Bastilla crameri Moore

Dysgonia crameri Moore, 1885, Lep. Ceylon, 3: 177.

Phalaena (Noctua) achatina Cramer, [1780] 1782, Uitlandsche Kapellen, 3: 171, *praeocc.

Dysgonia discalis* Moore, 1885, Lep. Ceylon, 3: 177.

Parallelia crameri Moore; Kobes, 1985: 45.

Diagnosis

See the previous species and the next.

Taxonomic note

B. praetermissa Warren is a very similar mainland Asian species that overlaps with crameriin part of its range. Haruta (1993) has provided a diagnosis for the two.

Geographical range

Indian Subregion to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

Only six specimens have been taken in recent surveys, three from partially disturbed alluvial forest by the S. Melinau near G. Mulu, one from lowland forest in the Barito Ulu of Kalimantan Tengah, and two from stunted hill forest at 900m on Bukit Monkobo in Sabah.

Biology

The larva, described by Gardner (1947) and Bell (MS), is typical of the genus in proleg development and possession of tubercles on A8. The head is dark brownish red with white markings, and there is an oval or triangular yellow spot on each side of the vertical sinus. The body is pale pinkish brown with darker suffusion laterally on A1, A2 and A7. On A1 there is a vinous red patch in front of this suffusion. There are 30 dark brown parallel lines running the length of the body, each broken into short sections, dots and spots, those in the spiracular region more intense, also the dorsal and subdorsal ones, these tending to form a series of ovals down the body. The tubercles of A8 are deep vinous red. The ventral surface is pale with black and red or just red patches (the posterior two) between the prolegs.

The pupa has a bloom of white powder.

The host plant recorded by Bell was Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae); in Thailand it has been recorded from Sandoricum (Meliaceae), an unusual host for the genus (Robinson et al., 2001).

The adult pierces fruit in Thailand (Bänziger, 1982; Kuroko & Lewvanich, 1993).