Clelea chala 2039 Moore
Clelea chala Moore, 1859, Cat. lep. Insects Mus. nat. Hist. E. India House, 2: 311.
Diagnosis
This species is represented by a single female, smaller than the previous one. It has more clearly defined blue markings on the forewing as illustrated, fully reticulate, enclosing two medial ‘islands’ of black and one subapical one. The genitalia match those of a female from Java (slide 1599), having a very short ductus and a large praebursa with a few longitudinal bands of sclerotisation. From the apex of this, and associated with the sclerotisation, a fluted duct tapers away to an ovate corpus bursae, with the ductus seminalis arising from the junction between the two. The corpus bursae is absent in the Bornean specimen illustrated.
Taxonomic note
The original description of chala, based on two specimens collected in Java by Horsfield, refers to pale blue markings on the forewing. A Javan specimen labelled as from Horsfield and probably a syntype is the same size as the Bornean specimen featured here and similarly marked. It is a female but has lost its abdomen. The Javan specimen with matching genitalia is a similar size but is rather worn. A second Javan Horsfield specimen examined and imaged by G.M. Tarmann has facies with greener markings as in sp. 1594. This is probably the second syntype and has a label “chala Moore”. This specimen is probably in BMNH but has not been located by extensive searches conducted by the author and M.R. Honey. The image shows it with abdomen intact, but there is no record of it having been dissected subsequently. Almost all other Clelea material has been assembled and arranged in a single drawer by G.M. Tarmann, who separated out the two species clearly, indicating that species 1594 was chala and that this one with bluer markings was undescribed. A final decision on which of the species is chala, with designation of a lectotype, should be postponed until the second syntype is located.
Geographical range
Java (slide 1599), Borneo (slide 2039).
Habitat preference
The only Bornean specimen does not have precise data but was taken by Mrs Walsh, probably in the lowlands of Kalimantan.
Genitalia:
