (13287/ H10); 6 ♀, 31.vii.2013 (13288/H10); 1 ♁, 2 ♀, 01.viii.2013 (13289/H10, 13290/H10); Karnataka: Megaravalli, 1 ♀, 21.xi.2013 (13291/H10); 1 ♀, 18.xi.2014 (13292/H10); Jog falls, 1 ♀, 25.xi.2013 (13293/H10); 2 ♀, 26.xi.2013 (13294/H10); 2 ♁, 01.xii.2013 (13295/H10), R. Ranjan leg. (NZCZSI). Diagnosis: Endotricha albicilia belongs to the denticostalis species-group (sensu Whalley 1963) and, due to conspicuously rectangular valva, is closely similar to E. denticostalis Hampson, 1906 (Whalley 1963: 436; imago: Pl. 8, figs 112, 115; male genitalia: Pl. 23, fig. 216, female genitalia: Pl. 35, fig. 300), but is distinct by the male genitalia with valva bearing reflexed costal piliform setae, costal apex less produced and smaller saccular process. In female genitalia, E. albicilia (Fig. 32) is distinct from E. denticostalis by the longer ductus bursae and shorter corpus bursae. Distribution: India (Sikkim, Andaman, Kerala, West Bengal (Darjiling dist.), Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris), Darjiling (Kurseong) (Hampson 1896b, Whalley 1963, Bhattacharya 1997, Sanyal et al. 2012), Mizoram, Meghalaya, Karnataka (present study)), Ceylon [Sri Lanka], Indonesia, Java (Hampson 1896a, Bhattacharya 1997, Chandra et al. 2019).Published as part of Ranjan, Rahul, Singh, Navneet & Kirti, Jagbir Singh, 2023, On the taxonomy of genus Endotricha Zeller (Pyralinae, Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) with description of three new species from India, pp. 56-70 in Zootaxa 5323 (1) on pages 66-67, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5323.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/820393