Coptobasis lunalis Guenée

Taxonomy

The holotype of Botys lunalis Guenée, 1854: 352 is from India (Coromandel). Comb n. to Coptobasis (Shaffer et al., 1996). Comb. n. to Pramadea (Kirti & Gill, 2004).

• syn. Botys thyasalis Walker 1859d: 735. TL Sarawak (Kuching), as syn. (Globiz).
• syn. Coptobasis thyadalis Lederer 1863: 429 (Mispell. of thyasalis);
• syn. Botys contigualis Walker 1965 [1866]: 1441. TL Singapore. Syn. n. (Shaffer et al. 1996).
• syn. Coptobasis incrassata Warren 1896: 171, TL Khasis [Meghalaya] as syn. (Globiz). but Shaffer (1990, note on LepIndex card) considered it a good sp.
• ?syn. Botys subjunctalis Walker 1865 [1866]: 1441 TL Indonesia, (Java) as syn. (Globiz). but Shaffer (1990, note on LepIndex card) considered it a good sp.

In Globiz as Pramadea, which is technically correct, but here we provisionally treat it in Coptobasis Lederer 1863 as it is also superficially similar to the C. mesospectralis group spp..

Description

A pinky brown sp. with a silky sheen. The FW has two white marks, a small lunule at the end of the cell and a smaller white spot submedially on the subcosta. Both are outlined by a narrow slightly darker brown border. The FW is crossed by two darker brown lines the submedian line is straight but centrally the post-median line loops towards the wing base to become a partial median line on the HW. The HW also has has a submedian line which curves to the tornus. The various syntypes show slight differences in fasciation which may merit further investigation and many of the similar morphotypes in Coptobasis opisalis group may be this sp. Botys subjunctalis Walker 1865 [1866]: is very similar but has its transverse lines outlined in white and has an extra white punctum on the HW. We follow Shaffer in considering it a good sp. rather than syn.

Life History

Reported as feeding on Vitaceae (Wang & Spiedel, 2000: 164)

References

• Guenée, A. (1854) Deltoïdes et pyralites. In Boisduval, J.A. & Guenée, A., Hist. nat. des Insectes (Spec. gén. Lépid.) Vol. 8, 448pp. + 10 pls., Librarie Encyclopédique de Roret: Paris.
• Walker, F. (1865 [1866 Jan 13]) List Spec Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. 34, (Suppl. 4): 1121-1533.
• Shaffer, M., & Nielsen, E.S. & Horak, M. (1996) Pyraloidea (In Nielsen, E.S., Edwards, E.D. & Rangji (Eds.), Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia; 164-199, CSIRO, Australia.
• Wang, H-Y & Speidel, W. (2000) Guide Book to Insects in Taiwan (19). Pyraloidea (Pyralidae, Crambidae). Shu Shin Books, Taipei, Taiwan: pp 295.
• Kirti, J. S. & N. S. Gill 2004: Revalidation and recharacterization of genus Pramadea Moore (Pyraustinae: Pyralidae: Lepidoptera). J. Ent. Res. New Delhi, 28 (3): 179-186.
• Warren, W. (1896e) XX New species of Pyralidae, Thyridiae and Epiplemidae Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. 6, 17 (98): 131-150.
• Swinhoe, C. (1892a) New species of Heterocera from the Khasia Hills. Part II. Trans. ent. Soc. Lond.: 1-20.
• Walker, F. (1859d [May 10]) Pyralides, In; List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. Ser. 4, 18: 509-798.
• Lederer, J. (1863d [Dec]) Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Pyralidinen. Wien. entomol. Monat. 7 (12): 278, key: 429, 427-502, pl. 2-18.