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Eudocima
[Rhytia] cocalus
Cramer
Phalaena
Noctua cocalus Cramer, [1777] 1779, Uitlandsche Kapellen,
2: 59.
Noctua
maculata Weber, 1801, Observationes Entomologicae:
111.
Ophideres
plana Walker,
[1858] 1857, List
Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., 13: 1226.
Rhytia
crepidolata Lucas, 1894, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W.,
8: 149.
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Diagnosis.
The male forewing is similar to that of sikhimensis Butler
(p. 256), but has the most distal ripple-mark concave distad rather than convex.
The moth is much smaller and has a pale yellow hindwing that lacks an inner
black lunule. Females are distinguished by large whitish blotches on the
forewing discally, antemedially and tornally.
Taxonomic
note. The Indian Subregion species hypermnestra Stoll
is very similar but has the inner black lunule of the hindwing represented by
two black patches. Zilli & Hogenes (2002)
illustrated the genitalia of both species.
Geographical
range. N.E. Himalaya, Sundaland and east to Australia and the Solomons.
Habitat
preference. The species is not common, five specimens in recent surveys
being recorded in lowland forest, four at Tawau in Sabah (200m) and one at Labi
in Brunei (30-60m). There is older material without precise data from G. Marapok
and G. Kinabalu in Sabah.
Biology.
Moore (1881) illustrated a Javanese larva that is grey, irregularly variegated,
the ocellate marks with paler grey rings and darker grey centres. The host plant
recorded was Cocculus
(as
Epibatherium;
Menispermaceae). A similar larva was illustrated by Semper (1896-1902) for the
Philippines.
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