Scotocyma asiatica Holloway sp. n.

♂ 15mm. The facies is much as in the type species as described in the generic description. However, the male genitalia show significant differences from the New Guinea subspecies of albinotata, scotopepla Prout: the uncus broadens to a quadrate apex rather than tapering; the valve is broader, the costa bilobed; the setal comb at the base of the valve is shorter; the saccus is acutely triangular rather than shallow, squarish.

Taxonomic note

Schmidt (2005; 2006a) revised Scotocyma Turner and presented a phylogenetic hypothesis that indicated that the Borneo/Sulawesi species is sister to the Sumatran endemic, S. sumatrensis Schmidt, these then being related to a species from Queensland. She placed the genus in the Xanthorhoini, with a possible relationship to the temperate Australasian genus Austrocidaria Dugdale. The only host record for Scotocyma is for Coprosma (Rubiaceae), a genus also utilised (but not exclusively) by Austrocidaria.

Holotype ♂

BRUNEI: 1618m, Bukit Retak, montane forest, 14.9.79 (Lt. Col. M.G. Allen), BM geometrid slide 18611.

Geographical range

Borneo, Sulawesi (slide 19109).

Habitat preference

The only Bornean specimen was taken in the upper montane forest zone. That from Sulawesi was also montane.

Genitalia: