New records of Athyma whitei Tytler, 1940 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Limenitidinae) from northeastern India: a recently reported species from India

Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi

doi:10.11609/jott.o3629.6287-9

Abstract

Tytlerâ€™s Sergeant, Atyma whitei was described by Tytler from Chin Hills, Myanmar in 1940. The taxon was not reported in India untill the record from Phura, Mizoram in November 2012. Recent surveys in northeastern India recorded the species four times in the forest of North Cachar (N.C.) Hills and E. Jaintia Hills. The new sightings are approximately 223km from Chin-type locality. These recent records of the rare insect gives an insight into the distribution range and habitat of the rare taxon in northeast India.

Highlights

This paper reports four more sighting of the species from India on the basis of one male photographed on 13 March 2013 from Lakhicerra Stream of North Cachar, southern Assam (24058’20.20’’N & 92046’015’’E) at an elevation of around 29m and subsequent record of the species in 11 December 2013 at an elevation of 46m just half kilometer away from the first sighting (Images 1–5)
A. zeroca has a prominent pale band which is broader and edged broadly with greyish-blue colour, while the underside forewing has two very narrow apical spots, and there are three dark vertical lines connecting this area with the lower edge of the cell
In the specimens of A. zeroca encountered by the author, the apical spots are very narrow like A. whitei or sullied

Summary

Introduction

This paper reports four more sighting of the species from India on the basis of one male photographed on 13 March 2013 from Lakhicerra Stream of North Cachar, southern Assam (24058’20.20’’N & 92046’015’’E) at an elevation of around 29m and subsequent record of the species in 11 December 2013 at an elevation of 46m just half kilometer away from the first sighting (Images 1–5). The species was seen mud-puddling on the wet rocks of the stream during all the occasions. A. zeroca has a prominent pale band which is broader and edged broadly with greyish-blue colour, while the underside forewing has two very narrow apical spots, and there are three dark vertical lines connecting this area with the lower edge of the cell. In the specimens of A. zeroca encountered by the author, the apical spots are very narrow like A. whitei or sullied.

Results

Conclusion