86 P. E. S. WHALLEY 



4 (3) Small species, wing under 9 mm. Fore and hind wing with paler areas, very 



little pinkish red suffusion ....... abacha (p. 91) 



- Larger species, 9-12 mm wing, strongly patterned and with pinkish red suffusion 5 



5 (4) Incomplete median fascia in hind wing and dark mark at hind end of termen of 



fore wing. Genitalia as in PI. 34, fig. 185; PI. 56, fig. 332 . . disjuncta (p. 93) 



- Median fascia of hind wing almost complete. No black at hind end of termen of 



fore wing. Genitalia as in PI. 34, fig. 184; PI. 56, fig. 330 . . roseola (p. 92) 



Rhodoneura (Rhodoneura) sordidula (Plotz) 



(PI. 2, C; PI. 33, fig. 179; PL 55, figs 323, 324) 



Siculodes sordidula Plotz, 1880 : 304. 



[Rhodoneura acaciusalis sensu auct., nee Walker.] 



Rhodoneura acaciusalis Walker form sordidula Plotz; Gaede, 1929 : 493. 



cJ. Wing, 14-18 mm. Vertex and frons brown. Antennae strongly ciliate on one side 

 ("monociliate"). Labial palps with third segment 1/3 length of second, upturned, not reaching 

 vertex. Thorax dark brown, black on mesothorax. Hind tibia with outer spur of distal pair 

 3 X length of inner spur. First four hind tarsi with one apical spine, strongly sclerotized, last 

 hind tarsal segment usually with one pair of spines. Fore wing, pattern as in PI. 2, C, white 

 and black with strong pink suffusion in terminal area. Median area with dark transverse fascia, 

 patch of red scales over apex of cell and along costal side of cell. Underside with strong red 

 colour along veins, pattern reduced, 6—7 black spots surrounded by silver scales in cell, silver 

 and black scales also along costal margin of cell and along R t and part of R 2 . Radial veins 

 from cell. iA vestigial, short spur 1/3 from base of iA . Hind wing, colour as fore wing, 

 median brown fascia and strong red suffusion along veins. Anterior margin of underside of 

 hind wing with dark stripes. 



Genitalia q* (PI- 33, fig- 179)- Uncus simple. Gnathus present, median process with minute 

 spines. Juxta, two rounded lateral lobes backed by narrow plate. Valve simple, basal process 

 sclerotized, with large patch of long scales. Aedeagus with vesica minutely spined. 



$. Wing, I3-I7*5 mm. Colour and pattern as male. Labial palps longer than male, reaching 

 above vertex. Last tarsal segment frequently with several spines, other hind tarsal segments 

 with single spine as male. 



Genitalia $ (PI. 55, figs 323, 324). Anal papillae short. Neck of duct sclerotized near 

 ostium, rest of duct broad, covered with small spines. Bursa covered with small teeth-like 

 spines. 



Discussion. The main variation in this species is in size and intensity of coloura- 

 tion. In some specimens the red colouration is more extensive on the underside and 

 not restricted to the veins. This species has previously been synonymized with the 

 Indian species, R. acaciusalis Walker. Externally these two species are very 

 similarly coloured. Usually sordidula is the darker of the two species but otherwise 

 the details of the patterns are very similar. In the males there are small differences 

 in the shape of valve and juxta. The females are not easily separable, sordidula 

 tends to be darker than acaciusalis but the genitalia are similar. The most striking 

 difference between these two species is in the tarsal spines. In acaciusalis there is 

 a pair of these at the distal end of each tarsal segment, in sordidula only one spine is 

 present on most tarsal segments ; in this it is similar to the Indian species R. erubescens 

 Warren, see also page 24. The length of the smaller distal spur varies between speci- 

 mens of sordidula and in some specimens is over half the length of the longer spur. 



