Rhotana transversolinea Melichar, 1914

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 70-71

Rhotana transversolinea Melichar, 1914

Rhotana transversolinea Melichar, 1914a: 101 (Pl 3, Fig. 5)

Rhotana bicolor Muir, 1926b: 403 , Fig. 17 new synonymy

( Figs. 29, 30, 37–39, 199)

Redescription. Forewings 1.8 times longer than wide, length: male 4.8–5.9 mm (mean = 5.4, n= 7), female 4.5–5.6 mm (mean = 5.1, n= 3). Colour stramineous; pronotum, mesonotum, and abdominal tergites of female faintly greyish brown; in males distal margins of abdominal tergites orange-red and genitalia faintly orange to orange-red. Basal half to basal three-quarters of forewings greyish brown to brown, interrupted by clear and yellowish areas, but (in contrast to Rhotana formosana ) not around clavus tip; a yellowish band along apical crossveins between Sc and Ms1a, which has darker borders; these borders darkest near Sc; veins stramineous to orange. Hindwings light greyish brown, colourless at tip and around clavus; three small dark marks around base of 2nd median sector. Facial carinae contiguous up to level of antennae; rostrum reaching hindcoxae; subantennal processes and lateral carinae of pronotum poorly developed. Forewings with apex of Sc slightly sinuate; Sc+R fork just distad of basal third of wing; Ms1 branches at end of its basal third; Ms1b connected to middle of Cu1 by a crossvein; a triangle at base of Ms1. Male genitalia with pygofer slightly produced at the sides. Genital styles oval; proximal dorsal process short, slender; distal dorsal process long. Apical part of aedeagus elongated with a longitudinal dorsal impression and a terminal, membranous lobe.

Etymology. We consider the species name to be a Latin noun (derived from linea = a line) used in apposition. The name evidently refers to the dark stripe across the forewings and the adjective ' lineus ' (= made of linen) would not be applicable.

Type material. Holotype of R. transversolinea ♀ (forewing 5.6 mm, body 3.3 mm), INDONESIA: JAVA; labels: 1) B. JACOBSON/ Goenoeng/ Oengaran Java/ Dec. 1909 s) Collectio/ Dr. L. Melichar/ Moravské museum Brno 3) Typus 4) Rhotana / transverso-/ linea n.sp. 5) Transcriptio/ Rhotana / transversolinea/ Holotypus sp. n./ L.

Melichar det. 6) Holo-/ typus ( MMBC). Holotype of R. bicolor ♂ (forewing 5.5 mm, body 3.1 mm), INDONESIA: MENTAWAI ISL. (off Sumatra); labels: 1) Holotype 2) H.H. Karny, Mentawei, Sipora, 250,/ 2 XI 1924 3) Ex F.M.S. Museum, B.M. 1955-354 4) Rhotana bicolor Muir , ♂, holotype ( BMNH) .

Other material examined. MALAYSIA ( WEST): Ulu Sali, 7.IX.1937, 1 ♀, off coffee; Pahang, nr. Karak, Chintamani , 20.VIII.1935, 1 ♂, jungle, light ; MALAYSIA (NORTH BORNEO): SABAH, Poring, 1800', E of Mt. Kinabalu, 20–23.I.1976, 1 ♂, primary forest, E.W. Classey (all BMNH); Sandakan 2 ♂ 1 ♀, Baker ( USNM); SAR- AWAK : Kuching, Santubong, 797–1500 m, 18–30. VI .1958, 1 ♂, T . C. Maa; Kapit District, Merirai Valley , 28– 31. VII .1958, 1 ♂, T . C. Maa (all BPBM) .

Distribution. Java, Mentawai Isl. (off Sumatra), Borneo, West Malaysia.

Diagnosis. Rhotana transversolinea resembles closely R. formosana Matsumura from Taiwan. It can be recognized by the infuscation accompanying the apical cross-veins on the forewings reaching Ms1a and by the areas around the claval tip lacking clear areas.