Stauroplitis annulata Gaede

Stauroplitis annulata Gaede, 1930: 639; Kiriakoff 1968: 142.

Diagnosis

The rather triangular greyish-brown forewings, with a faint whitish ring on the reniform and black markings elsewhere, distinguish this species.

Taxonomic notes

Antichadisra dentata* Kiriakoff (1974: 416-7) is probably a synonym; certainly the two taxa are close, so AntichadisraKiriakoff must sink to Stauroplitis Gaede, syn. n. Similarly the facies and male genitalia of the Philippines taxon briachisiaSchaus, placed in the genus Briachisia Kiriakoff by Kiriakoff (1968: 140), have the same distinctive characteristics though they are not identical.

Therefore Briachisia is here placed as a synonym of Stauroplitis, syn. n. The apex of the aedeagus of annulata is very much larger than in *briachisia,*the central multidentate flange of the valve is distinctively spined, and the eighth sternite terminates in a bifid lenticular process rather than a square one.

Geographical range

Sumatra, Borneo.

Habitat preference

The species was found to be frequent during the Mulu survey in the mixed dipterocarp forest of the lower slopes of G. Mulu, especially at 500 m. It was also taken on the bank of a river terrace near the Melinau Gorge with alluvial forest below and kerangas above, and also in lowland and lower montane limestone forest formations on G. Api.

In Brunei it was taken commonly in mixed dipterocarp forest.

Genitalia: