Palpita nigricollis Snellen
- Family: Crambidae
- Subfamily: Spilomelinae
- Genus: Caprinia
- Distribution: W. Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Indonesia (Sulawesi, Irian Jaya), PNG. Philippines.
- Habitat: Lowland to lower montane forest <1400m.
- Wing Length: 12mm
Taxonomy
The female holotype of Pitama nigricollis Snellen, 1895: 133, Pl. 5, fig. 9, from W. Java is in Leiden.
- syn. n. Glyphodes nigricincta Kenrick 1912: 552, pl. 118 fig 16. TL Irian Jaya, Arfak Mountains.
Inoue (1996, 1997, 1999) in his comprehensive revision of the genus determined this is not a Palpita where it was then treated by RTS: 188 pl. 31, fig. 6 but there was no readily available genus for it. Originally we treated it in Caprinia Walker, 1859: 543, a genus resurrected by Rose (1982: 60), but that is almost certainly a New World genus but we temporarily leave it in Palpita where it is not well fitted. It might be Leucinodella Strand, 1918: 62.
Description
A pretty and distinctive sp.. The FW tips are a striking glossy purple-brown, elsewhere there are small fawn markings on a silky white ground with several small golden flecks. Parts also have a metallic green or blue sheen. The abdomen has several groups of brassy scales on its underside (RTS: 188 pl. 31, fig. 6).
References
- Snellen, P. C. T. (1895) Aanteekeningen over Pyraliden. Tijdschr. v. Ent., 38: 103-161, pl. 5, 6.
- Kenrick, G.H. (1912) A list of moths of the family Pyralidae collected by Felix B. Pratt and Charles B. Pratt in Dutch New Guinea in 1909-10, with descriptions of new species. P.Z.S. London, 27: 547-555, pl. 118.
- [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.
- [RTS] 1994: 188 pl. 31, fig. 6.
- Inoue, H. (1996) Revision of the genus Palpita Hübner (Crambidae, Pyraustinae) from the eastern Palaearctic, Oriental and Australian regions. Part 1: group A (annulifer group). Tinea (Tokyo) 15 (1): 12-46, 148 figs.
- Inoue, H. (1997) Revision of the genus Palpita Hübner (Crambidae, Pyraustinae) from the eastern Palaearctic, Oriental and Australian regions. Part 2, group B. Tinea (Tokyo) 15 (2): 131-181.
- Inoue, H. (1999) Revision of the genus Palpita Hübner (Crambidae, Pyraustinae) from the eastern Palaearctic, Oriental and Australian regions. Part 3: additions and corrections. Tinea (Tokyo) 16 (1): 52-60.
- Walker, F. (1859d [May 10]) Pyralides, In; List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. Ser. 4, 18: 509-798.