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Artaxa Walker Gen. rev.
Type species: guttata Walker, N. India.
Synonym: Themaca Walker (type species comparata Walker,
India) syn. n.
The male genitalia of this genus again provide the diagnostic features:
facies is exceedingly varied, though more typical species tend to have yellowish
forewings, sometimes irrorated darker, and usually with two narrow, paler
fasciae medially. There are sometimes black spots at the forewing apex. The
forewing venation is similar to that of the previous three genera, but M2 is
present in the hindwing.
The male abdomen has tymbals. The eighth tergite is triangular and often
bears rather bristle-like setae in typical species. The feature common to all
members of the genus is the pair of acute processes that flank the short,
rather triangular uncus. These are probably not homologous with those of the
next genus, arising from a different postion on the genital capsule. The valves
are simple, often tapering, and the saccus is usually moderate. The aedeagus is
short, straight, with a small, typically unadorned vesica (though a cornutus may
be present in some of the less typical species).
In the female (of cina Strand), the eighth segment is a deep,
finely scobinate ring with the ostium set fairly anteriorly on it, though with a
cordate sclerite set posteriorly between a notch in the distal margin of the
ring and the pseudopapillae. The ring of the eighth segment is narrower in A.
ormea Swinhoe comb. n., and the cordate structure is absent. The
ductus and bursa are relatively small, flimsy, the latter without a signum.
The type species is very similar to digramma Boisduval, and
biological information has probably been confused in the literature. A combined
account is presented below.
The genus occurs widely in the Oriental Region and extends to the
Solomons (an undescribed species: slide 2664). A number of species occur in New
Guinea, such as A. fulvistriata Swinhoe comb. n., A. lunula Bethune-Baker
comb. n., A. maza Swinhoe comb. n. and A. pentatoxa Collenette
comb. n.
The first six species listed below resemble the type species, the rest
being more modified, with more robust, narrower uncus and socii, the latter much
shorter than the former: species from ormea Swinhoe to end, except hannemanni
Schintlmeister.
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