|
Phalera
Hübner
Phalera javana Moore
albatross Walker stat. & comb. n.
Phalera
javana Moore,
1859, in Horsfield & Moore, Cat. lepid. Insects in Mus. Hon. E.
India
Co. 2: 432.
Phusiana
albifrons Walker,
1862, J. Linn. Soc. Lond. Zool. 6:141.
Phalera
javana amplificata Gaede,
1930: 613, syn. n. (of albifrons).
Diagnosis. This is the only Bornean Phalera with a dull, pale golden ground
to the forewing; members of the genus can be recognised by the subapical marking
of the forewing, though this is often obscure in styx.
Taxonomic notes. The male genitalia indicate that albifrons is conspecific with javana
despite the latter having the forewing subapical patch much less elongate
and stepped, and having a uniformly bilinear rather than blotchy antemedial.
Allied species in the Himalaya, similar in facies to typical javana, are cossoides
Walker and bobi Swinhoe.
Geographical range. Java; Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Habitat
preference. In
the Mulu survey the species was taken frequently in most lowland forest types
but most particularly in alluvial forest adjacent to kerangas near the Melinau
Gorge. In Brunei it is infrequent in rich lowland rainforest.
Biology. Barlow (1982) stated the larva was reddish brown with long, dark silky
hair. Kalshoven (1981), perhaps referring to the typical race, stated the larva
was reddish brown when young but greyish later. He gave as host-plants the
Leguminosae Canavalia, Mucuna and Vigna.
The adult tends to come to light in the second half of the night.
<<Back
>>Forward <<Return
to Contents page
|
