Prosopandrophila distincta Guérin-Méneville

Gynautocera distincta Guérin-Méneville, 1843, Delessert. Souv. Voy. Inde., 2: 85.

Eterusia drataraja Moore, 1859, Cat. Lepid. Insects Mus. E. Ind. Co., 2: 321.

Eterusia osseata Walker, [1865] 1864, List Specimens Lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 31: 120.

Chalcosia oenone Butler, 1883, Entomologist&s mon. Mag., 20: 57.

Chalcosia indistincta Swinhoe, 1892, Cat. East and Aust. Lepid. Heterocera Colln Oxf. Univ. Mus., 1: 74.

Eterusia albina Jordan, 1907, Gross-Schmett. Erde, 10: 34.

Image of Prosopandrophila distincta Guérin-Méneville ♀ — ♀

Diagnosis

There is clear sexual dimorphism, males being smaller with more acute forewings and a yellow rather than bluish grey ground colour. However, the patterning of the wings is more similar, the forewing having a reticulate pattern rather like that in Boradiopsis Hering, and the hindwing having a more longitudinal, rayed pattern reminiscent of that in the much larger Psaphis species. In races outside Borneo, the females have a much whiter ground colour to the wings.

Taxonomic note

Yen et al. (2005) placed oenone Butler as a synonym of distincta with subspecific status and promoted xanthina Jordan (Cambodia) to specific status.

Geographical range

Sundaland, Burma.

Habitat preference

All Bornean material seen that has precise data is from lowland localities.

Biology

The larva was described by Piepers & Snellen (1902 [1903]). It is squat, stout, earthy brown, the body with subdorsal and supraspiracular rows of tubercles, the former larger. The flanks and venter are somewhat paler. The legs are red, the anal ones being notably conspicuous. Leong (2009f) also reared the larva in Singapore, describing it as a light chocolate brown with black spiracles. The primary setae are on low rounded tubercles, and the larva illustrated has a humped shape as described by Barlow. The body is covered with a fine, short pubescence.

Pupation is in a dense cocoon between two leaves (Barlow) or within an upcurled leaf (Leong).

Robinson et al. (2001) cited records of the following larval host plants: Melastoma (Melastomataceae); Eugenia (Myrtaceae); Symplocos (Symplocaceae). Leong (2009f) also reared the species from Melastoma, and Barlow (see above) recorded Medinilla from the same family.