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Axinoptera Hampson Gen. rev.
Type species: subcostalis Hampson, Sri Lanka.
This genus is revived for another section of the old, broad concept of Chloroclystis.
Its species show a degree of sexual dimorphism in the forewings, with the
male costa tending to be strongly bowed subbasally, often invested with raised
scales along it or in a subcostal groove. The facies is also distinctive, with a
medium ground colour evenly traversed by a series of generally paler, fine, wavy
fasciae strongly flexed centrally on the forewing and two-thirds anteriorly on
the hindwing. The postmedials are conspicuously darker, and exhibit the same
flexure as the fainter fasciae. The forewing marginal zone is often streaked
darker longitudinally, and the hindwing usually has a pale patch near the margin
between veins M3 and CuA1.
In the male abdomen the octavals are weak. The uncus is basally broadly
shouldered, and extensively overlapped by the tegumen as in Bosara Walker
and most Gymnoscelis Mabille. The valves have the sacculus strongly
produced into a tapering process, often spinelike, occasionally bilaterally
asymmetrical: this is probably homologous with the much smaller process seen in
most Bosara. The small scent pencils associated with the very base of the
sacculus are similar to those of Bosara. The aedeagus is relatively long,
the vesica immaculate with one to several large but slender cornuti.
The female genitalia have a long, relatively broad, sclerotised ductus,
often with lateral groups of spines or scobination on the ventral margin of the
ostium. The bursa usually consists of a basal sclerotised portion, sometimes
rather convolute, and an ovate distal bulb that is evenly spined throughout.
In addition to the Bornean species and relatives discussed below, the
genus also includes A. curviscapulis Prout comb. n. (N.E. Himalaya), A.
melampepla Prout comb. n. (Sulawesi), A plicata Hampson comb. n. (Sri
Lanka) and A. fasciata Warren comb. n. (New Guinea, Seram).
Singh (1953) described the larva of a species close to subcostalis. The
host- plant was Glochidion (Euphorbiaceae).
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