Macrocilix maia Leech

Argyris maia Leech, 1888, Proc. zool. Soc. Lond., 1888: 647.

Macrocilix maia Leech; Holloway, 1976: 93.

Diagnosis

The complex forewing medial and hindwing tornal markings on a white ground are similarly placed to those of Sewa orbiferata Walker, described next, but very different in compostion and coloration: the illustration should enable both to be identified with confidence.

Taxonomic Notes

Watson (1968) suggested that Indian and Sundanian populations were subspecifically distinct.

However, the structure of the male genitalia is very similar from Japan to Borneo.

Geographical range

Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan; India; Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

A rare species, maia has been taken singly at 900m on the limestone G. Api, twice at 1618m on Bukit Retak and four specimens between 1680 and 1930m on G. Kinabalu.

Biology

The larva in Japan was illustrated in Sugi (1987). It tapers from the grey head backwards to the anal process and has prominent setae, those on the thorax and in the anal part on long chalazae.

The body is creamy, marked with dark brown in a longitudinally reticulate manner, there being a more or less continuous subdorsal brown band.

Some segments have a rufous suffusion.

The host-plant was Quercus as for the type species.