Belciana prasina Swinhoe

Polydesma prasina Swinhoe, 1903, Ann.Mag. nat. Hist. (7), 12: 199.

Diagnosis

The green markings of the forewing are stronger, and less blue than in any of the previous species. The antemedial, medial and postmedial are all finely delineated with black. The subbasal and apical brown areas are more irregular and broken up.

Taxonomic note

Kobes did not refer to prasina in his description of sobieczkyi and may not have been aware of it, comparing his new species with biformis only for the male genitalia and with viridipicta Hampson for the wing pattern (see below).

Geographical range

N.E. Himalaya, Sundaland

Habitat preference

The species is rare, with a single specimen taken from forest at 250m on limestone on the lower slopes of G. Api and three taken from forest at 300m in the Ulu Temburong of Brunei during recent surveys.

Biology

The species has been reared from Mallotus (Euphorbiaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia (H.S. Barlow, pers. comm.) and from Java (material in BMNH).