Erebus hieroglyphica Drury

Noctua hieroglyphica Drury, 1773, Ill. Exot. Ins., 2: 3.

Noctua harmonia Cramer, [1777] 1779, Uitlandsche Kapellen, 2: 119.

Noctua mygdonia Cramer, [1777] 1779, Uitlandsche Kapellen, 2: 119.

Noctua ulula Fabricius, 1781, Species Insectorum, 2: 211.

Bocana lunaris Walker, 1864, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 29: 57.

Argiva hieroglyphica celebensis Hopffer, 1874, Stettin. ent. Ztg., 35: 46.

Nyctipao hieroglyphica tenebrata Prout, 1919, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (9), 3: 170.

Erebus hieroglyphica Drury; Holloway, 1976: 29; Kobes, 1985: 26.

Diagnosis

The smallest Bornean species, hieroglyphica shows a similar strong sexual dimorphism to the next species. The male hindwing in both is reduced, rather triangular, but in hieroglyphica the margin is distinctly trilobed; see also the next species. In both sexes there is usually a pale cream to white bar at the costa postmedially on the forewing, with a small pale patch in the centre of the wing immediately posterior to the interior end of the bar. The development of these pale marks, especially the width of the bar, is very variable, better appreciated on the underside, and very occasionally they are absent (e.g. in the Bornean male illustrated).

Geographical range

Oriental tropics to Sundaland the Philippines and Sulawesi.

Habitat preference

Only four specimens have been recorded in recent surveys, all from Sabah: two females taken at light in lowland forest, at 300m near Tawau and at 170m at the Danum Valley Field Centre; a male and female taken flying by day at Mile 5 on the access road and at Bundu Tuhan at about 1200m near the Park Headquarters of G. Kinabalu. Both the Kinabalu localities are partially cleared and cultivated. Chey (1994) recorded a few specimens in softwood plantations at Brumas in the lowlands of Sabah.

Genitalia: