Trypanophora anchora Druce

Trypanophora anchora Druce, 1891, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6), 7: 140.

Trypanophora dissimilis Snellen, 1903, Tijdschr. Ent., 95: 218, 220, syn. n.

Trypanophora anchora Druce; Holloway, 1976: 91.

Diagnosis

The species has the appearance of a large syntomine arctiid, the wings patterned with yellow patches within a black matrix defined by the venation and the margins as illustrated. The abdomen is ringed on each segment with black and yellow.

Taxonomic note

Yen et al. (2005) grouped anchora with the generic type species, but most material seen is female; the only male that could be associated with these is from Java and matches the original description and illustration of dissimilis from that locality. The taxa are therefore brought into synonymy.

Geographical range

Borneo, Sumatra, Nias, Java.

Habitat preference

The species has not been taken in recent surveys. There are two older specimens: one is from the Kinabalu area without precise data and another is from Bidi in the lowlands of Sarawak.

Biology.

Piepers & Snellen (1902 [1903]) recorded the larva of dissimilis as feeding on Cinnamomum (Lauraceae).

Genitalia: