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Platycerota vitticostoides sp. n.
Platycerota vitticostoides 
(paratype)
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16-17mm,
 17-19mm. This species resembles P. vitticostata Walker
(N.E. Himalaya, China) comb. n. closely in the pale yellow ground colour of the
wings, speckled with reddish. This is obscured with grey over much of the wings:
costally, marginally and dorsally on the forewing, and in a medial band and
apically on the hindwing. There are significant differences in the male
genitalia: the valve costa has two separate acute processes more or less
centrally, rather than a large semicircular lobe subapically that includes the
apical spur; the aedeagus vesica is long with a large terminal spine rather than
short with a central, reflexed spine. Placement of both these species in Platycerota
is not entirely satisfactory (vitticostata was misplaced in Parasynegia)
as the male antennae are bipectinate. Wing shape and markings are consistent
with the placement, as is the form of the uncus and the apical spur to the valve
costa.
Holotype . SARAWAK: Gunung Mulu Nat.
Park, R.G.S Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.) Site 23, April, West
Melinau Gorge 250m, 430558, FEG 4, limestone forest, BM geometrid slide
12987.
Paratypes: 1 as holotype but Site 24; 1 general data as holotype
but Site 25, April, G. Api 900m, 427550, lower montane forest; 1 general
data as holotype but Site 14, February, Camp 2.5, Mulu, 1000m, 413461, [lower
montane forest]; 1 BRUNEI: 30-60m,
Labi, lowland forest and secondary veg.,
28.8.79 (Lt. Col. M.G. Allen), BM geometrid slide 15547.
Geographical range. Borneo.
Habitat preference. Two specimens are from low altitude forest on
limestone, and two from lower montane forests, one on limestone, one on shale.
The fifth is also from lowland forest.
Biology. P. vitticostata has been reared by M.J. Bascombe (pers. comm.) in
Hong Kong. The green larva with a rather swollen thoracic zone bearing a pair of
dorsolateral white patches is illustrated in below.
Platycerota vitticostata Walker (Baptini)
The host-plant was Casearia glomerata (Flacourtiaceae).
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