Sartagine ovafricta Holloway sp. n.

Diagnosis

♂♂ 24-25mm, ♀ 23mm. See the generic description. The markings of the forewing distinguish the species from others of a similar size and shape such as Platyja umminia Cramer or P. minutipuncta Swinhoe. In these the discal mark is much smaller or absent, and there is more general fasciation evident, darker in umminia, paler and punctate in minutipuncta; the hindwing margin is more angled near the tornus. In umminia the forewing apex is falcate.

Holotype ♂

BRUNEI: 3m, Seria, secondary and coastal veg., 27.6.79 (Lt. Col. M.G. Allen), BM noctuid slide 18340.

Paratype

2 ♂♂ BRUNEI: 15m, Telisai, sandy heath forest and Gymnostoma, 8.1.1980 (R. Fairclough); 1 ♂ (slide 20172; foreleg) BRUNEI: 30-60m, Labi, lowland forest, 28.8.79 (Lt. Col. M .G. Allen); 1 ♂ BRUNEI: 300m, Ulu Temburong, rainforest, 2.9.78 (Lt. Col. M .G. Allen); 1 ♂ Malaysia, SABAH: Brumas, ex light trap in Acacia mangium plantn. (Chey V.K.) 16.xii.1991, in FRC, Sepilok; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (slide 20112) INDONESIA: Borneo, Kalimantan Tengah, Barito Ulu 2001 at Busang Rekut River Junction, 0° 03’ S, 113° 59’ E, 23.viii.2001 (G. Martin).

Geographical range

Borneo.

Habitat preference

This is a rare species, only taken in lowland dipterocarp, heath, coastal and plantation forests.

Taxonomic Note

A male specimen of Sartagine has been collected by H.S. Barlow at the Genting Tea Estate locality (600m) in Peninsular Malaysia. It is smaller (20mm) than ovafricta and a slightly lighter, duller brown generally. The forewing markings are each perhaps half the area of those of ovafricta, the larger one with a darker, brownish centre, and less evident on the underside, where the central wedge of slightly rougher scales is concolorous with the rest, rather than paler and more golden.