Genus Caeneressa Obraztsov (1957) was established on its type species Syntomis diaphana (Kollar) from Kashmir, India in order to provide stability to Oriental species previously placed under three genera, i.e., Amata Fabricius, Syntomis Ochsenheimer and Eressa Walker. Besides this, seven new species viz., proxima, klapperichi, hoenei, dispar, zernyi, ningyuena, tienmushana and six new combination C. pratti (Leech), C. obsoleta (Leech), C. swinhoei (Leech), C. oenone (Butler), C. graduata (Hampson) and C. rubruzonata (Pouj.) were also described in this publication by Obraztsov. Holloway (1988) followed the same nomenclature and described one new species, C. marcescoides Holloway under this genus and also shifted seven other species under genus Caeneressa Obraztsov from Borneo.

In the present manuscript, external genitalia of three species have been studied and a new combination has been proposed, Caeneressa melaena (Walker) comb. nov. Further, C. muirheadi (Felder) and C. brithyris (Druce) have also been recorded for the first time from India. With these records, the genus will be known by following species from India: Caeneressa diaphana (Kollar), Caeneressa diaphana muirheadi (Felder), Caeneressa brithyris (Druce), Caeneressa melaena (Hampson) comb. nov., and Caeneressa swinhoei (Leech). The studied material was collected from North-Eastern states of India. The collected material was treated as per standardized techniques in Lepidopterology. Comstock (1918) and Klots (1970) have been followed for study of wing venation and genitalia. Adult moths were photographed using digital camera. Photography of external male genitalia was done with the help of an Image Processing Unit in the Department of Zoology & Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala.

Order LepidopteraFamily ErebidaeGenus Caeneressa Obraztsov

Synotomis melaena Walker, 1854: 133; Syntomis andersoni Moore, 1871: 244; Synotomis melaena Walker; Hampson, 1898: 96.

Material examined. India: Assam, Jatinga, 650 m, 10 Apr 2009, (2♀) coll. R. Joshi (registration no. PUP/RJ-196).

Description. Female genitalia with corpus bursae large, globular, membranous; single sclerotized signum, large flap-like, continuous with pipe like structure; cervix bursae sclerotized, ductus seminalis entering cervix bursae; ductus bursae short, sclerotized; anterior apophyses as long as posterior apophyses; papilla analis besets with long setae.

Wing span. Female 54 mm.

Distribution. Sikkim, Assam, Khasi hills; Burma; Nepal; Yunnan.

Remarks. Female genitalia of the species has been studied and described for the first time and it falls into the characterization of genus Caeneressa which were proposed by Obraztsov (1957) and later by Holloway (1988). Hence, on the basis of its external female genitalic features, a new combination, C. melaena (Walker) comb. nov. is proposed here.

Syntomis brithyris Druce, 1898: 146; Syntomis brithyris Druce; Hampson, 1898: 90; Caeneressa brithyris (Druce); Holloway, 1988: 31.

Material examined. India: Meghalaya, Shella, 20 m, 3 Sep 2008 (2♂) coll. N. Singh (registration number: PUP/RJ-198).

Description. Male genitalia with uncus long, sclerotized, apically hooked; tegumen broad, inverted U-shaped; vinculum longer than tegumen, V-shaped; saccus present. Valvae symmetrical, broad, narrowing towards apex; costal margin smooth slightly excurved; cucullus and valvula not differentiated; harpe present. Juxta inverted V-shaped; transtilla weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus hammer-shaped, long and moderately broad, sclerotized, vesica membranous with on extensive field of short spines, a small sclerotized patch at one end; ductus ejaculatorius entering laterally.

Wing span. Male 44 mm.

Distribution. Borneo; Sandakan; India.

Remarks. Female genitalia of the present species was described by Holloway in 1988. However, male genitalia of brithyris (Druce) has been studied and described here for the first time. The reporting of this species from Meghalaya is its first record from India.

Syntomis muirheadi Felder and Felder, 1862: 37; Hampson, 1898: 95; Caeneressa diaphana nuirheadi (Felder); Obraztsov, 1957: 426.

Material examined. India: Mizoram, Champhai, 1,680 m, 26 Sep 2009, (2♂) coll. R. Joshi (registration no. PUP/RJ-199).

Description. Male genitalia with uncus long, sclerotized, narrow at base, broad towards apex, apical spine present; tegumen sclerotized, bell-shaped, as long as uncus; vinculum as long as tegumen, deep v-shape; saccus present. Juxta sclerotized, globular; transtilla weakly sclerotized. Valvae leaf-like, not well differentiated into costal and saccular processes, thickened near middle. Aedeagus hammer-shaped, long, sclerotized; vesica membranous with an extensive field of short spines, a small sclerotized patch at another end; ductus ejaculatorius entering sub-apicaly.

Wing span. Male 38 mm.

Distribution. China, India.

Remarks. Obraztsov (1957) shifted muirheadi as subspecies under C. diaphana by proposing a new combination for it. However, in muirheadi uncus is slightly narrow than typical diaphana. This is the first record of muirheadi (Felder) from India.