Coptobasis? subjunctalis Walker

Taxonomy

The male holotype of Botys subjunctalis Walker 1865 [1866]: 1441 is from Java. comb. n. to Pramadea (Kirti & Gill, 2004). ms good sp. (Shaffer, 1990 note on LepIndex card) i.e. not a junior subjective syn. of Coptobasis contigualis which = C lunalis. Guenée, 1854: 352.

• M.S. syn. n. Coptobasis ridopalis Swinhoe, 1992:18. TL. Assam [Meghalaya] (Khasia Hills).

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

The various morphotypes resembling this show slight differences in fasciation which may merit further investigation and many of the similar morphotypes in Pramadea opisalis group may be this sp..

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 ante-median line is straight but centrally, the post-median line, retracts (loops) towards the wing base to become a partial median line on the HW. The HW also has a post-median line which curves to the tornus. Note the characteristic white spot on the HW which distinguishes it from the very similar C. lunalis.

This sp. is probably present in many more Asian countries, overlooked as C. lunalis. Schulze (2000) taxon #444 ‘Syllepte sp. 1’.

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.
• Swinhoe, C. (1892a) New species of Heterocera from the Khasia Hills. Part II. Trans. ent. Soc. Lond.: 1-20.