Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937

Jiang, Zhuo-Heng, Li, Tao, Yan, Ming, Wang, Jia-Xin, Zheng, Xin-Yi & Hu, Shao-Ji, 2024, The life history of Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937, with a review of the East Asian species of the genus Smerinthus Latreille, 1802 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), Zootaxa 5551 (3), pp. 453-478 : 467-470

Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937 [小n天ë]

( Figures 15–18 )

Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937 , Dt. ent. Z. 1937: 5. TL: ‘Taibai Shan, Shaanxi [ China]’.

Material examined. CHINA: 1♂, 1♀, Huairou , Beijing, 25-VI-2022, Tao Li leg. [ JZHC] ; 6♂♂, Huairou , Beijing, 5-VII-2023, Tao Li leg. [ JZHC] ; 4♂♂, 2♀♀, Huairou , Beijing, 24-VI-2024, Tao Li leg. [ LTC] ; 2♂♂, Mentougou , Beijing, 16-VI-2022, Hao-Lin Gan leg. [ GHLC] ; 1♂, Baoji , Shaanxi, 16-VI-2022, Yu-Xin Shi leg. [ JZHC] .

Diagnosis. Male ( Figure 15A–B ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but body and upperside of wings paler and greyer. Forewing sharper with a pointed apex and a smooth outer edge except for a small protrusion on vein M 3; upperside greyish brown with black curved lines and spots instead of the brown wavy lines of S. kindermannii , greyish white patch near apex and edge; underside similar but more faded, basal to medial area pinkish. Hindwing with posterior half yellowish brown and anterior half black-brown patch with a wide white band, basal area rose pink, complete small black ocellus near tornus with small blue circle, black patch nearby; underside similar to forewing underside but without pink area, medial area with white curved band.

Female ( Figure 15C–D ): Similar to male, but wings broader, ground pattern paler and more extensive, antennae slenderer.

Male genitalia ( Figure 16A–D ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but uncus apex sharper, gnathos sharper and half the length of uncus. Valva more rounded. Sacculus leaf-shaped, basal part narrower and harpe longer than S. kindermannii . Phallus shorter and wider than S. kindermannii , apical process longer, sharper and more curved, lateral sclerite absent.

Female genitalia ( Figure 17 ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but lamella postvaginalis slender and wavy. Ostial lobe narrower. Ductus bursae tubular and broad.

Distribution. Endemic to China (Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang).

Biological notes. This species was collected in high elevation temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, attracted to light at night.

Life history of Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937

( Figure 18 )

A female adult captured in a patch of high-elevation temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in Huairou County (1520 m), Beijing laid several eggs. Larvae accepted Spiraea trilobata ( Rosaceae ) ( Figure 18G ) as a food plant.

Egg ( Figure 18A ): Oval, pale green, becoming greyish white before hatching. Laid singly or in pairs beneath leaves. Duration: 3 days.

First instar larva ( Figure 18B ): Head green, smooth; body cylindrical, dorsal surface green, ventral surface with last abdominal and anal segments deep green and semi-translucent; prolegs yellow-green, true legs green. Duration: 5 days.

Second instar larva: Similar to first instar but larger, body green with yellow-green lateral line, head green with yellow-green dorso-lateral stripe. Prolegs with a yellow patch. Duration: 4 days.

Third instar larva ( Figure 18C ): Similar to second instar but larger, body yellow-green with yellow lateral line, head yellow-green with yellow dorsal stripe and dorso-lateral stripe, separating the face from the cheek. Prolegs with a yellow-orange patch. Duration: 9 days.

Fourth instar larva ( Figure 18D ): Similar to third instar, body deep green with faded yellow lateral line except segments 9–12 to horn. Spiracles black. Horn yellow-orange with tiny spinules. Prolegs with a purple-pink patch. Duration: 20 days.

Fifth instar larva ( Figure 18E ): Similar to fourth instar and much larger, body emerald green with more faded white line, only segments 11–12 to horn retain the yellow line. True legs deep brown, prolegs emerald green with a brown-purple patch. Horn emerald green with minute surface spines. Spiracles black, with a yellow tiny patch inside. The larva became darker before pupation. Duration: 52 days.

Pupa ( Figure 18F ): Tongue, thorax, and wing cases blackish-brown. Abdomen dark ochre above. Legs brownish-black. Length of antenna shorter than legs. Cremaster short and sharp.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Habitus of Smerinthus minor. A–B. male, Baoji, Shaanxi, China; C–D. female, Huairou, Beijing, China. Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 16. Male genitalia of Smerinthus minor, Baoji, Shaanxi, China. A. Lateral view; B. Left valve; C. Phallus; D.Anterior lobe of the process.

FIGURE 17. Female genitalia of Smerinthus minor, Huairou, Beijing, China.

FIGURE 18. Immature stage and host plant of Smerinthus minor from Huairou, Beijing, China. A. Egg; B. First instar larva; C. Third instar larva; D. Fourth instar larva; E. Fifth instar larva; F. Pupa; G. Host plant, Spiraea trilobata.