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Euhampsonia Dyar
Euhampsonia
roepkei sp. n.
43-53 mm, montane
specimens tending to be smaller than lowland ones. The forewings are a very much
deeper, richer brown than in the Himalayan niveiceps Walker. The main
differences are in the male genitalia where the uncus and gnathal processes are
larger, the former flattened horizontally rather than vertically and apically
bifid. The aedeagus tapers strongly apically and the deciduous spicules in the
vesica are much finer. The valves are longer, slender, the central spine longer
and the ventral margin is sclerotised rather than membranous and corrugate.
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Euhampsonia
roepkei (paratype)
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Holotype
SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. (J.D.
Holloway et al) BM 1978-206, Site 5, Camp 4, Mulu, 1780 m, 451463, [upper
montane forest, low facies], BM notodontid slide 962.
Paratype. 1
with general data as holotype but Site 4, January, Camp 4, Mulu, 1790 m, 452463
[upper montane (moss) forest, tall facies].
W. Roepke was
intending to publish a description of this species under the name sumatrana just
prior to his death; it is therefore dedicated to him.
Taxonomic notes.
Shachihoka formosana Matsumura (Taiwan), as illustrated by Sugi (1979), is obviously very
closely related to niveiceps. The genus Shachihoka Matsumura is
therefore a synonym of Euhampsonia Dyar, syn. n., if E. gigantea Druce
is also treated as congeneric.
It is likely that there is a complex of species in the Himalaya and
China as a dark Khasis male (slide 961) had genitalia different from those
illustrated for niveiceps by Kiriakoff (1968); there is a multiple spine
at the aedeagus apex and an uncus similar to that illustrated for formosana Matsumura.
Geographical range. Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia.
Habitat preference. The type material is from upper montane forest on G.
Mulu but a specimen was also recorded from lower montane forest on the same
transect. Two males have also been taken at about 300 m in hill dipterocarp
forest, Ulu Temburong, Brunei.
Biology. Sevastopulo (1938-1947 (3)) has described the larva of niveiceps. The
triangular head is bluish-green with white markings. The body is mainly white
apart from green thoracic segments and seven subdorsal green stripes posteriorly
to the thorax. The 11th segment (7th abdominal) is humped. The spiracles are set
in a yellow line and are ringed with red and white. The legs are shaded green.
There is a large anal flap, edged reddish brown.
The pupa is in a slight cocoon in leaf litter in captivity.
The host-plant recorded was Quercus (Fagaceae).
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