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Phlogophora
nigroplumbea Warren comb. n
Euplexia nigroplumbea Warren,
1912,Novit. zool, 19: 17.
Euplexia
albovittata melasema Prout, 1926, Sarawak Mus. J., 3: 216, syn. n.
Euplexia albovittata melasema Prout; Holloway, 1976: 10.
Diagnosis.
The striking black, grey brown and white forewings render this species
unmistakable. It is variable, the range of variation being illustrated, but no
distinction between the genitalia of the forms could be discovered.
Taxonomic
notes. The species is here treated as distinct from the Himalayan P.
albovittata Moore comb. n., a slightly larger species where the costa
of the forewing is not dark grey beyond the distal edge of the reniform; in nigroplumbea
this grey extends into a grey indentation beyond the reniform. In the male
genitalia the basal scobinate patch of the vesica is on the opposite side to
that of albovittata (left versus right). The taxa P. gamoeensis
Prout comb. n. (Buru) and P. latifascia Prout comb. n. (Ceram)
may be conspecific with each other and possibly with nigroplumbea,
distinguished from the latter only by a slightly larger, more coarsely and
sparsely spined distal sclerotisation in the aedeagus vesica.
Holloway
(1976) suggested that a group of taxa all described from G. Kerinci in Sumatra
might prove merely to be forms of albovittata. Dissection has proved this
to be erroneous. All have the juxta process longer than in the species just
discussed and all lack the more basal, more finely scobinate sclerotisation in
the vesica. P. chlorophragma Prout comb. n., P. latilinea
Prout comb. n. and a species from Peninsular Malaysia (Cameron Highlands;
slide 14157) have no ornamentation to the vesica except fine scobination, have a
slender harpe, and may thus be conspecific. P. ischnogramma Prout comb.
n. is similar but has a very broad process on the juxta and a ventral
corrugated zone of sclerotisation in the aedeagus vesica. P. leucomelas
Prout comb. n. has a small vesica with the distal sclerotisation present
as a long narrow row of spines; the harpe on the valve is broad as in the next
species. P. tricolor Prout comb. n. (possibly also in Java, or a
closely related taxon; slide 14154) has a normal sized vesica with the distal
sclerotisation broadening and becoming more thickly scobinate distally; the
juxta process is long, upcurved. P. albifrons Prout stat. & comb.
n. (described as a sub- species of albovittata) has a similar aedeagus and
juxta to tricolor but the harpe is very broad, triangular, with a central
fold along its length. E. albovittata culminis Roepke may be a synonym of
tricolor.
In
Sulawesi there flies P. rostrifera Warren comb. n., described from
a single female from G. Lompobattang. The size and facies of this species
suggest a relationship to the Sumatran species swarm.
Geographical
range. Borneo, Luzon, Java.
Habitat
preference. On G. Mulu the species was only taken in the dwarf forest summit
zone (at 2360m); on G. Kinabalu it was abundant from 1930m to 2600m. The taxon melasema
is based on a single specimen from 2000m on G. Murud, Sarawak.
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