Eupterote niassana Rothschild

Ganisa niassana Rothschild, 1917, Novit. zool., 24: 486.

Eupterote niassana Rothschild; Holloway, 1982: 190.

Diagnosis

The species is a similar size to the previous one, with postmedials in a similar position.

The colour is more indigo-brown, with yellowish brown basally broadly on the costa subapically (crossed by fasciae) and between the dark lines of the postmedial.

There is a pale discal spot to the forewing.

Taxonomic Notes

Bornean specimens have a more indigo (cf. reddish) tone to the forewing ground colour, with the paler subapical zone on the costa yellower.

The Bornean race is ssp. weberi Holloway (1976: 54) stat. & comb. n.

Leong (2008c) has illustrated and described the final instar larva and metamorphosis of what was originally identified as E. niassana in Singapore. However, further correspondence (2010) involving W.A. Nässig, who reared a similar larva in Peninsular Malaysia and identified the adult female extracted dead from the pupa as a species of Sphingognatha, indicates that the Singapore female is probably also of this genus, possibly S. asclepiades, a male of which was also illustrated by Leong (2008c). The pupal characters described below in comparison with those for Eupterote in the previous Note could therefore prove to be of generic significance. The larva is dark brown, densely hairy, the hairs concealing rows of densely packed, sharp spines about 8mm long. W.A. Nässig (in litt.) noted that these spines had barbed hooks that meant that they lodged in human skin when the larva was handled, requiring extraction one by one with fine forceps! The spiracles are conspicuously pale yellow, and the head has paler brown areas. The glossy brown pupa is unusually shaped, with the thoracic area appearing swollen, ovate, separated from the abdomen by a constriction. Two further constrictions on the abdomen divide it into three rather globular parts. The host plants recorded were species of Ixonanthes (Ixonanthaceae).

Geographical range

Nias, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia; Borneo.

Habitat preference

The species is montane, taken from 1000-1800 m on G. Kinabalu, at 1618m on Bukit Retak, Brunei, and in upper montane (mossy) forest at around 1800m on G. Mulu, Sarawak.

Genitalia: