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Thyatira
batis Linnaeus
Phalaena batis Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (edn 10), 1:
509.
Thyatira vicina pallida Rothschild,
1926, J. Fed. Malay States Mus., 8:136.
Thyatira rubrescens (and
sspp.) Werny, 1966: 36-47.
Thyatira vicina Guenée sensu Holloway, 1976: 54; Kobes,
1985: 8.
Diagnosis and taxonomic notes. This species and those of Horithyatira Matsumura
discussed next have a characteristic 'peach-blossom' pattern. T. batis has
fewer of these patches than decorata, in particular it lacks the pair
within the forewing cell. The noctuid genus Mudaria Moore (see part 12 of
this series) has somewhat similar facies but its species never have a paler
patch at the centre of the forewing dorsum, and the tornal patch is small, never
reaching the margin. Thyatira geminata Gaede (1930, Gross-Schmett.
Erde, 10: 659; Sumatra) would appear from the original illustration,
therefore, to be a species of Mudaria, comb. n. Kobes (1992) and
Yoshimoto (1992) established the current concept and synonymy of this species:
the numerous subspecies of batis described by Werny (1966) are not listed
above, but the validity of many must be doubtful. T. vicina Guenée
(Java, Bali) appears to be distinct, the forewing having smaller, greyer
blotches with finer, whiter borders.
Geographical range. Palaearctic, to Himalaya, China and S.E. Asia;
Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo (ssp. pallida).
Habitat preference. On G. Kinabalu the species is found from 1050m to
2600m, and is commonest at around 1620m. A single specimen was taken at 1790m on
G. Mulu.
Biology. Yunus & Ho (1980) noted Rubus (Rosaceae) as a host in
Peninsular Malaysia, and Kobes (1992) recorded the species from the same genus
in Sumatra. The larva resembled that of typical Palaearctic populations of the
species, as described in the generic account.
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