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Altha
nivea Walker
Altha nivea Walker, 1862, J. Linn. Soc. Zool. 6:173.
Altha nivea
Walker; Hering, 1931: 680, Holloway, 1976: 90, 1982a: 182.
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Altha
nivea 
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Diagnosis. See Altha
Walker. The male genitalia were illustrated by Holloway (1976:
fig. 709).
Taxonomic notes. This species and its allies were reviewed by Holloway (1982a). The
mainland Asian component of the range given by Holloway (1976) is represented
mainly by A. subnotata Walker, previously placed as a synonym of nivea.
Geographical range. Borneo; Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java (ssp. pura
Snellen).
Habitat preference. The species was taken infrequently between 1000m and
2000m on G. Kinabalu, in lower and upper montane forest on the limestone G. Api
during the Mulu survey, and in upper montane forest on Bukit Retak in Brunei.
The only lowland specimen seen is a putative female from coastal forest at
sea-level near Seria, Brunei.
Biology. The life history of this and the next species may be akin to that of the
relative of melanopsis Strand described in the generic account. One of
the two Javan species (nivea and purina Holloway) has been reared
from tea (Camellia, Theaceae) (Browne 1968).
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