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Buzara Walker
Type
species: chrysomela Walker,
New Guinea.
Synonym:
Caranilla
Moore
(type species onelia Guenée,
Bangladesh);
This and
the next three genera are segregates from the old concept of Parallelia
recognised
by Holloway & Miller (2003). Some authors (e.g. Poole, 1989; Kobes, 1992)
placed many of these in Dysgonia Hübner,
but Holloway & Miller reverted to the stricter definition of this genus
proposed by Berio (1955). Though species of Dysgonia are
known from mainland Asia, Sumatra and possibly Australia, none has been recorded
from Borneo.
Oriental
species of Buzara are rather drab, uniform brown, with weak, rather
irregular, wavy fasciation on the forewing. However, there is an Australasian
group that has black forewings, with a transverse, white medial bar and a rufous
thorax, and a New Guinea pair, including the type species of Buzara,
that is black with bright yellow markings and, in the male, a reduced and
modified hindwing.
The
genus has very uniform structure of the male genitalia, however. The uncus is
straight, without a superuncus, but has small triangular processes or flaps on
each side at its base. The tegumen has a lateral process on the right. The valve
coremata are double, and the costal and saccular processes unite across the base
of the valve and show bilateral asymmetry, those on the left being reduced (see
also Grammodes Guenée on p. 70). The aedeagus is short, straight,
with the ductus ejaculatorius subbasal at one third; the everted vesica is at
right-angles to the aedeagus.
In the
female genitalia the antevaginal plate is narrow, bilobed distally. The corpus
bursae is somewhat convolute, with areas of sclerotisation that bear short,
broad spines.
All
larval host records are from Euphorbiaceae. The only larval description located
(see below) suggests the genus may not have subdorsal tubercles on A8.
The
larva of a species in the onelia complex (see below) was described by Bell
(MS), and one was also described and illustrated by Moore (1884-1887). These
serve to identify possible generic characteristics. Prolegs on A3 and A4 are
absent, and there are no tubercles on A8. The first feature is seen in Bastilla
simillima Guenée, but this is unusual for that genus, and the second
feature is distinctive amongst members of the Parallelia Hübner
generic complex as defined by Holloway & Miller (2003), though seen also in Grammodes
Guenée.
Both descriptions have the larva pale bluish grey with a pale yellow-green
suffusion in and below the spiracular region. The primary setae are based on
large black spots, and there are also black spots ventrally. There are orange
spots or tints on A1 and A5. The pupa has a bluish white powdery bloom.
Host
plant records for the genus are all from genera in the Euphorbiaceae (Holloway
& Miller, 2003): Breynia, Phyllanthus and
Sauropus.
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