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Stictoptera
ferrifera Walker
Steiria ferrifera Walker, 1864, J. Linn. Soc. Lond., Zool. 7:
173.
Stictoptera poliata Swinhoe,
1917, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (8), 19: 337, syn. n.
Stictoptera melancholica Prout,
1922, Bull. Hill Mus., Witley 1: 211, syn. n.
Stictoptera ferrifera Walker;
Holloway, 1976: 18
Stictoptera
ferrifera  (3)
Stictoptera
ferrifera (2) |
Stictoptera
ferrifera (1) |
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Diagnosis. This species resembles terribilis Holloway in having an obtusely
angled forewing medial, but this angle is central rather than one third from the
dorsum, and more obtuse. The forewing frequently has a rufous tinge. The uncus
is of uniform thickness in the two species (broader basally in grisea and
semialba (Holloway, 1976: 18)) but ferrifera has two groups of
cornuti in the aedeagus vesica; there are none in terribilis.
There is some polymorphism in the forewing pattern: the medial line can
be more intense; a broad white arcuate mark can occur subbasally (no. 1), a
form shared with the other three species of the group; the reniform and a
subbasal band can be black with or without the white arcuate mark (no. 2).
Females are usually paler and more variegated than males.
Taxonomic note. The four species mentioned in the diagnosis were keyed by Holloway
(1976), but the uncus setal character in the first couplet is an artefact.
Geographical range. N.E. Himalaya, Sundaland, Sulawesi, Ceram, New
Guinea.
Habitat preference. The species was taken in small numbers on G. Kinabalu
from 1000-1600m. During the Mulu survey it was taken infrequently in all lowland
and montane habitats except the wet heath forest (kerangas). In Brunei it was
taken infrequently in hill dipterocarp forest and in upper montane forest on
Bukit Retak.
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