Sphingidae Taxonomic Inventory

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On a possible synonymy in the genus Eupterote s.l.: E. olivescens Rothschild, 1920 and E. kalliesi Nässig, 2000 from Sumatra, are they the same or two different species with diurnal males? (Lepidoptera, Eupterotidae, Eupterotinae)

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2023
Authors:W. A. Nässig, Naumann S.
Journal:Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo (N.F.)
Volume:44
Issue:1
Start Page:27
Pagination:27-32
Date Published:04/2023
Keywords:DIURNALISM, EUPTEROTE, EUPTEROTIDAE, INDONESIA, MALE GENITALIA, SUMATRA, WING PATTERN
Abstract:

"The two taxa Eupterote olivescens Rothschild, 1920 from Gunong Kerinci and E. kalliesi Nässig, 2000 from Gunong Singgalang, both described from volcano tops in the Bukit Barisan Range in Sumatra, Indonesia, are rather similar to each other, with differences only in some details of antennae, external morphology and male genitalia. Both taxa are based on a single holotype specimen each; that of olivescens was never illustrated before, only very superficially described and somehow “hidden” in the collection of the Natural History Museum in London for 102 years, only rediscovered in 2022. Both taxa have diurnal males; females and life history are unknown. In spite of the similarity we believe that they should perhaps best be treated as two different species for the time being, as they are specialists of mountain tops above ca. 2000 m, and they are, therefore, probably genetically isolated from each other at present; further research is required to define their status more in detail. Sequence data of mt-DNA (the “barcode” fragment) is known only from one of the two (kalliesi)."

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