Taxonomy

Sabah, PHS. The holotype of Banisia tetragonata Walker, [1863] 1864:78 from Sabah is in the OUMNH. Transferred to Mellea (RTS:135). Ms syn. Siculodes quadripunctula Pagenstecher, 1892:110 from Sumatra is in the OUMNH (MS syn. n. LepIndex); Ms syn. Pharambara vinosa Butler, 1892:130 is from Sabah (Sandakan) (MS syn. n. LepIndex); Ms syn. Rhodoneura jubralis Swinhoe, 1895b:299 TL India (Cherapunji) (MS syn. n. LepIndex); Banisia pernitescens Warren, 1897:379 from Sulawesi is possibly also synonymous.

Description

26-36mm. The wing pattern is a complex series of dark brown bandings and lines on a paler background with typical thyridid reticulation. Dark rectangles flanked by paler areas are usually present but neither the dark nor the pale areas are usually present in females.There are usually two or three small white spots near the middle of the FW and two more close together centrally on the HW.

Distribution & Habitat

India (Assam), Thailand, Sumatra, W. Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Sabah, Labuan, Sarawak, Java, Bali, Philippines, New Guinea. Lowland to lower montane secondary forest and disturbed areas; <1500m.

Life History & Pest Status

A species close to M. tetragonata has been found in the pith of Macaranga spp., mainly in the lower part of the stem. It was absent when the ant Crematogaster borneensis André was present (Fiala et al., 1989, 1991, 1994).

Similar spp.

See the similar M. taeniata Warren above.