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Rhypotoses ruptata
Walker
comb. rev.
Artaxa?
ruptata Walker,
1862, J. Linn. Soc. (Zool.), 6:126.
Euproctis
arenacea Hampson,
1893, Fauna Br. India, Moths, 1: 476.
Mardara
ruficeps Hampson,
1896, Fauna Br. India, Moths, 4: 489.
Cifuna
biundulans Hampson,
1897, J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc., 11: 294.
Rhypotoses ruptata
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Rhypotoses ruptata
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Diagnosis. This and the final species are small, with a pale yellowish fawn ground
colour irrorated darker brown, and are sexually dimorphic. The males have
forewing fasciae in the same position as other Rhypotoses, with stronger
brown marking basal to the antemedial and distal to the postmedial, the latter
being particularly dense, and the area basal to it is completely dark brown
rather than being only lightly irrorated. Females of both species are darker,
greyer, the forewings much more uniformly irrorated, the fasciae only faintly
evident and only the costal triangle appearing darker. The antemedial is more
curved in the smaller female of ruptata.
Taxonomic note. The venation of both species is as in Rhypotoses, and the male
genitalia are of the rounded valve type, though with the apices acute. They are
therefore retained in Rhypotoses as indicated by Collenette (1953), rather
than placed in Euproctis (ruptata only) as in Schintlmeister (1994).
Geographical range. N.E. Himalaya, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Habitat preference. The species has only been taken in lowland forest,
where it can sometimes be common.
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