Cerynea omphisalis Walker

Cerynea omphisalis Walker, 1859, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 19: 878.

Acidalia disjunctaria Walker, 1861, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 23: 766, syn. n.

Diagnosis

This and melanocephala Wileman & West are a slightly ochreous to pink pale grey-brown. The hindwing has a fine, straight, slightly irregular white line centrally (somewhat as in Arasada Moore and relatives), but the two blackish patches near the forewing apex are diagnostic. One is distal to the postmedial, the other between the submarginal and the margin. In omphisalis the patch distal to the submarginal is much larger, whereas in melanocephala they are equal or the one associated with the postmedial is larger. The postmedial fasciae on all wings are more regular in omphisalis, somewhat zigzag in melanocephala. The shape of the pale zone immediately distal to the hindwing postmedial is also more regular in shape in omphisalis. Differences in male genitalia are noted below.

Taxonomic note

The rather worn holotype male of disjunctaria (OUMNH: 1380) proved to have male genitalia very similar to four Bornean melanocephala dissected except the uncus is shorter, broader and distinctly tricornute apically. The juxta is relatively smaller and there are minor differences in the valve processes. The holotype of omphisalis (OUMNH: 1378) is lacking its abdomen, but matches that of disjunctaria in facies. Females from Sulawesi (slides 20764, 21528) match those of omphisalis from Peninsular Malaysia in facies and genitalia, but no females of melanocephala have been located. No males of omphisalis from Sulawesi have been located either. Galsworthy (1998) described *C. * discontenta Galsworthy from Hong Kong in relation to *C. * contentaria Walker (see below), but the facies and male genitalia indicate that it is also related to omphisalis.

Geographical range

Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Sulawesi.

Habitat preference

The holotypes of omphisalis and disjunctaria were taken in Sarawak by A.R. Wallace, probably in the lowlands, but no more recently collected Bornean specimens have been seen.

Genitalia: