Selepa nigralba Hampson

Plotheia nigralba Hampson, 1895, Trans. ent. Soc. London, 1895: 305.

Diagnosis

This is the darkest Bornean species, the dark grey forewings marked with whitish patches: a triangle on the centre of the costa and a short bar bisecting the apex.

The hindwings are much darker than in any other Bornean species.

The male genitalia have the saccular process very small.

The female has two signa in the bursa at one-third and two-thirds, the more basal one with coarser spines.

Geographical range

N.E. Himalaya, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea and Solomons.

Habitat preference

All four specimens taken in recent surveys were from 250m or below in various types of dipterocarp forest including alluvial and on limestone.

Biology

The species has been reared from Castanopsis (Fagaceae) in New Guinea (Basset, Samuelson & Miller, 1996: 178).

Genitalia: