Gadessa nilusalis Walker

Taxonomy

The male holotype of Botys nilusalis Walker, 1859d: 686 from Sarawak is in the Oxford U.M.N.H. The type #1067 was collected by A.R. Wallace.

It is treated as Omiodes in Globiz which may be correct.

RTS (1994): 192, pl. 31, fig.16. figured what they considered the syntype Botys lentalis as G. nilusalis and this may be the source of much confusion as their morphospecies is not G. lentalis it is an undescribed morphotype. This means that most of the published synonymies should be treated with suspicion.

All the species below are considered as good species;

• Nec. syn. Gadessa subalbalis Warren, 1896f: 103 from Meghalaya (Khasia Hills). As syn. (Globiz).
• nec. syn. Botys lentalis C. Felder, R. Felder & Rogenhofer 1864-75 [1874], Pl. 135, fig. 44. T.L. India 'Bengalia' [Bengal] which was shown as a junior subjective syn. of G. nilusalis in LepIndex at one time, an opinion supported by Munroe & Mutuura (1969: 1245). That is incorrect, like Globiz we treat it as a good sp. The holotype is in the BMNH.
• nec syn. Gadessa albifrons Moore [(1884-1887 [‘imprint 1885’]): 279], T.L. Sri Lanka. This was also considered as syn. for a period but we, like Globiz, do not consider this is justified, having viewed Felders' damaged holotype from India (W. Bengal) in the BMNH.
• Gadessa Moore [1885: 278-279] had long been considered syn. with Dichocrocis Lederer, 1863 but is now considered distinct (RTS, 1994: 192) supported by Munroe & Mutuura (1969: 1245).

Description

The holotype in Oxford U.M.N.H. is a distinctive morpho-species but with a suprisingly high degree of mis-identification, possibly because of similar undescribed morphotypes, historic synonymisation and the RTS mis-direction. This medium sized dark brown-grey species has a FW with a distinct blackish, smooth, ante-median and post-median fasciae. The FW costa is more fulvous. There is a distinct black ‘comma shaped’ stigma in the discocellular area and a tiny punctum at the other end of the FW cell. The HW have a smooth PML which retracts in the cetre to the median position. The HW has a dark spot close to the ante-median position on the sub-costa. The FW termenae have small spots on the anterior veins. Very similar to Omiodes analis in patterning but that species is more glossy and has slightly more elongate, narrower, FWs where the post median line is finely serrate.

Life History

Larvae are probably polyphagous as a leaf folder. Known food plants include brinjal / aubergine , Solanum melongena (Solanacea), soursop Annona muricata (Annacea), Dryobalanops aromatica (Dipterocarpacea). Noted as a pollinator on the flowers of Neonauclea pallida (Rubiaceae) by Weber (2000a,b). Until the identification is sorted the above information should be questioned.

References

• Felder, C., Felder, R. & Rogenhofer A. F. (1864-1875) [Full printing by Oct 1874] Atlas von Lepidoptera 140 pls 2,500 figs, Kaiserlich-Königlichen Hof-und Staatsdruckerei, Wien.
• Moore, F. (1884-1887 [1886]) Lepid. Ceylon., Vol 3, IX-XIII, xv + 578pp., pls. [71] 144-215 L. Reeve & Co., London.
• [RTS] (1994): 192, pl. 31, fig. 16.
• [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.
• Walker, F. (1859d [May 10]) Pyralides, In; List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. Ser. 4, 18: 509-798.
• Munroe, E.G., & Mutuura, A. (1969c) Pyraustinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) of temperate East Asia. VII. Can. Ent. (Ottawa), 101: 1069-1077.
• Warren, W. (1896f) XIII New species of Pyralidae, Thyridiae and Epiplemidae Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. 6, 17 (97): 94-106.
• Munroe, E. G. & Mutuura, A. (1970b). Contributions to a Study of the Pyraustinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) of Temperate East Asia. X., Can. Ent. (Ottawa), 102: 1489-1507.