Lymantria (Porthetria) marginalis Walker stat. rev.

Lymantria marginalis Walker, 1862, J. Linn. Soc. (Zool.), 6:131.

Lymantria marginalis Walker; Holloway, 1976: 50.

Diagnosis

Both this and Lymantria brunneiplaga Swinhoe have males where the forewing fasciation is light except at the costa where there are broad, blackish marks. The hindwings are mainly white in marginalis, rather than extensively suffused brownish grey, and there is not a brownish grey patch at the centre of the forewing dorsum. The females are also similar, but the medial bands in the form of a ‘V’ are narrower, neater in marginalis, without subsidiary markings more distally; the hindwing is also paler and lacks the marginal marks of Lymantria brunneiplaga Swinhoe.

Geographical Range

Sundaland.

Habitat Preference

The species ranges from the lowlands to 1760m, but is perhaps slightly commoner at higher elevations.

Biology

There are unpublished records at FRIM for the larva feeding on Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) and Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae).

Taxonomic note

Schintlmeister (2004b: 40) determined that L. marginalis Walker, 1862, was conspecific with L. bivittata Moore, 1879, but contrived to subordinate the older name to subspecies status of the younger name. This is here rectified by the restoration of marginalis to species rank, stat. rev., and assignation of bivittata to it as the subspecies, stat. n., from N.E. Himalaya to S. China, Thailand and Vietnam. The new Philippines race described by Schintlmeister (2004b: 41) therefore becomes L. marginalis roseoides Schintlmeister comb. n. A related species, L. rikiosatoi Schintlmeister, has been described from the Lesser Sundas.

Taxonomic Note

Schintlmeister (2004b: 40) determined that L. marginalis Walker, 1862, was conspecific with L. bivittata Moore, 1879, but contrived to subordinate the older name to subspecies status of the younger name. This is here rectified by the restoration of marginalis to species rank, stat. rev., and assignation of bivittata to it as the subspecies, stat. n., from N.E. Himalaya to S. China, Thailand and Vietnam. The new Philippines race described by Schintlmeister (2004b: 41) therefore becomes L. marginalis roseoides Schintlmeister comb. n. A related species, L. rikiosatoi Schintlmeister, has been described from the Lesser Sundas.

Genitalia: