Utetheisa elata (Fabricius, 1798)

Fabricius, J. C. (1798). Supplementum Entomologiae Systematicae. Hafniae: p.
440. Described in the genus Bombyx. Translated from the Latin original.

222-3. elata. B. with convolute black wings variegated with scarlet and white:
the hind wings white with the apex black.

Habitat in East India. Mr. Daldorff.

Stature altogether that of B. bella. Antennae black. Head and thorax variegated
black and white, the margin of the thorax scarlet. Abdomen snow-white, beneath
on each side with a row of black dots, and with the anus bearded brown. Wings of
the same colours on both sides, the fore wings black, spotted with scarlet, at
the base scarlet with black dots ringed with white, in the middle two snow-white
spots, one square, the other lunate. Hind wings snow-white, the apex black.

Hampson, G. F. (1901). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British
Museum, vol. 3: pp. 480-481, text-fig. 215.

2084. Utetheisa elata.
Noctua elata, Fabr. Ent. Syst. p. 440 (1798).
Uthetheisa venusta, Hübn. Zutr. Ex. Schmett. iii. p. 29, ff. 521, 522 (1827),
nec Dalm.; Hmpsn. Moths Ind. ii. p. 55.
Euchelia formosa, Boisd. Faune Madag. p. 85 (1833); Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 346.
Deiopeia diva, Mab. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. (5) ix. p. 305 (1879); Kirby, Cat. Het.
p. 347.

Head and thorax white, rarely tinged with yellow; palpi, except 1st joint and
extremity of 2nd, antennae, spots on frons, vertex of head, tegulae, patagia,
pro- meso- and metathorax black; crimson spots on sides of tegulae and
shoulders; pectus spotted with black, legs striped with black; abdomen white in
female, blackish above in male, with sublateral series of black spots. Fore wing
black; subbasal black spots below costa and cell, followed by quadrate crimson
patches on costa and inner margin; an antemedial black line from costa to median
nervure, and spots below the cell and above and below vein 1, the two former
displaced outwards and followed by an oblique series of three crimson spots
below costa and cell and above vein 1, all these markings being defined by
white; a quadrate white patch in end of cell extending to lower angle, with two
crimson spots above it on costa, sometimes a slight crimson streak on it, and
below it two conjoined crimson spots on median nervure and at lower angle of
cell, with a white patch below them, above a crimson spot above vein 1; a
subterminal series of four irregular crimson spots defined by white, the one
below costa further from base, and the one below middle formed by two conjoined
spots. Hind wing semihyaline white, with terminal black band broad at apex,
narrowing to tornus, with irregular inner edge indented at middle.

Ab. 1. diva. Tegulae and shoulders without crimson spots; fore wing with the
crimson spots on inner and terminal areas much reduced; hind wing with some
black suffusion in base of cell and on inner area; the terminal band very broad
and extending to discocellulars.

Hab. Madagascar (Pfeiffer), 2 ♀; Mauritius, 2 ♂, 6 ♀; Johanna I. (Bewsher), 1 ♀.
Exp., ♂ 44, ♀ 54 millim. Type† ♀ diva in Coll. Mabille; type in Mus. Copenhagen.

The localities Sikhim and Sumatra for this species are erroneous.

Gaede, M. (1926). Utetheisa. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 14, The African Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 93, pl. 12 a (German
edition: Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 14: 93).

U. elata F. (= venusta Hbn., formosa Bsd.) (12 a). Head and thorax white with
black spots. Forewing black with hemochrome, white-edged spots and a white band
from the centre of the costal margin towards the anal angle. Hindwing white with
a black margin which is narrower at the anal angle. -- diva Mab. with few red
spots on the forewing. The marginal band of the hindwing is very broad. 38 to 45
mm. Madagascar.