Antheraea brunei Allen & Holloway

Antheraea brunei Allen & Holloway, (1986), Brunei Mus. J. 1985 *, * 6(1): 131-134.

Diagnosis

The species is distinguished by: the yellow ground colour, the straight margin (cf. concave) of the female forewing: the lack of post- and antemedial fasciae in the female; in both sexes, the broken lunulate submarginal of the upperside, reflected on the underside by more extensive rows of black triangles. In other species the submarginal is entire, straight on the forewing, crenulate on the hindwing, and much less intense on the underside.

Taxonomic Note

Naumann (1994) and Nässig et al. (1996) have described a reddish brown form of A. brunei and its early stages. The range has been extended beyond Borneo to Belitung I. and possibly Sumatra, though the restriction to mangrove is supported; presence in there localities needs confirmation from fresh collecting (S. Naumann, pers. comm.). The taxon from Palawan attributed to brunei in Part 3 and by Nässig et al. (1996) has been described as a distinct species, gulata Nässig & Treadaway (1998a); see also Naumann (2008). Beck & Nässig (2008) indicated that the species was probably endemic to Borneo and a few smaller islands nearby.

Geographical range

Borneo, Palawan.

Habitat preference

The species has only been taken in coastal localities in Brunei where there is extensive mangrove. The Palawan locality was also coastal.