Porsica benderi Schintlmeister

Porsica benderi* Schintlmeister 1981, Atalanta 12: 291.

Porsica ingens Walker; sensu Holloway 1976: 55.

Diagnosis

The dark trapezoid marks on the forewing costa are darker than in the next species and the reniform (a pale disc with a central brown crescent and a larger brown spot 2 mm distad) more prominent. The forewing ground colour is paler.

Geographical range.

Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

Few specimens have been taken, from lowland dipterocarp forest, kerangas, and secondary vegetation. One specimen was taken in lower montane forest at 1000 m on G. Mulu.

Biology

Nothing is known of the life history of benderi but Bell (MS) described that of P.ferreopicta Hampson, possibly the sister species (India) of benderi The larva is typical of the Gargetta group in shape: the body is broadest centrally, tapering distally; the first pair of prolegs are reduced; the stematopods are one third of the length of the body.

The head, dirty white with a brown band, is squarish, higher than broad, laterally compressed below the vertex, distinctly bilobed.

The body is leathery, polished, light greyish brown, with a narrow bluish white dorsal band that is flanked closely by rose-pink lines; there are three supraspiracular lines and one subspiracular line of the same colour; there are bronzy tubercles set with three to five short black hairs and one long one; the spiracles are brownish yellow with black rims.

A variant was medium brown with a dorsal grey band and broader single dorsolateral and lateral pale bands centred brownish, and a brown spiracular band that extends ventrally in places.

The larvae feed on the undersides of leaves, resting camouflaged on thin twigs, tails held erect.

They pupate in a loose cell of silk and earth on the surface of the soil.

The adults rest with wings scrolled around the body.

The host-plant is Antidesma (Stilaginaceae).