Chandica quadripennis Moore

Chandica quadripennis Moore, 1888, Descr. new Indian lepid. Insects Colln W.S. Atkinson: 286.

Chandica quadripennis Moore; Kobes, 1997: 32.

Chandica gertae Kobes, 1997: 34, **syn. n.

**

Diagnosis

This and the next two species are very similar, and can be distinguished from similar Cossedia Walker species by the yellow apex to the forewing.

In quadripennis and the second species the costal yellow border has two small triangular projections at one-third and two-thirds, whereas the third species, ayama Kobes has one longer central one.

This and the next species can only reliably be distinguished from quadripennis and each other by dissection, as discussed in the description of the next species.

Taxonomic Notes

The male genitalia of gertae are inseparable from those of quadripennis. The Bornean male has a slightly smaller ovate pad on the valve, and the aedeagus vesica is more uniformly narrow, rather than being broader basally and tapering to the group of cornuti which is longer, the cornuti more numerous.

In the female the spining of the bursa is somewhat heavier than in Himalayan and Peninsular Malaysian females dissected.

Geographical range

Himalaya, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

The species is rare.

A female without altitude data was taken in the G. Kinabalu area by J. Waterstradt in 1903 and a male was taken at 1618m on Bukit Retak in Brunei during recent surveys.

Genitalia: