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Hyperythra
Guenée
Type species: limbolaria Guenée = lutea Stoll.
Synonyms: Callopona Turner (type species metabolis Turner,
Queensland); Pseuderythra Swinhoe syn. n. (type species phoenix Swinhoe,
N.E. Himalaya); Tycoonia Warren syn. n. (type species obliqua Warren,
“Japan” (China)).
This genus is allied to the American Erastria Hübner and the
African Petrodava Walker. It shares with both a general similarity in
facies, and with Erastria the presence of a subbasal process on the valve
costa of the male genitalia. Ventral to this costal process on the interior of
the valve are basal (usually a lobe) and distal (usually a short spur)
processes. The sacculus is diagnostically produced apically into a curved spine.
The aedeagus vesica has numerous cornuti, lacking in Erastria. Other
diagnostic features in the male genitalia are an elongate uncus and a scobinate
subscaphial membrane.
The female genitalia have the ostium opening on a relatively deep (tergite
and sternite) eighth segment. The ductus is short. The signa are various: two
distal, transverse, serrate flanges opposed by a longitudinal band of
scobination in lutea; a strong, scobinate, longitudinal band of
sclerotisation associated with a central indentation in obliqua.
A preliminary genitalic survey of the genus, including taxa currently
curated under Erastria in the BMNH collection, indicates that the
following taxa may correctly be assigned to it:
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H. obliqua Warren comb. n.
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China, ?Japan
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?= perlutea Wehrli
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ssp. lungtanensis Wehrli
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ssp. pallens Wehrli
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H. phoenix Swinhoe
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N.E. Himalaya, Peninsular Malaysia
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= khasiana Swinhoe syn. n. |
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H.
lutea Stoll (see below) |
India
to Sundaland |
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H.
swinhoei Butler |
Pakistan,
Iran |
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= phantasma Butler
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= muselmana Brandt |
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H. susceptaria Walker
stat. rev. |
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= lala Swinhoe
syn. n. |
Punjab,
Burma |
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H.
rubricata Warren |
Java
and Sulawesi to |
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= simplex
Warren |
Queensland
and Solomons, |
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= metabolis
Turner |
Christmas
I. |
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= lysima
Prout |
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= camylogramma
Prout |
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= sumbensis
Prout |
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= vindex
Prout |
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The last four species listed form a group within the
genus, sharing possession of two features of the male: a black brush of scent
scales at the base of the hindwing upperside costal zone; a broad ring of short
cornuti on the basal part of the aedeagus vesica. In all except H. lutea the
costal process of the valve is much reduced, and H. rubricata lacks the
spined distal lobe to the aedeagus vesica seen in the other three. The taxa
subordinated to rubricata may have validity as subspecies as there is
some variability in facies and genitalia: specimens from Java, the Lesser Sundas,
Sulawesi and Christmas I. have the interior process at the base of the valve
long, acute, whereas from New Guinea eastwards it is short, rather rounded.
There is a species complex in New Guinea (including sordida
Warren and gibbosa Warren) currently associated with the Erastria group
that is probably not related, and certainly does not fall within the definition
of Hyperythra.
The larvae of both H. phoenix and H. lutea were
described by Singh (1953). They differ from those of the Petelia group
(see also Sato (1976)) in features of the subventral abdominal setae.
Host-plants noted are Gouania and Ziziphus in the Rhamnaceae.
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