Selepa discigera Walker

Gadirtha? discigera Walker, 1864, J. Linn. Soc. (Zool.), 7: 163.

Selepa strigifera Moore, 1885, Lep. Ceylon, 3: 103.

Selepa discigera ab. caniceps Strand, 1917, Arch. Naturgesch., 82 (A1): 83.

Selepa discigera ab. hampsoni Strand, 1917, Arch. Naturgesch., 82 (A1): 83.

Selepa discigera ab. walkeri Strand, 1917, Arch. Naturgesch., 82 (A1): 83.

Selepa discigera caniceps, hampsoni and walkeri Gaede, 1937, Gross-Schmett. Erde, 11: 396.

Diagnosis

This species has rather blackish forewings, the postmedial loop being relatively distal and evenly curved.

There is a black longitudinal streak subdorsally that is often edged white.

The male genitalia have the saccular process about as long as the valve, strongly curved over the basal quarter and relatively straight thereafter (this characteristic is less extreme in Australian material dissected: slides 17001, 17030). In the female genitalia the bursa is globular, with two circular patches of faint scobination: at one-third and two-thirds.

Geographical range

Indo-Australian tropics east to New Guinea and Queensland.

Habitat preference

The species has only been taken twice in recent surveys, both times in lowland dipterocarp forest (Labi in Brunei and the Danum Valley Field Centre in Sabah). The type material was taken in Sarawak by A.R. Wallace, probably also in the lowlands.

Biology

Mell (1943) noted Stillingia (Euphorbiaceae) as a host-plant in China, and Williams (1928) recorded it (as celtis; voucher in USNM examined) as attacking fruits of three species of Ficus (Moraceae) in the Philippines.

A specimen in BMNH was reared from Rhus (Anacardiaceae) in Hong Kong.

Genitalia: