Hayesiana triopus (Westwood, 1848) (Lep.: Sphingidae, Macroglossinae) recorded from Hong Kong
Hayesiana triopus (Westwood, 1848) (Lep.: Sphingidae, Macroglossinae) recorded from Hong Kong
This rather attractive species of hawkmoth has recently been added to the list of Sphingidae recorded from Hong Kong, bringing the total number of sphingids found in Hong Kong to 70 species. There are two records so far; the first being from Tai Mo Shan on 2 June 1997, a forewing found by Dr. A. Ballantyne and passed to A.C.Galsworthy for identification (A.C.Galsworthy, pers. comm.), with the comments "sent me a forewing of this species picked up on Taimoshan. . . .,and presumably left by some passing bat. It is unmistakable. I still have it.". The second record is of an adult moth taken half an hour before dusk on 8 September 1998, at Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre, Shek Kong, whilst feeding at Duranta repens. The flight pattern was surprisingly slow and seemingly clumsy for an hawkmoth, being more reminiscent of a large, ponderous beetle. Identification was made from Inoue et al (1997), a straightforward process due to the distinctive white semi-hyaline cell on the forewing, the unusually stubby appearance of the body and the crimson on the abdomen (see below). It would seem this species is genuinely uncommon throughout its distribution, but it is known to have been bred in Guangdong Province, China, by Mell (1922) (I.J. Kitching, pers. comm.). Inoue et al (loc. cit.) give the distribution as from north-east India, Nepal, Thailand and south China and the larval hostplant as Adina (Rubiaceae). Zhu & Wang (1997) give the distribution of the species (mentioned under the genus Rhodosoma) as from Guangxi Province, China. They make no reference to the information of Mell, nor, despite referencing Mell, of the global distribution; a poor illustration is provided. The Kadoorie specimen is illustrated in Figure one, below.
In the systematic list of moths for Hong Kong, Hayesiana is placed between Sphingonaepiopsis and Macroglossum.
Dorsal surface of Hayesiana triopus.
Roger Kendrick
References
Inoue, H., Kennett, R.D. & Kitching, I.J.,1997. The Moths of Thailand - vol.2: Sphingidae. Chok Chai Press, Bangkok.
Mell, R., 1922. Beiträge zur Fauna Sinica (II). Biologie und Systematik der Süd-chinesischen Sphingiden. Zugleich ein Versuch einer Biologie tropischer Lepidopteren überhaupt Berlin.
Zhu, H-F. & Wang, L-Y., 1997. Fauna Sinica Insecta Vol. II: Lepidoptera; Sphingidae. Science Press, Beijing. 410 pp., 325 figs., 8 plates.
P.5-6
Further records of the Oleander Hawkmoth in Hong Kong
Since the article on the Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) Lep.; Sphingidae) in the last Porcupine! (Aston & Kendrick, 1998), I have received information from David Mohn (pers. comm.) in North Point, Hong Kong Island, that he found three larvae of this species (in the penultimate instar) on either 31 December 1997 or 1 January 1998, which changed to the final instar a week later and pupated in the middle of January. A fourth larva was found at the same time with two months remaining; this pupated in the last week of January. All four pupae took about 14 days to hatch. Identification of the adults was made using the illustrations in Aston & Kendrick (loc. cit.). The foodplant was given as Vinca sp. (Periwinkle). So far as is known, this is the first time that D. nerii has been recorded as breeding in Hong Kong.
I have also received several other records of D. nerii occurring in Hong Kong at the end of 1997. This species is a well known migrant and it is quite possible that a migration of the Oleander Hawkmoth took place late in 1997. So little is known about the movements of this species that it is very difficult to know whether it should be regarded as a resident species in Hong Kong or as a migrant to or through Hong Kong. Such a spate of records at the end of 1997 with none before, despite regular recording during the previous decade (e.g. Li, 1992; Tennent; 1992; Waring, Thomas & Li, 1994; the observations of M. Bascombe and of A.C. Galsworthy), would indicate the latter.
Roger Kendrick
References
Aston, P. & Kendrick, R.C, 1998. The Oleander Hawk Moth Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus) (Lep.; Sphingidae) in Hong Kong. Porcupine! 17: 13, 15.
Li, K.H.K., 1992. Notes on a collection of Macroglossum and other species (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) in Hong Kong. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 19: 1-3.
Tennent, W.J., 1992. The hawk moths (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) of Hong Kong and South-east China. Entomologist's Record & Journal of Variation 104:88-112.
Waring, P., Thomas, R.C. & Li, K.H.K., 1994. Hawk-moths in Hong Kong, April 1993, with ecological notes. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 7: 181-191.
P.6
New moth species for Hong Kong, Part 2: 1997-1998 records
This paper continues the process of recording moth species knowingly seen for the first time in Hong Kong during research undertaken in 1997 and 1998 for my Ph.D.. Unless stated, records are of species seen at mercury vapour light trap and the locality is Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre, Shek Kong, N.T.
Several of the Geometridae species listed in part one (Kendrick, 1998) have turned out to be undescribed species. These are now in the process of being described by Tony Galsworthy (Galsworthy, in press, in prep) and are to be published during 1999; they are marked on this list again along with the original entry from part one.
I again express my gratitude to Tony Galsworthy, who determined the identifications (undertaking dissection of the genitalia where necessary) for many of the species listed by comparison with material at the Natural History Museum, London and previewed this paper. I should also like to thank Mike Shaffer of the Natural History Museum, London, for identifying some of the Pyraustinae.
Oecophoridae: Xyloryctinae
Synchalara rhombota Meyrick 12 Apr.1997
Thymiatria arista Diakonoff 21 June 1997
Gelechiidae:
Anarsia phortica Meyrick 25 June 1997
Hypatima deviella (Walker, 1864) 9 Oct.1997
Hypatima spathota (Meyrick, 1913) 5 Feb.1997
Pyralidae: Phycitinae
Aurana vinaceella (lnoue, 1983) 25 Mar.1998
Calguia hapalanthes (Meyrick, 1932) 9 Oct.1997
Coleothrix sp. near to swinhoeella (Raganot, 1893) 30 July 1998
Metallostichodes sp. near to hemicautella (Hampson, 1899) 30 July1998
Spatulipalpia effosella Raganot, 1893 10 May 1997
Volobilis sp. ? biplaga Walker, 1883 30 Jan.1997
Pyralidae: Nymphulinae
Strepsinoma croesusalis Walker 9 Aug.1997
Pyralidae: Cybalomiinae
Trichopysetis problematica (Fabricius, 1794) 15 Sep. 1997
Pyralidae: Pyraustinae
Botyodes caldusalis (Walker) 14 Aug.1997
Botyodes sp. near patulalis (Walker) 26 Mar.1997; Tai Po Kau Special Area
Bradina admixtalis (Walker, 1859) 21 June 1997
Cangetta hartoghialis (Snellen, 1872) 27 Sep.1997
Ceratarcha umbrosa Swinhoe 1 Feb.1998
Gyptitia sp. near ochracealis (Walker) 27 Sep.1997
Ischnurges gratiosalis Walker 18 June 1997
Lygropia quaternalis Zeller 29 Mar.1997
Metasia coniotalis Hampson 7 Apr.1998
Pachynoa sabelialis (Guenée) 24 Mar.1998; Hok Tau BBQ site, Pat Sin Leng Country Park.
Pyralidae: Odontiinae
Hemiscops sanguinea Banzinger 11 Jul.1997
Geometridae: Sterrhinae
Antitrygodes vicina Thierry-Mieg. 16 Jan.1997
Geometridae: Larentiinae
Axinoptera orphnobathra (Prout, 1940) 7 June 1997
Carige lunulineata Moore 6 May 1998
'Chloroclystis' sp. nov (Galsworthy, in prep) 5 Apr.1997 [listed in Kendrick (1998) as Eupithecia species near costalis Walker]
Eupithecia sp. nov (Galsworthy, in prep) 12 Jan.1997 [listed in Kendrick (1998) as Eupithecia species near ustata Moore, possibly undescribed]
Glaucoclystis immixtaria (Walker) 2 Oct.1997
Loxofidonia buda Swinhoe 9 May1998
Sauris sp. nov. (Galsworthy, in press) 28 Apr.1997 [listed in Kendrick (1998) as Sauris species, probably undescribed]
Geometridae: Ennominae
Godonela monticolaria Leech 8 Mar.1997
Godonela sp. ? nov. near to myandaria Walker 30 May 1997
Lomographa claripennis lnoue 28 Aug.1997
Drepanidae: Drepaninae
Nordstreomia duplicata (Warren, 1922) 8 Aug.1998
Epiplemidae
Dysaethria erasaria Christoph 3 Nov.1997
Dysaethria fulvihamata Hampson 25 July 1997
Monobolodes prunaria Moore 15 Sep.1997
Phazaca theclata (Guenée, 1852) 10 Sep.1997
Notodontidae
Besaia albifusa (Wileman, 1910) 15 Sep.1997; first record outside Taiwan, (Schintlmeister, 1991 [1992]; Galsworthy, pers. comm.)
Lymantriidae
Laelia lilacina Moore 14 Nov.1997
Lymantria mathura ? Moore (= umbrina Moore) 25 Oct. 1997
Arctiidae: Lithosiinae
Garudinia sp. ? Nov. near to latana Walker 26 Mar.1997
Miltochrista sp. ? limbata 5 Aug.1997
Pseudoblabes oophora Zeller 24 Mar.1998
Noctuidae: Aganainae
Asota plana Walker, 1854 5 Aug.1998
Noctuidae: Herminiinae
Bertula abjucidalis Walker, [1859] 24 Mar.1998
Nodaria sp. near to simplex Hampson 10 May 1997; Tai Po Kau Special Area
Noctuidae: Rivulinae
Rivula niveipuncta Swinhoe 21 July 1997
Rivula sp. indeterminate 26 Nov.1997
Noctuidae: Hypeninae
Anoratha paritalis Walker 25 Oct.1997
Noctuidae: Catocalinae (sensu lato)
Pangrapta parvula Leech 19 Mar.1998
Pseudogyrtona perversa Walker 6 May 1998
Noctuidae: Plusiinae
Chrysodeixis acute (Walker. [1858]) 9 Oct.97 [The Tunbridge Wells Gem]
Noctuidae: Stictopterinae
Lophoptera squammigera Guenée, 1852 8 Nov.1997
Sigmuncus arcuata (Hampson, 1897) 19 Feb.98
Noctuidae: Chleophorinae
Gelastocera rubicundula Wileman 25 July 1997
Noctuidae: Acontiinae
Amyna natalis (Walker, [1859]) 17 Sep. 98
Eublemma parva (Hübner, [1803]) 5 Aug.1997 [The Small Marbled]
Eublemma rivula Moore 15 Sep.1997
Lophomilia takao Sugi 11 Apr.1998
Maliattha quadripartita Walker 5 Aug.1997
Ozana chinensis (Leech, 1900) 20 Sep.1997
Zurobata vacillans (Walker, 1864) 22 May 1998
Noctuidae: Pantheninae
Antitrisuloides catocalina (Moore, 1883) 25 July 1997
Noctuidae: Ipimorphinae
Bagada malayica (Snellen, 1880) 28 Aug.1997
Other species of note:
Geometridae: Ennominae
Plutodes transmutata Walker was recorded at KARC on October 22nd 1997 and at Tai Po Kau in May 1998. These were the first records of this species since it was first seen in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Island) some 90 years ago.
Drepanidae: Thyatirinae
A fresh specimen of Thyatirta batis Linnaeus) was recorded in September 1998 at KARC. This makes T. batis a trivoltine species in Hong Kong, unlike conspecific populations in the Palaearctic where it is either bivoltine or univoltine (Goater, 1992).
Roger Kendrick
References
Galsworthy, AC (in press) [Two new species of Sauris from Hong Kong]
Galsworthy, AC (m prep) New and revised eupitheciine species from Hong Kong and south east Asia.
Goater, B., 1992. Thyatiridae. pp 340-353 in Emmet, A.M. & Heath, J. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland VoIume 7, Part 2 Harley Books, Colchester, England.
Kendrick, R C, 1998. New moth species for Hong Kong: 1997 records. Porcupine! 17: 14.
Schintlmeister, A., 1991 [1992]. Die Zahnspinner Chinas (Lepidoptera Notodontidae). Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, Frankfurt Suppl. 11: 1-343.
Erratum: Porcupine! 17, p.16. The date for Endoclita sinensis being recorded at KARC is 10 April 1998, and not 10 April 1997 as stated.
RK
P.7-8
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