Risoba diversipennis Walker

Heliothis diversipennis Walker, 1858, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 15: 1750.

Diagnosis

This and Risoba basalis Moore have similar coloration and markings except diversipennis has a pale longitudinal streak centrally over the basal half of the wing, an oblique rather than angled postmedial and a stronger white submarginal fleck in the posterior part of the surround to the apical brown patch. There are distinct differences in the spining at the apex of the aedeagus and within the vesica as illustrated.

Geographical range

Himalaya to New Guinea.

Habitat preference

A singleton has been taken in recent surveys from lowland heath forest at Telisai in Brunei.

Biology

Mell (1943) and Yunus & Ho (1980) recorded Melastoma (Melastomataceae) as a larval host-plant.

Taxonomic Note

Kobes (2006) described and illustrated the larva of R. diversipennis. It is pale green with a pair of red dorsolateral stripes that contain white spots arranged in an elongate rhomboid on each segment; the stripes are bounded ventrally by a fine white line. Pupation is in a cylindrical cocoon incorporating debris and sandy particles. The host plant was Tibouchina (Melastomataceae).

Genitalia: