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Hemithea neptunaria sp. n.
Hemithea neptunaria  (holotype) |
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12-14mm. This and the
next three species all have very similar facies and fall within the H.
tritonaria Walker complex. H. neptunaria is larger than the other two
and tritonaria. Members of the compex are only reliably separated by
examination of the male genitalia. The tritonaria group is characterised
by a single, large, dorsally rather sinuous process from the apex of the
sacculus of the valve with, on the dorsal side of the central declivity, a small
setose flap centrally. The holotype of tritonaria (Hong Kong) has lost
its abdomen: comparison is therefore made with a few specimens from the same
locality. The genitalia resemble those of H. vivida Inoue (Ryukyu Is.) as
illustrated by Inoue (1961). H. neptunaria has the saccular process
longer, acute, more evenly downcurved; the dorsal flap is less prominent than in
tritonaria.
Holotype SARAWAK: Gunung Mulu
Nat. Park, R.G.S Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.) Site 14, February,
Camp 2.5, Mulu, 1000m, 413461, lower montane forest, BM geometrid slide
10738.
Paratypes: 1 as
holotype, slide 10745; 1 as holotype but Site 15, slide 10737;
1 general data as holotype but Site 25, April, G.
Api, 90Gm 427550, lower
montane forest, slide 10734.
Geographical range. Borneo.
Habitat preference. All material is from lower montane forest: only dissected specimens
are cited as types.
Biology. Sugi (1987) illustrated a larva attributed to tritonaria. It
is stick-like, rugose, greenish with a pale lateral line and a dorsal zone of
pinkish brown streaks and chevrons, the latter associated with five dorsal
conical processes on segments A1-A5. The larvae of related species are likely
to be similar. Kuroko & Lewvanich (1993) recorded a species of this group as
feeding on the flowers and young shoots of Dimocarpus, Nephelium (Sapindaceae)
and Mangifera (Anacardiaceae), and Flemingia (=
Moghania; Leguminosae)
has been noted as a host in India (Zhang, 1994).
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