Perixera absconditaria Walker comb. n.

Anisodes absconditaria Walker, 1862, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 26: 1580.

Anisodes absconditaria assamica, A . a. conjectata, Prout, 1938, Gross Schmett. Erde, 12: 170.

Anisodes absconditaria Walker; Holloway, 1976: 63.

Diagnosis

This and the next three species have very similar male genitalia, and absconditaria can only reliably be distinguished from the next two by genitalic features. The valve is quadrate with a single costal process only. The span is greater than in the next two species, but the facies is a similar uniform pale, dull red with faint fasciation and a small white discal mark on the hindwing that is variably tinged with blackish brown.

Taxonomic Notes

The complex was reviewed by Holloway (1982). Related species occur eastwards to Fiji and New Caledonia. The whole group is probably referable to Trirachopoda Hampson, though the unique holotype female of the type species lacks head and abdomen.

P. minorata dubiosa* Prout (Taiwan) has similar facies: its genitalia conform with those of this group, and, unlike the Bornean species, there are very weak coremata on the fourth sternite. The male hind-tibia is much shortened and bears a tuft of scales. Bornean material differs in uncus breadth and vesica spining from typical Indian material.

Geographical Range

Indian Subregion to Taiwan, Sundaland and the Philippines.

Habitat Preference

The species is recorded frequently from the upper montane forest zone, over a range of 1620-2110m, on G. Kinabalu, and a singleton was taken at 900m in lower montane forest on the limestone G. Api.

Biology

Yunus & Ho (1980) recorded Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) as a larval host, but this record could well apply to one of the two lowland species discussed next.

Genitalia: