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Dura
Moore
Type species: alba Moore, India to Peninsular Malaysia and
Sumatra.
The genus was reviewed briefly by Holloway (1982b). The species are
mainly white, with a delicate Lymantria-like fasciation on the forewing
in bone- colour, buff, grey or black. The hindwing is produced into a blunt
angle at vein CuA1.
The male abdomen has tympana and modification, with greater
sclerotisation, of the eighth segment, particularly the distal margins. The
genitalia have a number of diagnostic features: the tegumen and uncus are
variably asymmetric, the former broad, the latter often long, slender. The
vinculum is laterally reduced, such that the tegumen articulates almost with the
saccus, which is well developed. The valves are robust, usually distally bifid.
The aedeagus is narrow or needle-like, with lateral curved processes at its base
so that it can resemble a nail or pin.
The female genitalia have the sterigma and lamellae vaginales well
developed and sclerotised, diverse in form. The ductus is usually very narrow,
the bursa round or ovate, with a central signum, transverse, bicornute, arising
from a sclerotised area (alba), or a small, umbonate, scobinate patch
(amianta
Collenette).
The genus is only moderately diverse in mainland Asia and Sundaland,
with more species in Sumatra (five according to Schintlmeister (1994), excluding
dasychiroides Rothschild, discussed by Holloway (1982b)) than Borneo:
however, there are significant species complexes in both Sulawesi and New
Guinea, extending to Australia.
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