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Chrysodeixis minutoides sp. n.
Chrysodeixis minutoides 
(paratype) |
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13-14mm. The forewings are dark grey with a distinctive paler zone basal
to the central maculation; otherwise the species is a small version of eriosoma
lacking bronze areas on the forewing and having a more prominent pale grey,
irregularly marked submarginal zone as in C. minutus Dufay (N.E. Himalaya,
Japan (Inoue et al. 1982)). C. politus Dufay (Sumatra, Java, Bali)
is larger with similar, but more contrasty facies. C. celebensis Dufay (Sulawesi) probably resembles minutoides more closely but has not been
examined. C. papuasiae Dufay (New Guinea) and C. taiwani Dufay
(Taiwan) are also members of the group.
The male has a dark grey brush of scales at the end of the abdomen
which, when dissected, has eversible coremata between segments 7 and 8 and a
characteristic structure of segment 8 (Fig. 320) shared with minutus and politus.
The male genitalia have a broad saccus and uncus as in minutus, but
the latter is relatively shorter and broadest basally rather than constricted
there; these structures in politus are more as in minutus but more
slender; the uncus of celebensis was described by Dufay as button-like.
The valves are robust as in minutus, and similarly lacking harpe and
clavus, but are narrower overall and angled subbasally on the ventral margin
rather than being evenly curved; in politus the valves are as in minutus.
not angled ventrally. The aedeagus is relatively short, the vesica barely
longer than the aedeagus. The vesica has a long cornutus separated from a row of
four smaller ones; in minutus only the latter are present together with a
band of scobination; in politus the vesica is three times as long as the
aedeagus and scobinate over the basal third, the scobinate area containing a
longitudinal row of ten small cornuti, with a much larger cornutus at the distal
end of the vesica; in celebensis the vesica is not ornamented apart from
a small chitinous, weakly scobinate plaque.
Holotype . SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat.
Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.) Site 8, February, Camp
1, Mulu, 150m, 385470, Mixed dipt. for., MV - mainly canopy, BM noctuid slide
10744.
Paratypes. SARAWAK as holotype: l as
holotype, l Site 25 [G.
Api, 900m, lower
montane forest], 1 Site 18 [W. Melinau Gorge, 100m, riverside in alluvial
forest].
Geographical range. Borneo.
Habitat preference. This species was confused with the next in the Mulu
survey but both species appear to be found in a range of lowland forest types
except heath (kerangas) forest and extend up to the lower montane zone.
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