Nymphicula blandialis Walker, [1859]; PED 3

• 1

  Taxonomy

  
  

  The holotype of Cataclysta blandialis Walker, 1859c: 488. is from Sri Lanka.
  
  Syn. Nymphicula stipulalis Snellen (1880) [orig. descript.] Snellen [1880] 1880-1892: 78, pl. 5 fig. 11, TS of Nymphicula. The lectotype from Sulawesi (Maros) selected by Munroe et al. 1958: 85, is in Leiden. Syn. n. (Klima, 1937).
  
  Syn. Cataclysta cuneifera Moore, [1885] 1884-7: 300, pl. 179, fig. 14, TL: [Sri Lanka] Ceylon. Comb. n. to Nymphicula (Speidel & Mey, 1999).
  
  Cataclysta junctalis Hampson 1891: 140, pl.155, fig. 24. was treated as syn. until Yoshiasu (1980) showed that Hampson’s Japanese blandialis specimens were distinct. Stat. Rev. as a good sp. (Yoshiasu 1980:13-18).
  
  Nymphicula mesorphna (Meyrick, 1894b: 10) is not considered syn. by Agassiz (note on LepIndex Card).

• 2

  Description

  
  

  Wing length: 7mm. This species has typical Nymphicula (sensu Yoshiasu, 1980) patterning in dark brown, fulvous and white with leaden patches. Densely speckled brown occupies the centre of both wings, that of the HW separated by a serrate subterminal line from four, spectacular electric blue-centred eyespots, on the wing margin. It shares its general patterning with Nymphicula kinabaluensis Mey and Nymphicula sp. 2 but is larger. Note the white post median patch from the FW costa is different in all three spp.. and N. kinabaluensis has five eyespots. N. saigusai Yoshiasu, 1980: 6-13, TL Japan (Honshu, Fukuoko ] is very similar with four eyespots but differs in its wing venation and the shape of the FW tornal marking.

• 3

  Distribution & Habitat

  
  

  Sri Lanka, India (W. Bengal), Sabah, Philippines, Japan. No verified habitat info.

• 4

  Life History & Pest Status

  
  

  It is possible that the larva is a terrestrial case-bearer like N. saigusai Yoshiasu which feeds on mosses.
  
  Conway (1971) reports it as a suspected pest of cocoa which appears unlikely. A few similar unnamed spp. are reported from Borneo.

• 5

  Similar spp.

  
  

  Nymphicula drusiusalis

  Nymphicula kinabaluensis

  Nymphicula saigusai

  Nymphicula sp. 2, 4 & 7

• 6

  Unrelated Look-alikes

  
  

  No content available.

• 7

  References

  
  

  Hampson,G.F. (1891) The Lepidoptera Heterocera of the Nilgiri district. Ill. typ. spec. Lepid. Heteroc. coll. B.M., 8. iv + 144 pp., pl. 139-156, Taylor & Francis, London.
  
  Moore, F. ([1885] 1884-7) Lepid. Ceylon 3: 578pp., pl. 144-215. London.
  
  Snellen, P.C.T., (1880) Nieuwe Pyraliden op het eiland Celebes gevonden door Mr. M. C. Piepers. Tijdschr. v. Ent., 23: 198-250.
  
  Snellen, P.C.T. (1880-1892) Lepidoptera. In Veth, P. J., (1880-1892). Midden-Sumatra. 4 (8). 92 pp., 5 pl. Leiden.
  
  Walker, F. (1859c). Pyralides. In; List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. 17: pp. i-iiv, 255-508.
  
  Yoshiyasu, Y., (1980) A systematic study of the genus Nymphicula Snellen from Japan (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Tyo to Ga. Butterflies and Moths 31: 1-28.

• 8

  Genitalia

  
  

  No content available.

• 9

  DNA Barcode

  
  

  No content available.

• 10

  3D Imaging

  
  

  No content available.

• 11

  Spare

  
  

  No content available.

KEY TO TABS
(1) Taxonomy, (2) Description, (3) Distribution & Habitat, (4) Life History & Pest Status, (5) Similar spp., (6) Unrelated Look-alikes, (7) References, (8) Genitalia, (9) DNA Barcode, (10) 3D Imaging, (11) Spare