Aeolopetra sp. 2

Taxonomy

Aeolopetra sp. 2 is an unnamed morphotype from Sabah (PHS), Sabah (PHS) [Leg. W. Nassig], in the Schulze Coll.

To date few of these distinctive spp. have been described. Aeolopetra was tentatively transferred to the Musotiminae by Yen (1996: 295). A total of four Aeolopetra spp. (treated by them as Cybalomiinae), were known to RTS (1994: 175); the TS, Aeolopetra phoenicobapta Hampson 1898: 615, Aeolopetra lanyuensis Yen, 1996: 293, figs 1,2, 7-9, 13, and Aeolopetra sp. 1.

• syn. Aeolopetra phoenicobapta Hampson 1898: 615
• syn. Aeolopetra lanyuensis Yen, 1996: 293
• syn. Aeolopetra sp. 1

Description

Aeolopetra spp. have scalloped wings reminiscent of the ‘Thorn Moths’ [Geometridae, Ennominae]. The patterning is distinctive but complicated, in white, brown and fulvous. This sp. is easily distinguished from A. phoenicobapta Hampson 1898 but more closely resembles Aeolopetra sp. 1. Aeolopetra sp. 2 is distinguished by the chestnut and brown band post medially on the FW extending to the inner margin. A very similar Aeolopetra sp., from the Philippines, (Lake Danao), was seen in the MfNH Berlin. Schulze (2000) taxon #662 ‘Aeolopetra sp. 2’ .

References

• Hampson, G. (1898) A revision of the moths of the subfamily Pyraustinae and the family Pyralidae. Part 1, Proc. zool. soc. Lond.: 590-760.
• [RTS] Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia, Malaysian Nature Society Kuala Lumpur & Natural History Museum, London, 311 pp. 51 text figs, 32 pls.
• Yen, S-H. (1996) Aeolopetra lanyuensis Yen, a new pyralid moth (Pyralidae: Musotiminae) from Taiwan. Tinea, 14: 29-299.
• Schulze, C.H. (2000) Auswirkungen anthropogener Störungen auf die Diversität von Herbivoren. (Analys von Nachtfalterzönosen entlang von Habitatgradienten in Ost-Malaysia). Unpubl. PhD Thesis, University of Bayreuth, Germany: 350 pp.