11-12mm. This and the next three species are very similar, having the male forewing structure about half the depth of that of toresalis and plicaloides, and slightly shorter, a dark brown, uniform with the rest of the wing when fresh, but with this colour persisting more in worn individuals rather than medium grey as in other species. The hairs within the flap on the upperside are pale orange yellow rather than whitish as in toresalis and plicaloides. The male labial palps are similarly angled to those of eucaula, but appressed to the head so that the tapering third segment is directed back over the top of the head to reach the thorax. The new species can reliably be distinguished only from the male genitalia. Therefore only dissected specimens are included in the type series for them. In the male genitalia of pala the tegumen has a prominent spine towards the ventral end of its ventral margin; this is not seen in the other three species. The valve has the processes relatively short, separated by a wide shallow concavity. The ventral process has a subsidiary spine near its base near the ventral margin. The aedeagus has a robust apical spine, a more slender one opposite and another subapically, but there are no cornuti in the vesica.
Holotype. SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.), Site 16, March, Long Pala (Base), 70m, 324450, alluv. / second. for. BM noctuid slide 10818.
Paratype. SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.), Site 12, February, FEG 2, Mulu, 200m, 386469, mixed dipt. for., BM noctuid slide 20137.
Geographical range. Borneo.
Habitat preference. All material is from lowland forest, there being another male from the holotype locality that was not dissected.
