Eupterote naessigi Holloway sp. n.

Diagnosis

♂♂ 50-55mm, ♀ 58mm.

The ground colour is yellow as in Eupterote multiarcuata Holloway and fabia Cramer, the type species.

Most of the fasciation is much more broken into spots than in these species, more irregular in emphasis.

The postmedials are relatively strong, entire, expanding on both wings into a diagnostic broad, triangular dark brown zone anteriorly.

The central portion of the hindwing postmedial is straighter than in other species.

The female is much more heavily marked postmedially than the male.

In the male genitalia the valve is much as in Eupterote multiarcuata Holloway and the aedeagus vesica is similarly strongly scobinate; in fabia the scobination is very weak.

The male genitalia, particularly the aedeagus and the scobination of its vesica, are somewhat more robust than in the taxa discussed in the taxonomic note; these all lack the anterior broadening of the postmedials.

Holotype ♂

BRUNEI: 0m, Sungei Kibi, 4460.1452, mangrove, 7-8.iii. 1984 (Maj. T.P.G. Helps) BM eupterotid slide 82.

Paratype

2 ♂♂ as holotype; ♀ BRUNEI: 10.i.79. On Cassia sp. (Rahman); 3 ♂♂ BRUNEI: Ulu Temburong, various data; 1 ♂ Niah Caves Resthouse, SARAWAK, Borneo, 28.x.1978 (T. W. Harman), 1 ♂ SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu National park, RGS Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al:), Site 16, March, Long Pala (Base) 70m, 324450 [Alluvial forest] BM eupterotid slide 23.

Taxonomic Notes

A species in Java (slide 83) and possibly Sumatra (slide 85) is much more weakly marked, lacking the anterior triangles to the postmedials; the situation on these islands is being studied by W.A. Nässig.

A similarly weakly marked form flies in Luzon (slide 86). In Sulawesi (slide 84) there is a species with intermediate markings to which the name jaresia Swinhoe, based on small specimens from Saleyer I., may be applicable.

Leong (2009j) has described and illustrated the development of the larva of Eupterote naessigi from the final instar. The larva is generally a rich dark brown with tufts of secondary setae on slight verrucae in rings on each segment, themselves within a broad blackish ring, separated from each other by a square zone with paler speckling in three irregular longitudinal bands dorsally, the outer bands whitish, the central one more yellowish. These are separated by a narrower black stripe from a broad dorsolateral pinkish-white, brown-speckled stripe down the whole body. The head is paler, fawn, with dark brown markings. The long setae are interspersed with stiff, radiating spines (see also the next note). The larva built a silken cocoon within and holding together a loose network of leaves, the cocoon being reinforced with the larval setae and spines. The head and thorax of the pupa were glossy black and the abdomen was dark brown and densely pubescent. It is strikingly different from that described in the next note. The host plant was Bridelia tomentosa (Euphorbiaceae).

Geographical range

Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia.

Habitat preference

Records have been mainly from lowland rainforest and mangrove.

Biology

The species has been reared from Cassia (Leguminosae) in Brunei.

The larva of the Javan taxon is similar to that of amaena but with the dorsolateral pale stripe more distinctive (BMNH specimens); perhaps this was the taxon illustrated by Horsfield & Moore (1858-9).

Genitalia: