Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5810 No. 1: 14 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-14
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5810.1.3
Page range: 89-110
Abstract views: 205
PDF downloaded: 12

On the taxonomy of genus Compsoctena Zeller, 1852 (Lepidoptera: Eriocottidae) from India and Bangladesh, with descriptions of three new species

School of Natural Resources and Environment; University of Florida; McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity; Florida Museum of Natural History; University of Florida; Gainesville; Florida—32611; USA.
Zoological Survey of India; M-Block New; Alipore; Kolkata 700 053; West Bengal; India.
Zoological Survey of India; High Altitude Regional Centre; Saproon; Solan – 173211; Himachal Pradesh; India.
Zoological Survey of India; High Altitude Regional Centre; Saproon; Solan – 173211; Himachal Pradesh; India.
Diesterwegstraße 28; D-02977 Hoyerswerda; Germany.
Lepidoptera Checklist Melasina new combinations species groups Typhonia Tineoidea

Abstract

This work deals with the taxonomy of genus Compsoctena from India and Bangladesh, based on fresh material and historical collections housed in the Lepidoptera section of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Three new species, Compsoctena kushabhadrae sp. nov., C. kamaraji sp. nov. (India), and C. faridahsani sp. nov. (Bangladesh) are described as new. The following new combinations are proposed based on primary types housed in the Natural History Museum, London: Compsoctena accurata (Meyrick, 1922), comb. nov.; Compsoctena autochthonia (Meyrick, 1931) comb. nov.; Compsoctena certatrix (Meyrick, 1916), comb. nov.; Compsoctena coagulata (Meyrick, 1919), comb. nov.; Compsoctena colonica (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov.; Compsoctena cremata (Meyrick, 1916), comb. nov.; Compsoctena deposita (Meyrick, 1919) comb. nov.; Compsoctena devincta (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov.; Compsoctena expedita (Meyrick, 1907) comb. nov.; Compsoctena exsecrata (Meyrick, 1937) comb. nov.; Compsoctena gregaria (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov.; Compsoctena infensa (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov.; Compsoctena isopeda (Meyrick, 1907) comb. nov.; Compsoctena jactata (Meyrick, 1937) comb. nov.; Compsoctena lignosa (Meyrick, 1917) comb. nov.; Compsoctena meliphaea (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov.; Compsoctena multiplex (Meyrick, 1917) comb. nov.; Compsoctena nota (Meyrick, 1919) comb. nov.; Compsoctena obtrectans (Meyrick, 1930) comb. nov.; Compsoctena paraclasta (Meyrick, 1922) comb. nov.; Compsoctena phaeogenes (Meyrick, 1919) comb. nov.; Compsoctena pericrossa (Meyrick, 1907) comb. nov.; Compsoctena praecepta (Meyrick, 1919), comb. nov.; Compsoctena ptyalistis (Meyrick, 1937) comb. nov.; Compsoctena semota (Meyrick, 1938) comb. nov.; Compsoctena subacta (Meyrick, 1919) comb. nov.; Compsoctena tylota (Meyrick, 1916) comb. nov., and Compsoctena vorticosa (Meyrick, 1930) comb. nov. Although all these species were originally described under the genus Melasina, their current taxonomic placement is reviewed and discussed in detail. Additionally, three new country records, Compsoctena thwaitesii (Walsingham, 1887), and C. anasactis (Meyrick, 1907) from India, and Compsoctena pulla Sobczyk & Breithaupt, 2023 from Bangladesh are provided. An updated checklist of Compsoctena from India and Bangladesh is given arranging the species into ten species groups based on male wing maculation.

 

References

  1. Davis, D.R. (1990) Neotropical Microlepidoptera XXIII. First report of the family Eriocottidae from the New World, with descriptions of new taxa. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 92 (1), 1–35. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/63904]
  2. Davis, D.R. & Robinson, G.S. (1998) The Tineoidea and Gracillarioidea. In: Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.), Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Vol. 1. Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. De Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 91–117. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110804744.91
  3. Dierl, W. (1970) Compsoctenidae: Ein neues Taxon von Familienstatus (Lepidoptera). Veröffentlichungen der Zoologischen Staatssammlung München, 14, 1–41. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30029725#page/13/mode/1up]
  4. Ezcurra, M.D. & Agnolín, F.L. (2012) A new global palaeobiogeographical model for the Late Mesozoic and Early Tertiary. Systematic Biology, 61 (4), 553–566. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syr115
  5. Fletcher, T.B. (1929) A list of generic names used for Microlepidoptera. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India, Entomological Series, 11, i–ix + 1–244.
  6. Janse, A.J.T. (1968) On the types of South African Microlepidoptera. Transvaal Museum Memoir, 16, 1–127, 118 pls.
  7. Latreille, P.A. (1810) n.k. In: Considérations générales sur l'ordre naturel des animaux composant les classes des crustacés, des arachnides, et des insectes; avec un tableau méthodique de leurs genres, disposés en familles. F. Schoell, Paris, pp. 39 + 107 + 115. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.39620
  8. Mey, W. (2007) Microlepidoptera: Smaller families. In: Mey, W. (Ed.), The Lepidoptera of the Brandberg Massif in Namibia. Part 2. Esperiana Memoir, 4, 13, figs 3–5, pl. 1, fig. 1.
  9. Mey, W. (2011) Basic pattern of Lepidoptera diversity in southwestern Africa. Esperiana Memoir, 6, 156–157, figs 67–68; pl. 27, fig. 2.
  10. Mey, W. (2019) First report of Eriocottidae from Madagascar (Lepidoptera: Tineoidea). Metamorphosis, 30, 30–32. https://doi.org/10.4314/met.v30i1.6
  11. Mey, W. & Sobczyk, T. (2019) Eriocottidae (Tineoidea). In: Mey, W. & Krüger, M. (Eds.), The Lepidoptera fauna of a crater valley in the Great Escarpment of South Africa: The Asante Sana Project. Hermann H. Hacker, Schwanfeld, pp. 119–124.
  12. Meyrick, E. (1894) On a collection of Lepidoptera from Upper Burma. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1894 (1), 1–29.
  13. Meyrick, E. (1905) Descriptions of Indian Microlepidoptera. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 16 (4), 580–619.
  14. Meyrick, E. (1907) Descriptions of Indian Microlepidoptera (5–8). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 18 (1), 137–160.
  15. Meyrick, E. (1908) Descriptions of African Microlepidoptera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1908, 716–756. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1908.tb07404.x
  16. Meyrick, E. (1909) Descriptions of Transvaal Microlepidoptera. Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 2 (1), 1–28, pls. 1–8.
  17. Meyrick, E. (1909) New South African Microlepidoptera. I & II. Annals of the South African Museum, 5 (7), 349–379.
  18. Meyrick, E. (1911) Descriptions of South African Microlepidoptera. III. Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 3 (1), 82.
  19. Meyrick, E. (1913) Descriptions of South African Microlepidoptera. Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 3 (4), 267–336.
  20. Meyrick, E. (1914) Descriptions of South African Microlepidoptera. Annals of the South African Museum, 10 (8), 243–256. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.9316
  21. Meyrick, E. (1916) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. I. (20). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 609–640.
  22. Meyrick, E. (1917) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. II. (3). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 65–96.
  23. Meyrick, E. (1919) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. II. (9). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 257–288.
  24. Meyrick, E. (1920) Descriptions of South African Microlepidoptera. V & VI. Annals of the South African Museum, 17 (4), 273–315. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.22317
  25. Meyrick, E. (1921) Descriptions of South African Microlepidoptera. Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 8 (2), 136.
  26. Meyrick, E. (1922a) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. II. (19). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 577–608.
  27. Meyrick, E. (1922b) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. III. (3–4). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 78.
  28. Meyrick, E. (1926) New South African Microlepidoptera. Annals of the South African Museum, 23 (2), 349.
  29. Meyrick, E. (1928) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. III. (14–15). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 417–480.
  30. Meyrick, E. (1930) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. III. (18–20). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 545–640.
  31. Meyrick, E. (1931) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. IV. (5). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 96–160.
  32. Meyrick, E. (1934) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. IV. (16–17). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 481–544
  33. Meyrick, E. (1937) n.k. In: Exotic Microlepidoptera. Vol. V. (4–5). Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 115.
  34. Nel, A., Ngô-Muller, V. & Nel, J. (2024) The first taxonomically accurate fossil Eriocottine moth (Lepidoptera: Eriocottidae) from the Eocene Baltic amber. Palaeoentomology, 7 (4), 499–506. https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.7.4.9
  35. Ngô-Muller, V., Engel, M.S., Nel, A. & Nel, J. (2020) First fossil Eriocottidae discovered in Eocene Baltic amber (Insecta: Lepidoptera). Zootaxa, 4834 (2), 273–282. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4834.2.7
  36. Nielsen, S.E. (1978) On the systematic position of the genus Eriocottis Zeller, 1847, with remarks on the phylogeny of primitive Tineoidea (Lepidoptera). Entomologica Scandinavica, 9 (4), 279–296. https://doi.org/10.1163/187631278X00322
  37. Pathania, P.C. & Rose, H.S. (2004) First record of the genus Compsoctena Zeller (Lepidoptera: Eriocottidae) from India with three new species. Zoos1397969521 Print Journal, 19 (6), 1501–1504. https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.1056.1501-4
  38. Regier, J.C., Mitter, C., Davis, D.R., Harrison, T.L., Sohn, J.-C., Cummings, M.P., Zwick, A. & Mitter, K.T. (2015) A molecular phylogeny and revised classification for the oldest ditrysian moth lineages (Lepidoptera: Tineoidea), with implications for ancestral feeding habits of the mega-diverse Ditrysia. Systematic Entomology, 40 (2), 409–432. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12110
  39. Robinson, G. (1976) The Preparation of Slides of Lepidoptera Genitalia with Special Reference to the Microlepidoptera. Entomologist1397969521s Gazette, 27, 127–132.
  40. Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur, 309 pp., 32 pls.
  41. Sobczyk, T. (2012) Compsoctena pantherina sp. n. – eine neue Art der Eriocottidae aus Südostasien (Lepidoptera). Entomofauna, 33, 173–180.
  42. Sobczyk, T. (2013) Catalogue of Psychidae. In: Psychidae (Lepidoptera). In: World Catalogue of Insects. Vol. 10. Brill, Leiden/Boston, pp. 21–372. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004261044_003
  43. Sobczyk, T. & Breithaupt, R. (2023) Compsoctena pulla sp. nov., a new species of Eriocottidae, Compsocteninae from Thailand (Lepidoptera). Zootaxa, 5227 (2), 290–294. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.2.8
  44. Strand, E. (1909) Lepidopteren aus Deutsch-Ost-Afrika gesammelt von Herrn Leutnant F. Trefurth. Entomologische Rundschau, 26 (18), 116.
  45. Strand, E. (1914) Zoologische Ergebnisse der Expedition des Herrn G. Tessmann nach Süd-Kamerun und Spanisch-Guinea. Lepidoptera IX. Kurze Mitteilungen über Arten verschiedener Familien. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 80 (A) (2), 92–93.
  46. Walker, F. (1863) List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Vol. 28. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 561 pp.
  47. Walker, F. (1865) List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Vols. 33–34. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1533 pp.
  48. Walker, F. (1866) List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Vol. 35. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 2040 pp.
  49. Walsingham, T. de G. in Swinhoe, C. (1886) On the Lepidoptera of Mhow, in Central India. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1886, 421–465.
  50. Walsingham, T. de G. (1897) Western Equatorial African Microlepidoptera. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1897 (1), 61, pl. 2, fig. 11. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.1897.tb01674.x
  51. Walsingham, T. de G. (1897) Western Equatorial African Microlepidoptera. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1897 (1), 63, pl. 3, fig. 25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.1897.tb01674.x
  52. Zagulayev, A.K. (1973) On the phylogeny of the superfamily Tineoidea (Lepidoptera). Transactions of the All Union Entomological Society, 65 (1), 170–183. [In Russian with English translation]
  53. Zagulayev, A.K. (1988) Grass stem moths, families Ochsenheimeriidae and Eriocottidae (Lepidoptera). In: Fauna of the USSR: Lepidopterous Insects. New Series. No. 135. IV (7). Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Nauka, Leningrad, pp. 1–302, 222 figs. [in Russian]
  54. Zeller, P.C. (1852) Lepidoptera micropteraquae J.A. Wahlberg in Caffrorum terra collegit. Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, 1852, 1–120.

How to Cite

Rayhan, M.J., Ahmad, J., Joshi, R., Singh, N. & Sobczyk, T. (2026) On the taxonomy of genus Compsoctena Zeller, 1852 (Lepidoptera: Eriocottidae) from India and Bangladesh, with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa, 5810 (1), 89–110. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5810.1.3