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Scotocyma Turner
Type species: albinotata Walker, Queensland.
Synonym: Paragramma Warren (type species mimula Warren,
Bougainville I.)
This genus of medium-sized dark brown moths is patterned equally
strongly on both fore- and hindwings as in Collix Guenée, Pseudocollix
Warren and Ziridava Walker. The body is robust, the male antennae
filiform, the forewings rather deeper than in the other genera. The forewing
postmedial is obtusely angled at about its mid-point, that of the hindwing also
weakly so. Distal to these angles there is often an enlarged submarginal white
spot, though each species is variable and this spot is not always developed.
These facies features are also seen in Eccymatoge callizona Lower
(Australia, Norfolk I.), the type species of Eccymatoge Prout (see
Holloway, 1977).
The male genitalia of Scotocyma are very different from those of Eccymatoge,
with entire, rather than divided, valves that bear a diagnostic basal
comb-like structure. The uncus is robust, sometimes broadened, the anellus is
extensively spined, and the area of the juxta complex. The aedeagus vesica is
globular with scobination weak only. There is a pair of coremata between the
seventh and eighth abdominal segments, which are extremely shortened. There is a
calcar-like structure between the valve bases that may indicate affinity to the
Xanthorhoini, but may not be homologous.
The female (Fig 600) has a fluted, scobinate, broad ductus that expands
to the ostium. The bursa is ovate, with corrugate and scobinate areas.
The genus is entirely Australasian apart from the record of a new
species from Borneo and Sulawesi. Three other species are endemic to the Solomon
Is. (possibly a further subspecies of albinotata), Fiji and New Caledonia
including the Loyalty Is. The latter two species are discussed by Robinson
(1975) and Holloway (1979). There are four more in north-eastern Australia. The
genus was not placed to tribe by Nielsen, Edwards & Rangsi (1996).
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