SUBFAMILY STICTOPTERINAE
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Lophoptera lineigera sp. n.  


Lophoptera lineigera


14-15mm. The wing pattern is similar to that of squammigera but the anterior boundary to the paler central streak of the forewing is delineated centrally by a distinct narrow white line with a regular anterior edge, and the zone of grey grading away posteriorly is reduced, faint.

The male genitalia are more similar to those of vittigera Walker (as illustrated by Holloway (1979) erroneously as squammigera) than to those of squammigera, but the dorsal process of the valve is not erect, and is very slender over the apical two thirds and broadening basally rather than being of uniform width; the saccus is twice as long, apically rounded rather than acute. In the female genitalia the setose lobes flanking the ostium are ovoid; in vittigera they are roundedly rectangular and in squammigera they taper away distally.

Holotype . SARAWAK: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R.G.S. Exped. 1977-8 (J.D. Holloway et al.) Site 16, March, Long Pala (Base), 70m, 324450, alluv./secondary forest, MV on batu - canopy, BM noctuid slide 10627.

Paratypes. 5 examples, same general data as holotype, 3 as holotype, 1 from 1500m on G. Api, 1 from upper montane forest on G. Mulu; BM noctuid slide 11266.

Taxonomic notes. This species and the next belong to a widespread complex that may be sister-group to squammigera, sharing a distinctive forewing pattern with that species but having rather different male genitalia. The other species are as follows:

Lophoptera vittigera Walker (Holloway 1979; as squammigera) was described from Australia but occurs disjunctly in Sri Lanka, S. India, Sulawesi, ?Philippines, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Both this and the two further species described below differ from squammigera and the two other Bornean species in having a distinct, striking hyaline zone at the base of the hindwing that is invested with a purplish iridescence.

Lophoptera melanesigera
sp. n. has facies much as in vittigera but male genitalia with the saccus relatively much longer and a valve as in Fig. 256 with a saccular spur directed ventrally at one third and a triangular plate directed dorsally opposite; the costal process is slender, smaller than in vittigera and lineigera, and arising at almost two thirds, only slightly curved, to run alongside the apical part of the valve. Holotype AMBOYNA, Feb 1892 (W. Doherty), BM noctuid slide 11296. The species is found in Sulawesi, the S. Moluccas, New Guinea and, in a slightly different form (broader white bar on the forewing, longer, more slender saccular spur on the valve of the male genitalia), in the Solomons.


Lophoptera bismigera
sp. n. has a broad central white streak to the forewing and little other pale marking except for distally. The valve of the male genitalia (Fig. 255) is as in vittigera but the central basal process is short angular, and the costal process is slender, somewhat smaller, and more shallowly curved. Holotype  NEW IRELAND, November 1923 (Eichhorn) BM noctuid slide 11298. The species is found throughout the eastern Bismarck Is. and on Nissan I.

Geographical range (lineigera). Borneo, Bali ( only, larger than in Borneo).

Habitat preference. As well as the type series, further specimens have been taken 1200m on G. Kinabalu and at 1620m on Bukit Retak in Brunei. The species probably occurs over a wide range of altitude as does squammigera.

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