Gyrtona semicarbonalis Walker

Gyrtona semicarbonalis Walker, 1863, List Specimens lepid. InsectsColln Br. Mus. 27: 92.

Gyrtona rotundalis Walker, 1863, Ibid. 27: 93.

Gyrtona thoracica Walker, 1863, Ibid. 27: 96.

Gyrtona spilalis Walker, 1863, Ibid. 27: 97.

Gyrtona physicoides Moore, 1885, Lepid. Ceylon 3: 125.

Lophoptera angusta Pagenstecher, 1900, Zoologica 12 (29): 92.

Diagnosis

This species has forewings that are more produced and rounded apically than in those discussed already.

The forewings are variable in pattern, often almost black in the male but usually medium brownish grey in the female.

Many specimens have diffuse, darker, longitudinal striae on the forewing; some have a central dark band, others have the entire basal half dark; fine dark transverse fascia are evident in some specimens, especially in the basal half and submarginally.

The species is most reliably identified by characters of the genitalia: in the male the valve arms are very slender, the ventral one outcurved, the dorsal one with a basal process similar to the harpe; in the female the bursa lacks a signum and the ductus bursae opens into a broad pouch which has small lobes laterally.

Geographical range

Indo-Australian tropics to as far east as Vanuatu.

Habitat preference

During the Mulu survey the species was found to be abundant in lower and upper montane forest on the limestone G. Api, frequent in the same zones on G. Mulu, and taken singly at 250m on G. Api (lowland forest) and in alluvial forest at Long Pala.

In Brunei it has been taken singly in a range of lowland habitats and more frequently in dry heath (kerangas) forest at Telisai.

It is thus akin to the previous species in habitat preference.

Genitalia: