TRIBE BOLETOBIINI
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Diomea diffusifascia Swinhoe
Diomea diffusifascia Swinhoe, 1901, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7), 7: 499.
Corsa molybdopasta Hampson, 1926, Descr. Gen. Spec. Noctuinae, p. 288, syn. n.


Diomea diffusifascia


Diomea diffusifascia


Diagnosis
. Males of this sexually dimorphic species and tricuspida Hampson have similar blackish brown facies with obscure markings, and have an irregular, oblique, elongate creamy white patch cutting off the apex but not extending completely to the costa and distal margin. The forewings are slightly narrower and the general colour blacker than in tricuspida. The most distinctive feature in both sexes of diffusifascia is the rather vinous medial area of the forewing that is crossed by two closely parallel but obscurely darker transverse fasciae, though these can be barely evident in the much darker male. Both sexes also have a similar course to the pale submarginal, but this is shared with the next species. The female is otherwise generally brown, the hindwing is a more rufous brown centrally, this area containing the finely sagittate postmedial, the distal points of which are tipped with pale yellowish fawn.

Taxonomic note. The marriage of males (diffusifascia) and females (molybdopasta) through the synonymy above is based on the shared features highlighted in the diagnosis, particularly the medial fasciation.

Geographical range. Borneo, ?Philippines (a female; see next species).

Habitat preference. The species is uncommon in lowland dipterocarp forest and has not been recorded above 150m. Older material is generally from lowland localities above.

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