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Thyas
honesta Hübner
Thyas
honesta Hübner, 1806, Zuträge Samml. exot. Schmett.,
2 (Index): 4.
Thyas
honesta Hübner; Holloway, 1976: 29; Kobes, 1985: 32.
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Diagnosis.
This species and juno Dalman are unique in their pale red hindwings. This colour
extends to the abdomen completely in honesta,
whereas in juno
the
dorsal part is brown. There is a submarginal black patch in honesta,
but a broad brown area basally in juno that contains a sinuous pale blue band, markings that are closer
to those of javanica Dalman.
Taxonomic
note. The species is sister to T. miniacea Felder
that extends from the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas to Northern Australia, Fiji,
Samoa and New Caledonia (Holloway, 1979), and Micronesia (Marianas, Carolines).
Geographical
range. Indian Subregion, Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra,
Borneo, Philippines.
Habitat
preference. The species is uncommon (but possibly does not come strongly to
light), but has been recorded (five specimens in recent surveys) from the
lowlands (300m) to 1620m.
Biology.
The larva was described by Bell (MS) as ophiusine in shape, the prolegs of A3
reduced, those of A4 slightly, the others being well developed. Bell noted it to
be difficult to distinguish from that of T. coronata Fabricius comb. n. or
Artena
species.
A8 is tumid towards the posterior margins, with a dorsolateral pair of conical
tubercles, yellowish patched with red. The colour is a ‘livid’ green, finely
lined longitudinally with white, the lines usually double and centred purplish;
transverse extensions of white from these lines give a marbled effect. The
double dorsal line widens out to form a small circle, black with white marbling,
on A5 and there are similar but smaller circles on the segments immediately
posterior to this. There is a lateral black spot on A1 and indications of
smaller ones in this position on other segments. The ventral surface is
similarly marbled in green, white and purple, with black patches between the
prolegs of A3 and A4 and blackish red ones between the prolegs of A5 and A6.
The
larva lies either fully stretched or slightly humped at A1. Pupation is in
leaves lined with silk.
The host
plants (Robinson et al., 2001) recorded are from the Lecythidaceae: Barringtonia
and
Planchonia.
However, the related T. miniacea feeds on Quisqualis and
Terminalia
in
the Combretaceae (Robinson, 1975).
The
adult is known to pierce fruit in Thailand (Bänziger, 1982; Kuroko &
Lewvanich, 1993).
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