Tasta montana Holloway sp. n.
Tasta micaceata Walker sensu Holloway, 1976: 84, part (fig 666).
♂♂ 15-17mm, ♀♀ 14-15mm. This is a large, dark species that can be distinguished primarily by the large, circular ocellus with a relatively narrow yellow ring and by the male genitalia where the aedeagus vesica has a small bundle of short, blunt cornuti. The process on the vinculum is deep, with a relatively shallow ‘U’ shaped depression dorsally. The major digitate processes on the valve are arranged in a short arc as in micaceata. T. aplutaProut, represented by the holotype female from G. Kerinci in Sumatra, has more distinct fasciation and discal mark on the forewing, and a relatively much smaller ocellus on the hindwing.
Holotype ♂
SABAH: Mt Kinabalu, ‘Power Station’, 1930m vii-ix 1965, Cambridge Expedition to Mt Kinabalu 1965 (H.J. Banks, H.S. Barlow &J.D. Holloway) BM geometrid slide 10551.
Paratypes
- 5♂♂ as holotype (slide 9366)
- 2 ♂♂ SABAH: Mt Kinabalu, Park H.Q., 1620m vii-ix 1965, Cambridge Expedition to Mt Kinabalu 1965 (H.J. Banks, H.S. Barlow & J.D. Holloway) BM geometrid slide 9367.
Geographical range
Borneo.
Habitat preference
The species is common in upper montane forest (1200- 1930m) on G. Kinabalu and G. Mulu.
Genitalia:
