Phalera javana Moore albatross Walker stat. n.comb. n.

Phalera javana Moore, 1859, in Horsfield & Moore, *Cat. lepid. Insects in Mus. Hon. E. India

Co.* 2: 432.

Phusiana albifrons Walker, 1862, J. Linn. Soc. Lond. Zool. 6: 141.

Phalera javana amplificata Gaede, 1930: 613, syn. n. (of albifrons).

Diagnosis

This is the only Bornean Phalera with a dull, pale golden ground to the forewing; members of the genus can be recognised by the subapical marking of the forewing, though this is often obscure in styx.

Taxonomic Notes

The male genitalia indicate that albifrons is conspecific with javanadespite the latter having the forewing subapical patch much less elongate and stepped, and having a uniformly bilinear rather than blotchy antemedial. Allied species in the Himalaya, similar in facies to typical javana, are cossoidesWalker and bobi Swinhoe.

Geographical range

Java; Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

In the Mulu survey the species was taken frequently in most lowland forest types but most particularly in alluvial forest adjacent to kerangas near the Melinau Gorge. In Brunei it is infrequent in rich lowland rainforest.

Biology

Barlow (1982) stated the larva was reddish brown with long, dark silky hair. Kalshoven (1981), perhaps referring to the typical race, stated the larva was reddish brown when young but greyish later. He gave as host-plants the Leguminosae Canavalia, Mucuna and Vigna.

The adult tends to come to light in the second half of the night.

Genitalia: