Ophthalmitis clararia Walker

Ophthalmodes clararia Walker, 1866, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 25: 1594.

Ophthalmodes fasciata Warren, 1900, Novit. zool., 7 :114, syn. n.

Diagnosis

There is extensive greyish black suffusion to the wings, particularly in association with the fasciae and between the submarginal and margin on both wings.

Taxonomic notes

This is the sister-species of the Indian O. herbidaria Guenée, the type species. The species have similar fasciation but herbidaria is much less heavily suffused greyish black (this is variable). The male genitalia share an elongate flange running just interior from the ventral margin of the valve that links with a reversed, oblique flap running towards the costa and terminating acutely: the flange is deeper in herbidaria, the oblique structure longer. O. clararia has lateral triangular processes at the uncus apex in addition to the more basal ‘horns’. In the female, the sterigma of clarariais more complex, with a strongly sclerotised central boss; this is weak in herbidaria, with an elongate transverse band of sclerotisation across the mouth of the ostium just anterior to it. O.fasciata represents a more heavily suffused form; the holotype female has genitalia as in that of clararia.