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The Tigermoths (Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini) of Papua Indonesia
by Rob de Vos
Nyctemera (Nyctemera) baulus (Boisduval, 1832)
[Leptosoma baulus Boisduval, 1832] (type: Buru, not located, probably in Paris)
relevant synonyms:
Nyctemera secundiana Lucas, 1892 (type: Queensland)
secundarium sensu auct. (misspelling)
Deilemera (Tripheromera) nigrovena Swinhoe, 1903 (holotype: Sulawesi, in BMNH)
Variation
Nyctemera baulus is rather uniform over a wide area in the Indonesian Archipelago. There are some areas, however, where distinct subspecies and forms can be recognized. The situation in New Guinea is not yet clearified. The phenotype of Papuan specimens is somewhat different to that of Malesian and Moluccan specimens, but it is difficult to give a clear definition. Compared to more western populations in the Indonesian Archipelago the Papuan specimens are darker and with a broader margin on the hindwings. Very peculiar are some forms known from New Guinea. Recent genitalia studies showed that they indeed belong to the species baulus. The forma secundiana is known from some places in Papua Indonesia (Star Mountains, Wandammen Peninsula) and Queensland, Australia. The strange form with the suffused hindwings (see below) is known from Papua only and is recorded from mountainous areas, i.e. Wandammen Mountains and the Baliem Valley. Forma nigrovena, originally described from Sulawesi, seems to occur also on the Birdshead Peninsula, but the specimens in Papua are smaller than the specimens on Sulawesi.
Distribution
STATUS: One of the most common Nyctemera species. Especially abundant in ruderal and agricultural open areas, from sea level to high altitudes in the mountains, up to about 2000 meters and sometimes higher.
PAPUA LOCALITIES: Waigeo; Batanta; Misool; Biak: Korem; Supiori: Korido; Roon; New Guinea: Abmisibil, Ampas, Andai, Arfak, Asike, Batimban, Bokondini, Borban, Borme, Butiptiri, Demaisi, Depapre, Digul, Dotir, Fakfak, Genyem, Humboldt Bay, Ifar, Jayapura, Jiwika, Kaisah, Kamu Valley, Keerom, Kobakma, Kouh, Langda, Lelambo, Lereh, Mabilabol, Manokwari, Maoke Mountains, Miei, Moanemani, Mokwam, Momi, Nabire, Ngupel River, Nipsan, Okbibab, Pass Valley, Pim, Prafi, Sabin, Sabron, Sarmi, Senam, Senopi, Sentani, Sorong, Tandia, Timeepa, Tubeya, Ubrub, Uskwar, Wamena, Warkapi, Wasior, Wejan, Wendesi, Wombi, Wouma. Details in gazetteer.
EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION: A very wide distribution range, from India to Samoa.
DATA SOURCES: BMNH, BPBM, CCGT, CJSD, CKC, CMWM, KSP, MCSN, MCZR, OXUM, RMNH, SMFD, SNSD, WAU, ZMAN, ZMHB, ZSMC. Literature (see below).
Literature refering to Papua records
Eecke, R. van, 1928. De Heterocera van Sumatra, V. Zoölogische Mededeelingen, Leiden 11(2-3): 49-145.
Holloway, J.D., 1988. The Moths of Borneo 6, Arctiidae, Syntominae, Euchromiinae, Arctiinae, Aganainae (to Noctuidae): 101 pp. Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur.
Pagenstecher, A., 1901. Über die Gattung Nyctemera Hübn. und Ihre Verwandten. Jahrbücher des Nassauischen Vereins für Naturkunde 54: 91-175.
Swinhoe, C., 1892. Catalogue of Eastern and Australian Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of The Oxford Museum, part I, Sphinges and Bombyces: 324 pp. At The Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Swinhoe, C., 1903. On the Genus Deilemera Hübner. The Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1903: 53-85.
Vos, R. de & K. Cerny, 1999. A review of the Philippine species of the genus Nyctemera Hübner, [1820] with descriptions of new species and subspecies (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Nyctemerinae). Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo 20(2): 133-188.
Zamesov, A.N. & O.G. Gorbunov, 2014. To the knowledge of Macroheterocera of Southeast Asia and New Guinea. III. Tiger moths (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Arctiinae) of Papua Province, Indonesia. Biodiversity, Biogeography and Nature Conservation in Wallacea and New Guinea 2: 437-448.
