Thyatira batis Linnaeus

Phalaena batis Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (edn 10), 1: 509.

Thyatira vicina pallida Rothschild, 1926, J. Fed. Malay States Mus., 8 :136.

Thyatira rubrescens (and sspp.) Werny, 1966: 36-47.

Thyatira vicina Guenée sensu Holloway, 1976: 54 ; Kobes, 1985: 8.

Diagnosis and taxonomic notes

This species and those of Horithyatira Matsumura discussed next have a characteristic ‘peach-blossom’ pattern. T. batis has fewer of these patches than decorata, in particular it lacks the pair within the forewing cell.

The noctuid genus Mudaria Moore (see part 12 of this series) has somewhat similar facies but its species never have a paler patch at the centre of the forewing dorsum, and the tornal patch is small, never reaching the margin. Thyatira geminata Gaede (1930, Gross-Schmett. Erde, 10: 659; Sumatra) would appear from the original illustration, therefore, to be a species of Mudaria, comb. n. Kobes (1992) and Yoshimoto (1992) established the current concept and synonymy of this species: the numerous subspecies of batis described by Werny (1966) are not listed above, but the validity of many must be doubtful. T. vicina Guenée (Java, Bali) appears to be distinct, the forewing having smaller, greyer blotches with finer, whiter borders.

Geographical range

Palaearctic, to Himalaya, China and S.E. Asia; Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo (ssp. pallida).

Habitat preference

On G. Kinabalu the species is found from 1050m to 2600m, and is commonest at around 1620m. A single specimen was taken at 1790m on G. Mulu.

Biology

Yunus & Ho (1980) noted Rubus (Rosaceae) as a host in Peninsular Malaysia, and Kobes (1992) recorded the species from the same genus in Sumatra.

The larva resembled that of typical Palaearctic populations of the species, as described in the generic account.

Genitalia: