Chrysodeixis acuta Walker

Diagnosis

C. acuta Walker is another widespread Indo-Australian tropical species that may prove to occur in Borneo, though no Bornean specimens have been located. It is very similar to eriosoma but slightly smaller with a somewhat more acute forewing apex that is almost bisected by a diffuse pale grey streak; the latter is subparallel to the margin in eriosoma. The male abdomen in eriosoma has lateral rufous tufts and a terminal dark one, whereas acuta has dark brown lateral tufts only. The valves of the male genitalia expand to the apex in acuta but taper in eriosoma; there is a row of small cornuti in the aedeagus vesica of acuta rather than distinct small and large groups.

Taxonomic Note

Martini & Thöny (1993) recorded a single male of Chrysodeixis acuta from 1600m on G. Emas in the Crocker Range, Sabah. A diagnosis and illustration of the species were published in Part 14, but it had not been recorded from Borneo at that time. Behounek & Thöny (1995: 50) included Borneo in the range of the species, but there is confusion in the labelling of the moths in their plate relative to the text, where the identifications appear to be transposed. C2 appears to be acuta, and C1 and B2 appear to be eriosoma, though B2 is identified as chalcites Esper in the Plate. The species are also transposed in Plate 37 of Kononenko & Pinratana (2005): 25 is acuta; 26 is eriosoma.

Geographical Range

Old World tropics and subtropics to Australia and Fiji.

Habitat Preference

(?Montane).