The Saroba group of genera
View Image Gallery of The Saroba group of genera.

Tamba delicata Prout
Tamba delicata Prout, 1932, Bull. Hill Mus. Witley, 4: 273.


Tamba delicata


Diagnosis
. The green patches on a variegated and fasciated grey ground distinguish this species from other congeners in Borneo.

Taxonomic note. A. Zilli (pers. comm.) noted that the two specimens in Mus. Civico di Zoologia, Rome, had differences in the male genitalia. One from Borneo resembles the holotype in facies and genitalia whereas the other from Cameron Highlands, Peninsular Malaysia (slide AZ 751) has darker green patches that are less extensive with less reticulation by the pale ground colour. The valve apex is shorter and its dorsal margin continuous with that of the dorsal process rather than separated by a deep cleft (Fig 722). However, one of the other Bornean specimens had similar facies but typical genitalia. It is more probable, therefore, that the Cameron Highlands specimen has aberrant genitalia features. Other related taxa with green markings include T. multiplaga Swinhoe (N.E. Himalaya), T. splendida Prout (S. Moluccas, New Guinea) and an undescribed species from the Bismarck Is. (slide 6193).

Geographical range. Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Java.

Habitat preference. Two Bornean specimens seen are from hill dipterocarp forest: at 300m in the Ulu Temburong of Brunei; at 500m on the slopes of G. Mulu. The holotype is from Paku, a lowland locality, and there is a male from 1500m at Kundasang, south of G. Kinabalu, in Mus. Civico di Zoologia, Rome.

<<Back >>Forward <<Return to Content Page



Copyright © Southdene Sdn. Bhd. All rights reserved.