Observation_226408

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Observation_226408
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Proposed ID: Callopistria thalpophiloides thalpophiloides (Walker, 1862)

References

1.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/39615#page/204/mode/1up (original description by Francis Walker of a female specimen in the J. Proc. Linn. Soc. vol. 6 (1862) as Data thalpophiloides; type locality Sarawak)

2. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28518540#page/288/mode/1up (description by Frederic Moore in the Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877 as Thalpophila cuprea, with accompanying illustration. Type locality Andaman Islands)
The illustration is, tbh, very mediocre.

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28518540#page/261/mode/1up (Illustration, Fig.10)

3. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9340131#page/47/mode/1up (description by F. Moore of a female specimen as Thalpophila delineata in Lep. Ceylon vol.3 , 1884, type locality Ceylon, with accompanying illustration Pl. 146 fig. 5; I'm not able to link this illustration from the website but it's there in the volume.)

4. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47025247#page/251/mode/1up (Description by G. Hampson in Faun. Brit. Ind. vol.2 as Ancara thalpophiloides)

5. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33285354#page/551/mode/1up (redescription with in-text illustration by Hampson as Data thalpophiloides in Cat. Lep. Phalaenae. B.M. vol.7, 1908). This description is very elaborate and includes details of extended geographical distribution of the species.

6. Diagnosis of the species in
Biota Taiwanica: Eriopinae by Shen-Horn Yen and Shipher Wu (2009)

This reference contains a consolidated description, including images of the holotypes of Moore's specimens and specimens from Borneo and Taiwan. (Fig 7C-H)
The reference also separates C. thalpophiloides major (of Warren) with type locality Papua New Guinea.

7. https://www.mothsofborneo.com/part-12/amphipyrinae/amphipyrinae_22_5.php
(Description as Callopistria thalpophiloides Walker comb. n. by J. D. Holloway)

This seems to be one of two species of Callopistria with a yellow hindwing with terminal brown border. The other is Callopistria callopistrioides, which Holloway separates in the MoB reference on the basis of the subterminal fascia; callopistrioides doesn't have range in southern India.
As mentioned in Biota Taiwanica, C. thalpophiloides major seems to be the subspecies in the far East (New Guinea etc.). Warren's holotype is shown in the reference for comparison. The holotypes of Moore are very worn out and the patterns hard to visualise, but Wu's specimen from Taiwan is fresher.
The sole difference I see in my observation and the illustration/Taiwan specimen is a slight decrease in the bend of the excurvation of the postmedial line between vein 2 and inner margin. I think this is a characteristic of the southern specimens, and is vaguely visible in Moore's worn delineata holotype.

The genus was probably named by Walker from its resemblance to the European genus Thalpophila in the curvature of the single ante- and postmedial lines and the shape of the medial section they enclose.
SS: Agree with ID. Separating Callopistria thalpophiloides and Callopistria callopistrioides is a bit tricky. I have this species from Dehradun, which should be Callopistria callopistrioides, but the differences mentioned by MOB/Biota Taiwanica are not so clear. Callopistria callopistrioides has a N. India distribution, while Callopistria thalpophiloides is found in the Indian Subregion. So the southern species should clearly be Callopistria thalpophiloides, while N. Indian ones could be either.
MOB, Vol. 12, Pg. 160, Pl. 5/6 as Callopistria thalpophiloides
MOB, Vol. 12, Pg. 161, Pl. 5/7 for Callopistria callopistrioides.
In MOB, differences between two species is mentioned as below.
Both this (thalpophiloides) and the next species (callopistrioides) have rich dark brown forewings; the hindwings are bordered a similar colour but have the basal half dull yellow. The next species has the pale forewing markings more prominent and more clearly defined; the submarginal white flecks are much more extensive in callopistrioides; in thalpophiloides they are restricted to the anterior sixth of the wing.
Observation Reference