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Avitta
fasciosa gracilis ssp. n.
Avitta
fasciosa Moore,
1882, Descr.
new Indian lepid. Insects Colln W.S. Atkinson: 194.
Avitta
fasciosa Moore;
Holloway, 1976: 38.
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Avitta
fasciosa gracilis 
(holotype of gracilis)
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19-22mm. In both typical fasciosa and
this new subspecies the forewing ground is a somewhat golden brown as in discipuncta,
but more rectangular, narrow, and with purplish black fasciation, particularly
intense basal to the reniform, which is conspicuous and B-shaped as in the next
three species. The new subspecies has the costal process on the valve
considerably more slender than in typical Himalayan material, and the valve
itself is narrow and lacks a spur distally on the costal margin (Holloway,
1984b).
Holotype
. SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8 (J.D.Holloway et al.),
Site 14, February, Camp 2.5, Mulu, 1000m. 413461, lower montane forest; BM
noctuid slide 10783.
Paratypes:
1
as
holotype but Site 1, January, Camp 4, Mulu, 1790m, 452463, [upper] montane
(moss) forest; 1 BORNEO: Sabah, Bukit Monkobo (Camp 1, stunted hill forest) 5°01'
N, 116° 58'
E, 23.viii, 1987, 1200m (A.H. Kirk-Spriggs); 1 SABAH:
Bundu Tuhan, 1200m, vii-ix.1965, Cambridge Expedition to Mt. Kinabalu 1965 (H.J.
Banks, H.S. Barlow & J.D. Holloway), BM noctuid slide 9436. 2♀♀
general
data as previous but Mt Kinabalu, Power Station, 1930m.
Geographical
range. N.E. Himalaya, Japan; Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Java (ssp. gracilis).
Habitat
preference. All material is from montane forest between 1000m and 1930m.
Biology.
Hayashi (2003) described and illustrated the larva in Japan. It is long,
slender, with a cryptic pattern of fine black, grey and white longitudinal lines
in the final instar. Earlier instars are very much paler and sparsely scattered
with rows of black dots. The prolegs on A3 only are reduced; A8 is not humped.
The host
plant was Cocculus (Menispermaceae).
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