Novobelura dohertyi Warren
- Family: Thyrididae
- Subfamily: Siculodinae
- Tribe: Siculodini
- Genus: Novobelura
- Distribution: Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Sumatra, W. Malaysia, Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak, Bali, Sulawesi, Seram, New Guinea, Australia, Solomon Is., Philippines.
- Habitat: Lowland to subalpine forest and disturbed areas; <2100m.
- Wing Length: 22-55mm
Taxonomy
The imaged specimen in Plate 6 #182 is from W. Malaysia, GTE; paralectotype.
Unnamed var.; W. Malaysia, GTE. Syntype, ab. longistriata; Biagi, Mambara River, PNG. syntype, ab. nigriflexa, Solomon Is., N. Choiseul Is. unnamed var. Brunei, Labi, LP195.
The holotype of Banisia dohertyi Warren, 1897:196 from Bali is in the NHM (Mi7346). comb. n. to Novobelura (Shaffer & Nielsen, 1996).
- syn. Rhodoneura stenosoma Hampson [Oct] 1897 is from Sri Lanka; Hampson (1897: 617).
- Syn. ab. Banisia longistriata Warren, 1907: 101. TL PNG, stat. n., infra ssp. (Shaffer & Nielsen, 1996).
- Syn. ab. Banisia nigriflexa Warren, 1905b:410 is from the Solomon Is (Choiseul Is.), stat. n., infra ssp. (Shaffer & Nielsen, 1996).
Description
Typical form: despite being exceptionally variable, this species is relatively easy to recognise from its morphology; being a delicate species with spindly legs and with the termen of the HW being scalloped. However within N. dohertyi there is an exceptionally large range of variation of wing pattern and wingspans (see Plate 6, 182, images a-e). The ground colour of the wings varies from pale yellowish brown to brown with a slight purple sheen. The wing bases may be dark and there are forms with a large HW spot (Plate 6, Fig. 182e). In some dark specimens there is a white patch on the FW apex (Plate 6, Fig. 182a).
Many of the variable specimens grouped in the series in the NHM have been closely examined by Shaffer but no significant genitalic differences were noted.
