TRIBE GEOMETRINI
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Eucyclodes semialba Walker comb. n.
   
Thalera semialba Walker, 1861, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus. 22: 601.
   
Chloromachia semialba viridior Prout, 1916, Novit. zool. 23: 204.


Eucyclodes semialba


Diagnosis.
The half white, half green nature of both wings is diagnostic, together with the more or less straight boundary between the two on the hindwing. On the underside there is a conspicuous submarginal black spot centrally.

Taxonomic notes. E. semialba has the valves of the male genitalia rather ovate, with a long, blunt process at the base of the valve costa that bears long spines towards the apex. In the Sri Lankan subspecies it is more acute, tapering, sinuous. To the east there occurs a trio of species with the valves more rectangular and the costal process much shorter, lobed distally: E. vicaria Herbulot comb. n. (Palawan); E. lepta West comb. n. (Luzon); E. angiportus Prout comb. n. (Sulawesi). The costal process shows a range of variation in Himalayan, Thai and Burmese material, also noted by Dr K. Yazaki who has sent the author photographs, including one of a Sumatran male with a long, sinuous process. Apart from this, Sundanian specimens examined have been relatively consistent in the form of this structure.

Geographical range. N.E. Himalaya, Burma, Sundaland; Sri Lanka (ssp. viridior)

Habitat preference. This is primarily a lowland forest species, and was taken particularly frequently in heath forest at 15m at Telisai in Brunei. One specimen was taken at 1618m on Bukit Retak.

Biology. Moore (1884-7) illustrated the larva with the typical dorsolateral flanges, but these are most prominent on the central 3rd and 4th abdominal segments, shorter elsewhere. The colour is olive green, speckled brown, the anterior and posterior segments more pale purplish brown. There is a double brown line dorsally. The pupa is green, thickly and minutely speckled with purplish brown.

The host-plant is Loranthus (Loranthaceae).

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