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Adites
Moore Gen. rev.
Type species: hilaris Walker,
Sri Lanka.
This genus is removed from
synonymy with Miltochrista Hübner or Lyclene Moore (Nielsen et
al., 1996) to contain all species in the complex that are white or creamy
white with red forewing markings except for sequens Walker (see
Cabarda sequens Walker comb. rev). The red of the forewing typically consists of four submarginal spots, a
sinuous postmedial with dentation on its inner border enclosing a red discal dot
(black in the type species) or streak, an antemedial angled obtusely centrally,
the apex of the angle approaching or contacting the biarcuate subbasal that
encloses two further streaks of red sited costally and centrally, and a basal
spot that may coalesce with the central streak. The hindwings may have faint
patches or a band of grey near the margin, though this is rare in Bornean
species. The male antennae are fasciculate.
The male abdomen has the
coremata well developed. The genitalia are characterised by a short, often deep
uncus, valves with only the distal saccular process well developed, usually with
a crest of spines at its apex, and an anellus that is frequently (but not in the
type species) rugose. The aedeagus vesica is weak, generally scobinate in the
type species, but, whilst still small, bearing one or more relatively massive
cornuti in most other species.
In the female genitalia the
ductus and bursa are usually short, together rather pyriform, the bursa either
with general scobination or (the bizonoides Walker group) two centrally
placed and opposed signa, each consisting of a disc of rather robust but short
spines. Lateral pouches on the seventh segment are rare and probably not
homologous with those of Lyclene, except perhaps those of the Philippines
species unilinea Wileman & South, the placement of which requires
further study.
Adites appears
to be particularly diverse in Borneo, with several species in the bizonoides group
and some that may be more closely allied to the Sumatran A. tabida Snellen
comb. n. & stat. rev. Unfortunately, the similarity of appearance
amongst the species led to them being treated as one species during the Mulu
survey, and counted in the field as such with retention of only limited
material. For the same reason, assignation of females to males is not always
possible, particularly in the bizonoides group; unfortunately the
holotype of bizonoides is female, and its identification below is based
on the assumption that it would be the commonest species in the sort of lowland
habitats where A.R. Wallace is likely to have collected.
The genus is found
throughout the Oriental tropics but is not recorded east of Sulawesi.
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