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Miresa
bracteata Butler
Miresa bracteata Walker, 1880, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5)
6: 64.
Miresa bracteata Butler; Hering, 1931: 682, Barlow, 1982: 39.
Diagnosis. The forewing facies, particularly the silvered postmedial with its
central whitish triangle, is distinctive. Other non-Bornean species with a white
triangle do not have the postmedial so well defined or so sinuous.
Geographical
range. Indian
subregion, Thailand, Sundaland.
Habitat preference. The species has been taken in a range of lowland
habitats, including mangrove. The only specimen from montane forest was taken at
1618m on Bukit Retak, Brunei.
Biology. The larva was described by Bell (MS) in India. It is oblong, with flanks
relatively deep between the lateral and dorsolateral tubercles. Dorsolaterals on
T2 and A1 and A7 to A9 are prominent, the two interior pairs at each end being
longer; they are dark red with black spines on T3, Al and A7, and green with
black-tipped yellow spines on A8. The laterals are wart like, yellow spined,
green with black tips. The colour is darkish green with thin yellow wavy lines
longitudinally connecting the bases of the abdominal dorsolaterals; below this
is a dark line bordered thinly with yellow that loops at each end to produce a
repeat lineation of green and yellow just above the laterals. There may be
transverse yellow and green lines on ridges across the dorsum. Piepers &
Snellen (1900) described the larva (as argentifera) in Java. It is
perhaps somewhat different, allowing for some latitude in description and
accuracy of the illustration. It is dark green, lighter on the flanks and at the
ends. The markings are like three rectangles, one inside the other, depicted in
white and black lines, broken to produce the ‘loop back' effect mentioned by
Bell. The larger dorsolaterals at each extremity are terminally lilac, then
ringed with yellow, the spines black or dark violet.
The pupa is enclosed in a grey, ovoid, hard cocoon spotted minutely
with black. It is fixed to any surface but preferably a crevice (Bell).
Host-plants recorded by Bell in India were Mangifera, Buchanania (Anacardiaceae),
Alseodaphne (Lauraceae) and Terminalia (Combretaceae). Javan hosts
(Piepers & Snellen) were Coffea and Cinchona (Rubiaceae).
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