Dysaethria subalbata Guenée comb. n.

Erosia subalbata Guenée, 1857, Hist. nat. Insectes, Spec. Gen. Lep., 10: 37.

Diagnosis

This and the following four species are all closely related, with bipectinate male antennae and similar dark brown suffusion and marking on a bone-white ground; examination of the male genitalia is recommended. However, subalbata has a whiter ground colour and a more generally clouded forewing postmedial. In the genitalia the fan of scales is relatively small, and the aedeagus vesica has a cluster of small cornuti set deep in the shaft when uneverted.

Taxonomic Notes

This species group is characterised by a fan or row of paddle-like scales directed inwards from the centre of each valve of the male genitalia. The aedeagus is long and the vesica contains cornuti. Other species in the group include D. cretacea Butler comb. n. (Japan) and D. albidaria Walker (= lacteata Warren) comb. n. (New Guinea). Specimens from Java (slide 360) and Luzon (slide 347) have facies as in D. exprimataria Walker (see below) but male genitalia as in subalbata, particularly the short row of paddle-scales on the valves, the narrow, delicate T-shaped juxta and a scattering of cornuti in the aedeagus vesica.

Geographical Range

Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia (FRIM colln); ?Java, ?Luzon.

Habitat Preference

The species is infrequent in various types of lowland forest including heath forest. A few specimens were taken at 1000m in lower montane forest on G. Mulu during the Mulu survey.

Biology

No biological information is available for Bornean members of this group, but cretacea is noted as feeding on Daphniphyllum (Daphniphyllaceae) by Sugi (1987) and Chen (1997). The larva is illustrated by Chen, and is a glistening, rugose black all over.

Genitalia: