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Poecilasthena
character Prout stat. rev.
Poecilasthena character
Prout, 1932c: 57
Poecilasthena
character 
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Poecilasthena
character |
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Diagnosis and taxonomic notes. This and the next species were placed in synonymy by
Holloway (1976), a decision that, on evidence of further dissection, was
probably erroneous. P. character has a more strongly contrasted facies
with green fasciation on a white ground, whereas P. nubivaga Prout is a
more uniform green. The discal spots of the latter are larger, that of the
hindwing with a slight pale surround: most specimens of character lack a
hindwing discal spot. Specimens from lower elevations on other mountains tend to
be much smaller (one from 1200m on G. Api is illustrated). In the male abdomen
there are also distinct differences between the two species: character has
the coremata on the valves very much larger and more heavily invested with
darker hair scales: the apodemes of the eighth sternite are twice as long as in nubivaga,
presumably to support stronger muscles to articulate these coremata. In the
female genitalia the disc of the signum is smaller in nubivaga, but the
spines radiating from it are as long or longer, though both these features are
somewhat variable in character.
Geographical range. Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra.
Habitat preference. The species occurs at lower elevations than its
congener, ranging from 1630m to 2600m on G. Kinabalu, from 1790m to the summit
on G. Mulu, and also recorded at 1200m on the limestone G. Api and at 1680m on
Bukit Pagon.
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