Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica
| Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica | ||||||||||||
| Melichar & Řezáč , 2013 |
Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the swarmers (Sphingidae).
features
The moths have a wingspan of 34 millimeters and are therefore generally somewhat larger than Sphingona epiopsis gorgoniades . The forewings are greenish-brown, with a predominantly gray tone. Basal on the forewings is a kidney-shaped dark brown spot. Further distal there is a central band which is about two millimeters wide and which changes direction at the level of the approximately one millimeter discal spot. A wavy line runs from the apex of the wing vein R 2 to the vein Cu 2 . The end of this line is not always clearly visible, since it is blurred in a dark area at the edge of the wings between the wires 1A and Cu 2 . All of these drawing elements are dark brown on a gray background. The hind wings are light yellow with gray tint. The edge of the hind wing from 3A to R has a conspicuously gray-colored band that gradually widens from 3A to about two millimeters beyond R and Sc. The hind wings also bear two parallel lines that are constantly about 1 to 1.5 millimeters apart and clearly distinguish the species from Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades , where the lines converge in the direction of the anal angle. The body is 15 to 18 millimeters long and has light gray hair. On both sides of the abdomen there is a pair of white spots on the last three, less often four segments. As with Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades , the coloring of the moths is very variable, so that with the exception of the two parallel lines on the hind wings, there are no reliable external features to identify the species.
In the male genitalia, the uncus is triangular and has a rounded tip. The Gnathos has imperceptibly notched edges. The valves are oval and have a longitudinal vein. The construction of the harp on the Valven is characteristic of the species. In contrast to that of Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades, that of Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica is much more massive and has coarse, dense bundles of conical protrusions. These protuberances have so far been found in all specimens whose genitals could be examined and ultimately led to the first description of the species by Melichar & Řezáč.
Occurrence and way of life
The species has so far only been detected in a very small area on the border between northern Iran and southern Turkmenistan , in the Kopet-Dag . The habitat is identical to that of Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades . These are mountainous steppes with very sparse vegetation between 400 and 2000 meters above sea level. The moths fly from mid-April to mid-May, although individual moths can also be found in early June. The pre-imaginal stages are not yet known.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. AR Pittaway, accessed December 28, 2014 .