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Darna (Oxyplax) pallivitta Moore comb. n.
Miresa pallivitta Moore, 1877, Ann. Mag. nat.
Hist. (4) 20: 93.
Diagnosis. The bronzy brown forewings traversed by an oblique white fascia are
distinctive. The valve of the male genitalia lacks a costal process.
Taxonomic notes. Hering (1931) recorded D. ochracea Moore from Borneo but the
record is more likely to have been of pallivitta or of the undescribed
species (slide 729) from the Peninsula, larger, much darker, with the oblique
fascia more marginal.
The source of Hering's record has not been investigated.
Geographical range. China, Taiwan, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Java,
?Borneo.
Biology. Piepers
& Snellen (1900) described the larva of this species as ochracea but
their material (RMNH, Leiden) has been examined and determined as pallivitta.
It has two rows of moderately long spined tubercles which, like the body,
are marbled with black and white on light grey. There is a dorsal white band,
and sometimes yellow or light orange flecks on the flanks anteriorly. The head
is yellow. The larva leaves a viscous trail over the leaves as it progresses.
The cocoon is light brown or lilac, enveloped in coarse silk of similar colour.
The host-plants recorded were Adenostemma (Compositae), Breynia
(Euphorbiaceae), Areca (Palmae) and Ficus (Moraceae).
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