60 P. E. S. WHALLEY 



Banisia myrsusalis elaralis (Walker) stat. n. 



(PI. 2, H; PL 29, fig. 153; PI. 51, figs 297, 298) 



Pyralis elaralis Walker, 1859 : 901. 



Pyralis idalialis Walker, 1859 : 903. 



Durdara lobata Moore, 1879 : 177. 



Durdara pyraliata Moore, 1879 : 177. 



Durdara zonula Swinhoe, 1885 : 469. 



Siculodes elaralis Walker; Pagenstecher, 1892 : 120. 



Rhodoneura myrsusalis Walker; Hampson, 1897 : 618. 



Rhodoneura myrsusalis Walker; Dalle Torre, 1914 : 27. 



Rhodoneura myrsusalis Walker; var. idalialis Walker; Gaede, 1917 : 368. 



Rhodoneura myrsusalis Walker, form idalialis Walker; Gaede, 1929 : 491. 



Banisia elaralis (Walker) Whalley, 1967 : 47. 



6*. Wing, 11-12-5 mm. Vertex grey-brown, irrorate with white. Antennae minutely 

 ciliate. Labial palps with third segment 1/3 length of second segment. Thorax grey-brown, 

 irrorate with black. Hind tibia slightly flattened, with scale tufts. Outer spur of distal pair 

 1/2 length of inner spur, proximal spurs longer than inner distal spur. Fore wing, pattern as 

 in PI. 2, H, brown with prominent orange-red area at apex of cell. Groups of small round 

 translucent areas, varying in number from 5-9. Transverse lines on wing blackish. Radial 

 veins from cell. Veins lA and iA joining 1/3 from base of w r ing to form single vein to wing 

 margin. Hind wing, colour and pattern as fore wing but without translucent areas and orange- 

 brown patch. Underside, pale mauve with brown and black markings, circular brown area at 

 apex of cell under fore wing. Hind wing more suffused with reddish brown on underside than 

 fore wing. Sc+R x and Rs approach closely for part of length. 



Genitalia $ (PI. 29, fig. 153). Uncus bifid, socii with large scale tufts. Arms of gnathus 

 (brachia) with tufts of spines subapically. Basal process of valve toothed. Juxta with toothed 

 lateral arms, outcurved but not angled. Aedeagus with toothed edge to small sclerotized 

 cornutus. 



$. Wing, 11*5—12 mm. Similar pattern to male but usually more reddish brown suffusion 

 on wing. Labial palps protrude well in front of head, third segment approximately equal in 

 length to second. 



Genitalia $ (PI. 51, figs 297, 298). Ostium and VIHth segment heavily spined. Duct of 

 bursa lightly spined, narrow, broader in central part of length of duct. Bursa with prominent 

 sclerotized signum consisting of rows of sclerotized plates with small teeth. Small rounded 

 secondary sac attached to bursa on opposite side to signum. 



Discussion. There is some variation in colour and pattern of this subspecies. 

 West African specimens tend to be greyer than East African and Madagascan ones, 

 but this trend is not always constant. In Africa, B. m. elaralis has been recorded 

 from most parts south of Sahara. In female specimens from S. Africa the signum 

 is slightly smaller than specimens from Madagascar or West Africa. Some of the 

 South African specimens lack the translucent areas in the fore wing and are probably 

 beginning to differentiate from other populations of elaralis in the rest of Africa. 



Distribution. Map 28. Sierra Leone; Ivory Coast; Ghana; Nigeria; Demo- 

 cratic Republic of the Congo; Uganda; Tanzania; Kenya; Mozambique; Malawi; 

 Rhodesia; South Africa; Madagascar; North and South India; Ceylon; Thailand; 

 Indonesia; Java. 



Material examined. 



Holotype^ {myrsusalis), West Indies: St Domingo, BM slide no. 8428, in BMNH. 



