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Ischyja
marapok sp. n.
 41-44mm, possible  43-45mm.
This and the next two species share features of forewing facies: the brown has a
strong purplish tint; the oblique basal border to the broad marginal zone is
approximately straight and clearly defined; the stigmata are set mostly within a
black longitudinal area within the cell, and have pale edging; the reniform is
kidney-shaped but not particularly oblique as in inferna
and
mantioides;
there is a dumbell-shaped black streak more centrally that contains whitish
marks antemedially and postmedially indicating the position of the medial loop
from the dorsum. This species resembles manlia in
having the blue on the hindwing upperside relatively narrow, and with similarly
narrow but entire blue fasciae on the underside; that on the forewing is usually
more distinctly stepped between the broad and narrow sections. Possible females
are similar to those of hemiphaea Hampson but have the marginal area of the facies more
irregularly blotched with mauve, lacking the distinctly ‘two-tone’ apical
zone of hemiphaea. These females are not included in the type series.
The male genitalia have the valve apex smaller than in manlia,
more tapering, with a slightly weaker angle on the ventral margin subapically.
The aedeagus and vesica are significantly smaller than in manlia.
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Ischyja
marapok
(paratype) |
Ischyja
marapok
(paratype) |
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Holotype
. BRUNEI: 30-60m, Labi, Lowland forest and secondary veg.,
5.11.78 (Lt.
Col. M.G. Allen), BM noctuid slide 18356.
Paratypes:
5
Mt
Marapok, Dent Province, Brit. N. BORNEO; 1 (slide 9715) Sandakan [SABAH], 91-115.
Geographical
range. Sundaland, Philippines, Andamans, Thailand
(VK), Indian Subregion.
Habitat
preference. The more precise records are from lowland localities, though
two of the possible females were from 1930m and 2600m on G. Kinabalu, and the
other three from lowland forest.
Biology.
A female Ischyja,
probably marapok,
or possibly inferna
(see
above), was reared from a larva in Peninsular Malaysia (H.S. Barlow, pers.
comm.).
When found, it was reddish with a black head capsule. The abdominal segments
have fine setae dorsally set on chalazae. T1 is slightly swollen, lighter brown,
and there is a lighter reddish brown patch between each of the thoracic
segments. These lighter areas become more prominent and creamy brown as the
larva grows. Segments A1-3 have paired brown tubercles. The whole body is tinged
bluish grey by a pattern of reticulation.
At rest,
the larva is humped over A1 to A3 or adopts a curled position. It spins a light
web of silk amongst the flowers on which it feeds. Pupation was in a light
cocoon of detached flower petals and took five days. The pupa was covered with a
bloom of grey-blue powder. The adult emerged two weeks later.
The host
plant was Bauhinia (Leguminosae).
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