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Synegia
imitaria Walker
Anisodes imitaria Walker, 1861, List Specimens lepid.
Insects Colln Br. Mus., 22: 643.
Anisodes? obrimaria Walker,
1861, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 22: 644.
Syntaracta aemula Warren, 1894, Novit. zool., 1: 408.
Synegia imitaria malayana Prout,
1925, Novit. zool., 32: 67.
Diagnosis. See the previous species. A few specimens have dark grey clouding
associated with the postmedial towards the dorsum on both wings but this never
extends to the margin as in S. thamiosticta (q.v.). The male in thamiosticta
has ciliate antennae rather than bipectinate ones.
Taxonomic notes. The Sumatran taxon luteolata Snellen may also be referable here
judging from a colour photograph of the holotype female. The types of obrimaria
and aemula resemble each other and represent a morph where the grey
clouding is intermediate. This species, thamiosticta, S. intensa Warren (Sulawesi) and S. prospera Prout
(Moluccas) all have a subbasal lobe to
the valve costa with a zone of stronger setae just ventral to it. All except thamiosticta
have distinctive horns to the juxta, and all have two long, slender cornuti
at the distal end of the vesica.
Geographical range. Sri Lanka, India, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia,
Sumatra.
Habitat preference. S. imitaria is the commonest lowland species, found in all forest
types except heath forest. It is infrequent in lower montane forest and rarely
recorded in upper montane forest.
Biology. The species was reared by Bell (MS) in S. India, but vouchers have not
been located to confirm the identification. The larva is cylindrical, tapering
from T2 to the head. The body is olive green, marbled darker in indistinct
longitudinal bands. The dorsolateral band is tinged white at the posterior
margin of each segment, and there is a small, subspiracular whitish spot. There
is a blackish spot dorsally at the anterior margins of A 1-4. Pupation is at the
ground surface in a cell of soil particles cemented by silk.
The host-plant was Piper (Piperaceae).
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