Aglaopus decussata Moore

Taxonomy

Kalimantan Barat, 85 miles above Pontianak.

The holotype of Sonagara decussata Moore, 1883c:27 from India is in the NHM (Mi7304). Comb. n. to Misalina Whalley 1976:108. Comb. n. to Aglaopus(RTS:127).

• syn. Striglina derasata Warren, 1897:382. The female type from Sabah (Lawas) is in the NHM, genitalia slide #13503. Comb. n. & stat. n. as ssp. of Sonagara decussata Moore (Whalley, 1976:111).
• syn. Striglina straminea Warren 1903:257. The male type from Moluccas (Amboina) is in the NHM, genitalia slide #13523. Comb. n. & stat. n. as ssp. of Sonagara decussata Moore (Whalley, 1976:112).

Ssp. Misalina decussata formosa Whalley, 1976:100. The male type, genitalia slide #13870 and paratypes from Taiwan (Kanshirei), are in the NHM.

Ssp. Misalina decussata popula Whalley, 1976. The male holotype from West Papua (Kapaur) is in the NHM, genitalia slide #13773. Ssp. n. of Sonagara decussata (Whalley, 1976:110-111).

Description

A brownish or yellow-brown species with a uniformly reticulated wing pattern picked out by darker brown speckles, some of which may be enlarged to small rectangular spots. The FW has two conjoined small dark patches in the orbicular area and usually a darker square spot to the posterior of the median area. There are sometimes small dark patches near the antemedian of the HW. The abdomen has some paired small dark dorsal spots most prominent at its base.

The species shows a wide range of size and a great variability of morphotypes. Malaysian specimens more closely resemble the type specimens than the Sulawesi and PNG forms. Specimens from further east tend to be larger and have a more yellow ground colour (RTS:127). In some specimens the light speckling may become large dark blotches. Large specimens resemble Striglina duplicifimbria (Warren, 1896a:252) but that species has a narrower FW and more distinct dark markings, especially on the Un (RTS:127). A. industa (Whalley, 1976:113) from India (Karnataka) (not illustrated here) is very similar but has distinct genitalia.

Five ssp. have been named but Whalley considered that these morphotypes were dissimilar enough [in their genitalia] to be considered as distinct species. Many of these morphotypes are widely distributed.

• Ssp. decussata Moore, 1883c, the nominate - ssp. NE India, W. Malaysia, Sabah. Often darker than other sspp.
• Ssp. derasata Warren, 1897. Sabah, Kalimantan. Lowland Borneo. Distinctly marked and uniform ground colour.
• Ssp. formosa Whalley, 1976: Taiwan.
• Ssp. popula Whalley, 1976: Siberut, New Guinea, New Ireland, New Britain. Large specimens.
• Ssp. straminea Warren 1903: Seram, Ambon, Sulawesi. Large specimens.
• Ssp. 1 unnamed, Sabah (Mt Kinabalu).
• Ssp. 2 unnamed, Thailand, W. Malaysia, Sumatra.

See Whalley, 1976:108-9 for a key to the males of the 5 named sspp. which are best determined from their genitalia.