Hitherto 514 species of moths are known to occur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands including Great Nicobar Island, (Chandra,. 1996, 1997, 1998), which include ...
131
Vol. 18(2), 1999
Geobios
new Reports
18: 131-132,1999
NEW RECORD OF A GEOMETRID-MOTH PROBLEPsfs APOLLINARIA (GUENEE) (LEPIDOPTERA) FROM GREAT NICOBAR ISLAND KAILASH
CHANDRA
*
Zoological Survey of India, Haddo, Port Blair-744 102, India (Received November 5,1998; Revised February 5,1999) Key words: Problepsis apollinaria, new record, Great Nicobar
Hitherto 514 species of moths are known to occur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands including Great Nicobar Island, (Chandra, 1996, 1997, 1998), which include 68 species of the family Geometridae. The genus Problepsis is represented by five species in South EastAsia and only one species i.e. P. delphia ria (Guenee), is so far recorded from South Andalnan. During the entomological exploration of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve by the author in 1993, four specimens of an interesting moth were collected, which has been identifed as Problepsis apollinaria Guenee. The species is new addition to the moth fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Problepsis apollinaria
(Guenee) (Fig. 1)
Ariy.ria "appollinaria Guenee, 1857, Hist.nat. .Jsec~es.spec. Gen. Lep. 10 : 30. Argyria apollinaria 10 : 555 (index) .
Guenee,
Problepsls hemicyclata Novit, zool, 4 : 59. ,
1857, Ibid,
Warrell,
Problepsis deliaria Hampson, Fauna Brit. India 3 .: 462.
1897, 1895,
Figs. 1-2. Problepsis apollinaria delphiaria Guenee (2).
Problepsis
apollinaria
(I),
candidior
and P.
Prout,
1917, Novit, zool, 24 : 312.
Problepsis apollinaria Holloway MbJayan Nature Journal, 51 : 70.
1997,-
Material examined : Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Great Nicobar Island, 10 km, E.W. Road, lO.xi.93 (lex.), Il.xi.1993 (lex.);
Present address: Z.S.L, 424, New Adarsh Colony, Kamala Nehru Nagar, Jabalpur- 482002. , .. . \
Guenee
Geobios new Reports
132
]6 km E.W. Road, 12.xi.1993(lex), 14.xi.1993 (lex); colI. K. Chandra & party. Specimens deposited in National Zoological Collection of Z.S.I. Port Blair. Diagnostic characters: The win$ expanse 42 mrn. Body pure white. Fore wing with a large oval ocellus at end of cell with a ring of raised silver scales on it; the ocellus centre grey with two dark specks below it and a silver fascia on inner margin. Hind wing with an elongate oval fuscous marks on discocellulars and below cell also with a ring of silver scales. Both the wings with waved and curved fuscous postmedial band with a more prominent maculate beyond it 'and a series of spots just before the margin. Distribution:
bns nsrnsbn A ,mJi 0 ( ,bllI.dd 'indu, ;I.X5i) [~()I.i}.t! ,(.x'),
India including Andaman
and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar to New Guenea and Queensland. 'Remarks : This species may be distinguished from P. delphiaria (Guenee) (Fig.2) by the absence of longitudinal black mark on the posterior part of forewing ocellus and the continuation of medial fascia to the tornus more strongly delineated with silvery scales. REFERENCES Chandra, K. Malayan Nature Journal, 50, 109-116
1996,
-. J. Andaman Sci. Assoc., 1997, 13, 44-49. -.
Gebios new Reports,
1998, 17, 91-92:
Hampson, G.F. Fauna Brit. India, Moths, III : 1895, 462.·
