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The Tigermoths (Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini) of Papua Indonesia
by Rob de Vos
Oeonosia aurifera (Rothschild, 1912)
[Oeonistis aurifera Rothschild, 1912] [holotype: Utakwa River, in BMNH]
endemic species!
Similar species
Recently a second species of the genus was discovered, Oeonosia pectinata De Vos, 2007. Externally it is very similar but there are some important differences. Oeonosia aurifera has short pectination in the male antenna, while O. pectinata has distinctly longer pectination. The large dark patch on the forewing is of a different shape, especially in the males. The genitalia are, of course, different. More details can be found in the original description of O. pectinata (De Vos, 2007).
Distribution
STATUS: The species is endemic for Papua Indonesia and is rather rare. A second species of Oeonosia is very similar and is found in lowland areas whereas aurifera is found in mountainous areas only.
PAPUA LOCALITIES: New Guinea: Mt. Kunupi (Weyland Mts.), Mabilabol, Sarmi district (Foja Mts.), Utakwa River, Walmak (Nipsan). Details in gazetteer.
EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION: None.
DATA SOURCES: BMNH, KSP, RMNH, ZMAN. Literature (see below).
Literature
Draudt, M., 1914. In: Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 10: Spinner und Schwarmer des Indo-Australischen Gebiets, Arctiidae: 134-223. A. Kernen, Stuttgart.
Rothschild, L.W., 1912. New Lithosianae. Novitates Zoologicae 19(2): 212-246.
Strand, E., 1922. Lepidopterorum Catalogus 26: Arctiidae: Subfam. Lithosiinae: 501-899. W. Junk, Berlin.
Vos, R. de, 2007. A new species of Oeonosia from Indonesian New Guinea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Lithosiinae). Entomofauna 28(27): 269-376.
Watson, A., D.S. Fletcher & I.W.B., Nye, 1980. The Generic Names of Moths of the World, Volume 2. Noctuoidea (part): Arctiidae, Cocytiidae, Ctenuchidae, Dilobidae, Dioptidae, Lymantriidae, Notodontidae, Strepsimanidae, Thaumetopoeidae, Thyretidae: 228 pp. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London.
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