| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2023 |
| Authors: | Y. Machijima, Uemura K. |
| Journal: | Bulletin of the Biogeographical Society of Japan |
| Volume: | 78 |
| Start Page: | 40 |
| Pagination: | 40-51 |
| Date Published: | 20/12/2023 |
| Keywords: | ACTIAS, AMATHERAS, ANTHERAEA, CATALOGUE, FOSSILS, JAPAN, PUPA, SATURNIA, SATURNIIDAE |
| Abstract: | "The fossil pupa Amatheras nipponica gen. and sp. nov. is described from the Early Miocene Nakamura Formation (Kiso river; fossil forest) in Kani City, Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. The large pupa shown by exuvia after its emergence is characterized by translucent clypeus, antennae attached branches, and a pair of standard long proboscis. This fossil is estimated as an ancestor of Saturniini (Saturniidae, Lepidoptera) based on the results of morphological and recent phylogenetic methods, from ca. 22 Ma, estimated by a fission track analysis. The occurrence of the fossil Lepidoptera is rare in the world, and this fossil represents the first saturnid pupa fossil from Japan." |