Eudocima discrepans (Walker, [1858])

Borth, Robert J. & Kons, Hugo L., 2022, Mitochondrial genetics of Ophiderini, with a new species from the Eudocima phalonia species group (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Calpinae), Zootaxa 5148 (1), pp. 1-151 : 18

Eudocima discrepans (Walker, [1858]) complex

( Figs 10 : G–I, 19: I–J, 25: G, 31: G–H, 95: N)

This is a relatively large species (46–51 mm) with a conspicuous tornal hook and plain brownish-grey forewings, except for a few small green patches distal to the pm line. It is sexually dimorphic with two white triangular marks basal to the PM line in females. It may be confused with the smaller E. muscigera (36–38 mm) but has more elongate forewings with a more slanted outer margin. It ranges from the northeast Himalayas, W. China, Thailand, and Vietnam south to Sundaland ( Holloway 2005).

One unlabelled specimen ( Fig. 10 : I) differs in mtDNA, wing shape, and wing pattern. It comes out sister to the nominotypical discrepans clade with 19 COI 5’ differences between the clades ( Fig. 84 ). The forewing apex is more rounded than typical discrepans , and the tornus is rounded without a hook. It has a much narrower hindwing medial patch than typical discrepans . On the ventral forewing surfaces, the basal band and postmedial band are nearly concolorous pale yellow, whereas in typical discrepans the basal band is orange and postmedial band is creamish-white. On the ventral hindwing anterior of vein R5 the color is pale yellow, whereas in typical discrepans the color is creamish-white.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Eudocima salaminia and Eudocima discrepans group adults (dorsal aspect).

FIGURE 84. Strict consensus tree from a parsimony analysis of Calpinae COI 5’ mtDNA sequences (part): Eudocima clade (part).