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The Euteliinae (Lepidoptera: Euteliidae) of Papua Indonesia
by Rob de Vos
Penicillaria simplex (Walker, 1865)
Identification
Penicillaria dinawa, P. dinawaensis, P. jocosatrix, P. meeki and P. simplex are quite similar in appearance. There are, however, some details which could make identification easier.
Penicillaria dinawa and P. simplex are hard to distinguish from each other by pattern alone. The ground colour of dinawa is warmer brown but more distinctive is the dorsal flap which lacks in simplex. Penicillaria dinawaensis usually has a conspicuous orange dorsal patch and warm brown ground colour but in some specimens this spot is missing. It is, however, easy to distinguish by a straight dark line which runs from the dorsal flap to just below the costa. Penicillaria meeki has a conspicuous straight grey bar in the subbasal line, in P. jocosatrix there is an oblique reddish brown shade running to the middle of the forewing which bends towards costa. Penicillaria jocosatrix, P. meeki and P. simplex all have dark grey-brown groundcolour.
Distribution
STATUS: Widely distributed from the Oriental region to New Guinea. A common species.
PAPUA LOCALITIES: New Guinea: Abmisibil, Eilanden River, Mt. Goliath, Ifar, Landikma, Mabilabol, Ninay Valley (Arfak), Paniai, Pass Valley, Sibil, Utakwa River, Walmak, Yuruf. Details in gazetteer.
EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION: Oriental region to New Guinea.
DATA SOURCES: BMNH, KSP, RMNH.
