Scopelodes unicolor Westwood

Scopelodes unicolor Westwood, in Jardine, 1841, Naturalist's Library (Edn. 1) 33 Ent. 7): 222.

Scopelodes palpalis Walker, 1855, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln.Br. Mus. 5:1105.

Dalcera palpigera Herrich-Schaffer, 1856, Samml. aussereur. Schmett. 1: f. 509.

Bethura minax Walker, 1862, J.Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 6: 207.

Nyssia micacea Walker, 1865, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br.Mus. 32: 481.

Scopelodes lutea Hering, 1931: 690, syn. n.

Scopelodes unicolor Westwood; Barlow, 1982: 38.

Diagnosis

The male is very much smaller than those of congeners, the forewings golden brown with a diffusely darker, longitudinal subcostal wedge. The hindwings are paler. The females are much larger, their forewings more oval and of uniform tone.

Taxonomic Notes

This is the only Bornean species without a spined juxta. It forms a geographical link between mainland Asian species with similar facies elements and genitalia, such as venosa Walker and contracta Walker, and those of the Papuan Subregion, namely exigua Swinhoe, and dinawa Bethune-Baker. Scopelodes exigua niassica Hering is probably referable to unicolor but no material has been examined.

Habitat Preference

The species appears to be infrequent in the lowlands though three were taken at 1000m in lower montane forest on G. Mulu during the Mulu survey.

Biology

The larva has been described by Horsfield & Moore (1859) and Kalshoven (1981). It is bright green, very deep. The segmental margins are edged with black bands dorsally and laterally. The rows of spined tubercles are complete, uniform in size, directed upwards and backwards. The cocoon is almost spherical, white when first spun, turning blotchy dark brown. The host-plants recorded are Theobroma (Sterculiaceae), Eugenia (Myrtaceae) and many fruit trees (Kalshoven): Piepers & Snellen (1900) recorded it from Ricinus (Euphorbiaceae), and it feeds on Nephelium (Sapindaceae; unpublished CIE records).

Genitalia: