Tropical swallowtail moth

Lyssa zampa belongs to the Uraniidae. Butler described it in 1869 as Nyctalemon zampa; Holloway’s account records several subsequent names under this species, including crameri, najabula, docile and dilutus. The superficially similar Lyssa menoetius remains a separate species. [1]

The dark wings carry pale transverse bands. Immediately beyond these bands, the upperside has a paler grey-brown zone, especially clear in females. Fine dark streaks occur near the forewing’s inner margin and are scattered beyond the pale bands below, somewhat more strongly on the hindwing. This underside pattern helps distinguish zampa from menoetius, whose corresponding forewing area lacks these streaks. [1]

The recorded range includes the northeastern Himalaya, southern China, Thailand, the Andamans, the Philippines and Sulawesi. Holloway also documents Bornean montane forest records. Singapore observations place larvae in lowland forest at Bukit Kalang and a mating pair in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. [1][2][3]

In June 2005, mature larvae at Bukit Kalang descended from their host tree on silk threads and entered the leaf litter. A collected larva pupated in captivity and produced an adult later that month. [2]

Larvae observed at Bukit Kalang fed on Endospermum diadenum. Bornean records include rearing on Endospermum peltatum. Both trees belong to the Euphorbiaceae. [2][1]

An evening observation at Bukit Timah recorded a mating pair on a palm frond. Their heads pointed in opposite directions, with the abdominal tips joined; the female had the larger abdomen. The moths held their wings folded during mating, in contrast to the open-wing resting posture described in the same account. [3]