Mustilizans hepatica (Moore, 1879)

Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7–11

Mustilia hepatica Moore, 1879, Lep. Coll. late Mr Atkinson: 82, pl. 3: fig. 18.

Mustilia columbaris Butler, 1886, Proc. Zool. Soc. London: 387, pl. 35: fig. 7.

Type material: Holotype male: India: West Bengal: Darjiling (=Darjeeling), deposited in ZMHUB (color photo examined).

Holotype male of Mustilia columbaris from Murree (presently in Pakistan) deposited in BMNH (color photo examined).

Additional material: (22 males). 1 male (ZSI), India: Arunachal Pradesh, Dibang Valley, Anini (28.7970° N, 95.9095° E), 1660 m a.s.l., 25.iv.2018, leg. R. Ranjan & G. N. Das. The following material from MWM was determined by V.V. Zolotuhin. 1 male (MWM), India: Kumaon-Himalaya, Dist. Nainital, Bhimtal, 1500 m a.s.l., 30.5.1971; 1 male (MWM), North India, NW-Himalaya, 1500 m a.s.l., Uttar Pradesh (presently in Uttarakhand), Kumaon Dist. Bhimtal, ??. ii.1975, leg. Smetacek; 2 males (MWM), India, Uttar Pradesh (presently in Uttarakhand), Nainital, 2100 m a.s.l., 14–20.vi.1975, leg. W. Thomas; 1 male (MWM), India, Himachal Pradesh, Kandaghat, 1500 m a.s.l., 25.vi.1975, leg. W. Thomas; 1 male (MWM), India, Kumaon-Himalaya Dist. Nainital, Bhimtal, 1500 m a.s.l., 30.v.1978, leg. Smetacek; 1 male (MWM), India, Kumaon-Himalaya Dist. Nainital, Bhimtal, 1500 m a.s.l., 24.vii.1979. leg. Smetacek; 1 male (MWM), India, Kumaon-Himalaya Dist. Nainital Bhimtal, 1500 m a.s.l., 1.ix.1980, leg. Smetacek; 1 male (MWM), N. India, 1600 m a.s.l., Nainital (Kumaon) Bhimtal, 7.v.1981, leg. A. Hauenstein; 1 male (MWM), N. India, 1600 m a.s.l., Nainital (Kumaon) Bhimtal, 24.vii.1981, leg. A. Hauenstein; 1 male (MWM), N. India, 1600 m a.s.l., Nainital (Kumaon) Bhimtal, 22.vi.1982, leg. Smetacek; 4 males (MWM), N. India, North-west Himalaya, 1500 m a.s.l., Uttar Pradesh (presently in Uttarakhand), Kumaon Dist. Bhimtal, 7.vi.1987, leg. Smetacek; 1 male (MWM), north-east India, Meghalaya, Garo Hills, Nokrek National Park (25.66° N, 91.06° E), 1150 m a.s.l., 2–13.vii.1997, leg. Afonin & Sinjaev; 4 males (MWM), Sikkim, Mt. Kanchenjunga (27.5° N, 88.33° E), 2000 m a.s.l., 22–31.vii.1995, leg. Afonin & Sinjaev; 1 male (MWM), Sikkim, Mt. Kanchenjunga (27.5° N, 88.33° E), 2225 m a.s.l., 11–14.vii.1995, leg. E. Afonin & V. Sinjaev.

Diagnosis. The species M. hepatica Moore is better diagnosed from its male genital attributes and is closely related to M. dierli Holloway. In M. hepatica, the uncus is bifurcated with a shallow groove, apices are short and rounded whereas, in M. dierli apices of the uncus are very long and slender; in M. hepatica sacculus of valva is smooth whereas in M. dierli, sacculus is with teeth on the inner edge; in M. hepatica, cuiller bears numerous, thin and straight setae, whereas in M. dierli, cuiller bears short and curved setae. Other closely related species of M. hepatica is M. zolotuhini, sp. nov. The diagnostic differences of both the species are discussed under the diagnosis of the latter.

Remarks. A single specimen identified as M. hepatica was examined from Arunachal Pradesh, India. It shows variation in the coloration: the forewing coloration is darker, rusty-brown almost uniformly whereas the type specimen is distinct greyish-cream colour (cf. Fig. 1 with Fig. 4). The wingspan measures up to 62 mm measuring the largest in the range for the species. The male genitalia (Figs. 7–11), however, are matching with the illustrations of Zolotuhin (2007).

Distribution. China, Himalayas (including Pakistan, India, Nepal), Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam (Zolotuhin 2007; Wang et al. 2015).