Amerila thermochroa (Hampson)

19 thermochroa.JPG (7252 Byte)

thermochroa m 94-0009.GIF (7606 Byte)
Description
Male. Fw length 23-24 mm; fw pale to dark ochre, with a clearly delimited, narrow transparent area postdiscally between the radius and vein m2; fw veins finely lined with brown scales, a broader streak along the discal vein; hw pale creamy brown, weakly scaled, the central area partly transparent, darker brown at the apex and towards the outer margin. Head, thorax and dorsal base of abdomen pale greyish brown; tegulae with a black spot basally from which a faint dotted line extends posteriorly; outer sides of fore and mid femora and tibiae dark brown, those of the hind legs pale greyish brown, inner sides of all legs red. Abdomen dorsally bright pale yellow, ventrally greyish yellow, without obvious androconial organs.
Female. As male.
Male genitalia
thermochroa a.GIF (2917 Byte) thermochroa b.GIF (5971 Byte) thermochroa c.GIF (2958 Byte) thermochroa d.GIF (5091 Byte)
view on leftside of vinculum and valva, lateral view inner side of right valva tegumen/uncus, dorsal view aedeagus with vesica everted
Uncus short, broad triangular, distally with a short pointed tip. Valvae large, oval-shaped, and distally rounded; outer surface with long extrusible, hirsute, tube-like coremata; inner sclerotized process short and broad, smooth, slightly curved and apically pointed. Vesica distally with six long, slender, straight, finger-like cornuti.
Distribution
East Africa; Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Comments
This species is distinctive both in external appearance and male genitalia, and cannot easily be confused with any other African Amerila species.
Material
Rhodogastria thermochroa Hampson, 1916: 239. Holotype male (examined): Brit.E.Africa, S.Kakumega Forest, Yala River, 4,800-5,300 ft., 23.v.1911, S.A.Neave / Rhodogastria thermochroa type male. Hmpsn. / Type, H.T. [BMNH]. Type locality: KENYA: Western: Kakamega: S.Kakamega Forest, Yala River.
Additional material examined. UGANDA: Uganda (1 male, BMNH). KENYA: Western: Kakamega, vi.1931 (1 female, BMNH), v.1967 (1 male, NMKE), Kakamega Forest 2.-5.vii.1980 (11 male, 1 female, MB), 1.ix.1983 (2 males, MB), 16.vi.1991 (2 males, 3 females, MB); Malaba Forest, vi.1937 (1 male, NMKE). TANZANIA/RWANDA: Njawarongo River, viii.19 (1 male, BMNH).