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Scopelodes
unicolor Westwood
Scopelodes unicolor Westwood,
in Jardine, 1841, Naturalist's Library (Edn. 1) 33 Ent. 7): 222.
Scopelodes palpalis Walker,
1855, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln. Br. Mus. 5:1105.
Dalcera palpigera Herrich-Schaffer, 1856, Samml. aussereur.
Schmett. 1: f. 509.
Bethura minax Walker, 1862, J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 6:
207.
Nyssia micacea Walker, 1865, List Specimens lepid. Insects
Colln Br. Mus. 32: 481.
Scopelodes lutea Hering, 1931: 690, syn. n.
Scopelodes unicolor Westwood;
Barlow, 1982: 38.
Scopelodes
unicolor 
(Singapore) |
Scopelodes
unicolor  |
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Diagnosis. The male is very much smaller than those of congeners, the forewings
golden brown with a diffusely darker, longitudinal subcostal wedge. The
hindwings are paler. The females are much larger, their forewings more oval and
of uniform tone.
Taxonomic notes. This is the only Bornean species without a spined juxta. It forms a
geographical link between mainland Asian species with similar facies elements
and genitalia, such as venosa Walker and contracta Walker, and
those of the Papuan Subregion, namely exigua Swinhoe, and dinawa Bethune-Baker.
Scopelodes exigua niassica Hering is probably referable to unicolor but
no material has been examined.
Geographical
range. Burma,
Sundaland.
Habitat preference. The species appears to be infrequent in the lowlands
though three were taken at 1000m in lower montane forest on G. Mulu during the
Mulu survey.
Biology. The larva has been described by Horsfield & Moore (1859) and
Kalshoven (1981). It is bright green, very deep. The segmental margins are edged
with black bands dorsally and laterally. The rows of spined tubercles are
complete, uniform in size, directed upwards and backwards. The cocoon is almost
spherical, white when first spun, turning blotchy dark brown.
The host-plants recorded are Theobroma (Sterculiaceae), Eugenia
(Myrtaceae) and many fruit trees (Kalshoven): Piepers & Snellen (1900)
recorded it from Ricinus (Euphorbiaceae), and it feeds on Nephelium (Sapindaceae;
unpublished CIE records).
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