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Diomea
diffusifascia Swinhoe
Diomea
diffusifascia Swinhoe, 1901, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7),
7: 499.
Corsa
molybdopasta Hampson, 1926, Descr. Gen. Spec. Noctuinae,
p. 288, syn.
n.
Diomea
diffusifascia 
Diomea
diffusifascia |
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Diagnosis.
Males of this sexually dimorphic species and tricuspida Hampson
have similar blackish brown facies with obscure markings, and have an irregular,
oblique, elongate creamy white patch cutting off the apex but not extending
completely to the costa and distal margin. The forewings are slightly narrower
and the general colour blacker than in tricuspida.
The most distinctive feature in both sexes of diffusifascia is
the rather vinous medial area of the forewing that is crossed by two closely
parallel but obscurely darker transverse fasciae, though these can be barely
evident in the much darker male. Both sexes also have a similar course to the
pale submarginal, but this is shared with the next species. The female is
otherwise generally brown, the hindwing is a more rufous brown centrally, this
area containing the finely sagittate postmedial, the distal points of which are
tipped with pale yellowish fawn.
Taxonomic
note. The marriage of males (diffusifascia)
and females (molybdopasta)
through the synonymy above is based on the shared features highlighted in the
diagnosis, particularly the medial fasciation.
Geographical
range. Borneo, ?Philippines (a female; see next species).
Habitat
preference. The species is uncommon in lowland dipterocarp forest and has
not been recorded above 150m. Older material is generally from lowland
localities above.
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