Dysphania militaris Linnaeus

Phalaena militaris Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. nat. (edn 10): 505.

Euschema abrupta Walker, 1862, Trans. ent. Soc. Lond., 1862: 70.

Dysphania militaris abnegata Prout, 1917, Novit. zool. 24: 294.

Diagnosis and taxonomic notes

This and the next species resemble each other closely.

In militaris the black markings within the yellow areas are more extensive, the hind wing discal patch in particular being larger, more irregular, less round in outline, with a black bar between it and the dorsum.

There is basal black to the hindwing in militaris, lacking in sagana, and the abdomen is ringed with black in militaris, but pure yellow in sagana (though the Hainan subspecies of militaris, abnegata Prout, resembles sagana in these features). Yazaki (1989, in litt.) has suggested the two taxa may be conspecific, with a range of local, or perhaps seasonal, variation.

The male genitalia are indistinguishable.

Further field observations are needed.

Geographical range

Oriental Region to Sundaland.

Habitat preference

No recently collected material has been seen.

There is material from G. Kinabalu in BMNH, probably collected from lower elevations.

Biology

The species has been reared by Dr M. Bascombe on Carallia in Hong Kong.

The larva is illustrated in (above). The anterior of the pupal thorax has a pair of conspicuous, dorsally white-rimmed black circles that appear to be eye-spots.

Genitalia: