Oberthueria caeca (Oberthür, 1880), Oberthur, 1880

Zolotuhin, Vadim V. & Wang, Xing, 2013, A taxonomic review of Oberthueria Kirby, 1892 (Lepidoptera, Bombycidae: Oberthuerinae) with description of three new species, Zootaxa 3693 (4), pp. 465-478 : 468-471

Oberthueria caeca (Oberthür, 1880)

Euphranor Caeca Oberthür, 1880 , Études d’Entomologie 5: 40, pl. 6, fig. 2. TL: “Ascold”. Syntypes: 2 ♂ (BMNH) [examined]. Oberthüeria falcigera sensu Chu & Wang Linyao (1996: 48) .

Material examined. ♂, syntype of Euphranor caeca Oberthür, 1880 , Ascold, 21.VI 1878 (BMNH); 226 ♂ /♀ from different location of Russian Far East (MWM, ZISP); 8 ♂, 1 ♀, Korea, Prov. Gang-von, district On-dzong, Kumgang san, near Hotel Go-song, 250 m, 4–7.VIII 1975, leg. J. Papp & A. Voinits (MWM); 2 ♂, N. Korea, SE Kumgan-San Mts, 16–19.VII 1985, E. Palik leg. (MWM); ♂, N. Korea, Haeju, Su-Jong-San, 18–19.VI 1985, leg. E. Palik (MWM); 3 ♂, Korea, Kongosan, 31.VII–2.VIII 1940, H. Hoene leg. (ZFMK); 1 ♂, Erzendianzy, 127,10 oL, 45,40 nB, Manchuria, VI 1924, V. Tolmachov leg. (ZFMK); ♂, Manchuria, Erzendianzi, VII (MWM) ♂, China, Heilongjang, Xiaoxinganling, Tili, 1800 m, VII 2000, leg. native collector (MWM); 5 ♂, [ China, Shaanxi Prov.] Mien-shan (Prov. Shansi), Obere Hoehe, ca 2000 m, 10.–30.VII 1937, leg. H. Hoene (ZFMK); 1 ♂, [ China, Shaanxi Prov., Qinling Mountains, Taibaishan] Tapaishan im Tsinling, Sued-Shensi, ca 1700 m, 17.V 1936, leg. H.Höne (ZFMK); 1 ♂, same data but ca 3000 m, 2.VII 1936, leg. H.Höne (ZFMK); 5 ♂, China, [Shaanxi Prov., Qinling Mountains, Taibaishan] prov. Shaanxi, Taibaishan Mts (S), Tsinling Mts., Foping NP, 33˚51’N, 107˚57’E, 1.500 m, 20.IV–11.V 1999, leg. Sinjaev & Plutenko (MWM); ♂, China, [Shaanxi Prov., Qinling Mountains, Taibaishan] prov. Shaanxi, Taibaishan, Tsinling Mts., 33˚55’N, 107˚44’E, 2.200 m, VI 2004, leg. Sinjaev & his team (MWM); 2 ♂, China, Shaanxi prov., Tai bai shan Mts (S), Tsinling Mts, Houzhenzi [Qinling Mountains, Taibaishan, Houzhenzi town], 33˚51’N, 107˚49’E, 1600 m, 27.V–08.VI 1999, leg. local collector (MWM); ♂, same data but summer 1999 (MWM); 2 ♂, same data but June 1999 (MWM); 4 ♂, same data but 1–12.VIII 1999 (MWM); ♂, China, Shaanxi Province, Qinling Mountain, 2006. VII.14, leg. Chen L.S. (SCAU); 2 ♂, China, Henan Province, Baiyunshan National Nature Reserve, 2008. VIII.14, leg. Huang G.H. (HUNAU).

Description. Rather small congener (Figs 1–3), of dusty dark yellow ground colour and transversal dark grey to black lunate pattern on the wings. Submarginal fascia is outlined inside with black scales. Submarginal field of the fore wing is suffused with brown scales but with orange ones on the hind wing making a colour contrast. Hind wing with angled outer margin rarely forming a distinct tail. Deeper in the continent, in central China, the species lacks colour contrast described above and becomes more uniformly coloured, darker than the nominate form but always with presence of yellow tint and always much lighter than the insular Japanese population. Male genitalia (Fig. 22). Uncus lobes wide, curved, lyre-shaped, rounded apically; valvae rather short, with strong spinose right harpe and short right apical spur.

Diagnosis. Small size, darker ground colour without pinkish tint and conspicuously angled, but not tailed’ hind wings distinguish the species from other congeners. See also under falcigera .

PLATE 1. Figs 1–20. Adults. 1–3: Oberthueria caeca (Oberthür, 1880) : 1. ♂, syntype, Ascold (BMNH). 2. ♀, Korea, Prov. Gang-von, district On-dzong, Kum-gang san, near Hotel Go-song, 250 m, 4–7.VIII 1975, leg. J. Papp & A. Voinits (MWM). 3. ♂, ♂, China, prov. Shaanxi, Taibaishan Mts (S), Foping NP, 33˚51’N, 107˚57’E, 1.500 m, 20.IV–11.V 1999, leg. Sinjaev & Plutenko (MWM). 4–7: O. falcigera (Butler, 1878) : 4. ♂, holotype of O. caeca ab. rutilans Grünberg, 1911, Japan, b. Niko, W. Blüthgen S. (ZMHU). 5. ♀, Japan, Hokkaido, Yufutsu, Shizukawa, 20 m, 13.VI 1999, leg. Hideki Kobayashi (NSMT). 6. ♂, Japan, Hakone, Kanagawa, Ohiradai, 300 m, 22.VII 1989, leg. Y. Kishida (MWM). 7. ♀, holotype of Lagyra falcigera Butler, 1878 , Japan (BMNH). 8–10. O. formosibia Matsumura, 1927: 8 . ♂, holotype, Baibara, 22.VII 1925, Kikuchi (EIHU). 9. ♂, Taiwan, Prov. Taoyuan, Ming Chyr Forest Recreation Area, 1160 m, 29.V 1997, leg. Gy. Laszlo & G. Laszlo (MWM). 10. ♀, Ilan County, Taiwan, China, 2010. VIII. 18, 500 m, leg. Huang G.H. (HUNAU). 11–13. O. yandu Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov.: 11. ♂, holotype, China, Sichuan, Wolong Reserve, Siguliang Shan, 31°09’N, 103°20’E, June 2005, leg. Sinjaev & his team” (MWM). 12. ♂, paratype, China, Sichuan, Qingchenghoushan Mts, 70 km NW Chengdu, 1400 m, 21–25.VIII 2005, leg. S., V., M. Murzin (MWM). 13. ♂, China, Zhejiang Prov., Tianmushan National Nature Reserve, 2011. VII.24–VIII.1, 1000.1400 m, leg. Wang X. & Liu Y.Y. (HUNAU). 14–17. O. jiatongae Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov.: 14. ♂, holotype, China, prov. Shaanxi, Taibaishan Mts (S), Tsinling Mts., Foping NT, 33˚51’N, 107˚57’E, 1.500 m, 20.IV–11.V 1999, leg. Sinjaev & Plutenko (MWM). 15. ♂, paratype, same data (MWM). 16. ♀, paratype, same data (MWM). 17. ♂, China, Jiangxi Prov., Wuyishan, Xipaihe vill., 1500 m, 27˚54’N, 112˚20’E, VII 2004, leg. Sinjaev & his team (MWM). 18–20. O. lunwan Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov.: 18. ♂, holotype, China / Yunnan prov. (NW), Dali Bai autonom pref., Yunlong county, Fengshuining –Mts., 2460 m, 3 km N of Coajian, 10.– 20. V. 1999, 25 ˚46’N/99˚06’E, leg. R. Brechlin (MWM). 19. ♂, paratype, China, NW Yunnan, Gaoligong Mt, Tenchong, ca 3.000 m, VI 1999, leg. Wang & Li (MWM). 20. ♂, paratype, Myanmar (NE), Kachin state, Chinese borderline, Kanphant village, N26˚8’51,2”, E98˚34’58,2”, 1642 m, 24.V 2006, at village lights, leg. S. Naumann, S. Löffler & M. Lander (SMFL). Scale bar 1 cm.

Bionomics. The species is typical of broad-leaved humid forests and inhabits lowlands. In Russia, the species develops two generations in May–June and July–August and local Acer and Quercus species are known hosts. In Korea (Park et al., 1999: 147–149), the species is on the wing from April to September, and caterpillars were noted on Acer palmatum , A. mono var. dissectum , Quercus variabilis and Morus alba . In China (Chu & Wang 1996: 18) they are found on Acer palmatum , A. septenlobum , Quercus variabilis and Morus alba .

Distribution ( Fig. 34 ). Russian Far East (southern Primorye up to Lower Amur Region (Dubatolov, 2009), whole of Korea, NE China (Heilongjiang, Jilin) and C China (Shaanxi, Henan).

PLATE 2. Figs 22–27. Male genitalia. 22. Oberthueria caeca (Oberthür, 1880) , Russia, Ussurijsk Reg., Gorno-Taezhnaja (MWM 18.270). 23. O. falcigera (Butler, 1878) , Japan, Tochigi Pref., Nasu (MWM 18.280). 24. O. formosibia Matsumura, 1927 , Taiwan, Prob. Ilan, Suyuan near Pinan, 1550 m (MWM 18.281). 25. O. yandu Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov., paratype, China, Sichuan, Qingcheng Mts, 60 km W Chengdu, 1500 m (MWM 18.283). 26. O. jiatongae Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov., paratype, China, Shaanxi prov., South Taibaishan, Tsinling Mts., Houzhenzi (MWM 18.271). 27. O. lunwan Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov., holotype, China, Yunnan prov. (NW), Dali Bai autonom. pref., Yunlong county, Fengshuining–Mts., 2460 m, 3 km N of Coajian (MWM 18.279).

PLATE 3. Figs 28–29. Female genitalia. 28. O. jiatongae Zolotuhin & Xing Wang , sp. nov., China, Guangdong Province, Nanling National Nature Reserve (HUNAU). 29. O. formosibia Matsumura, 1927 , China, Taiwan, Ilan County, 500 m (HUNAU).

Figures

FIGURE 34. Maps of distributions.