Bombyx lemeepauli Lemée, 1950

Wang, Xing, Wang, Min, Zolotuhin, Vadim V., Hirowatari, Toshiya, Wu, Shipher & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2015, The fauna of the family Bombycidae sensu lato (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Bombycoidea) from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hainan Islands, Zootaxa 3989 (1), pp. 1-138 : 11

3. Bombyx lemeepauli Lemée, 1950 ( FIGURES 1 E–1F, 3E)

Bombyx leméepauli Lemée, 1950 , Contrib. l’étude Lépid. Haut-Tonkin et Saigon: 37. TL: Backan, Vietnam. Holotype (MNHN) [examined].

Theophila albicurva Chu & Wang, 1993 , Sinozool. 10: 214. TL: Hubei, China. Synonymized by Zolotuhin & Witt, 2009.

Diagnosis. Characterized by the following features: forewing ground color gray; arched and white medial and submarginal lines; a short white line present on the costa medially; a distinct and arched postmedial line on the hindwing; valva longer than uncus; and saccus slender, basally and swollen distally.

Specimens examined. 1 male, holotype of lemeepauli, Backan (MNHN); [ZHEJIANG] Longquan City: 1 male, Mt. Huangmaojian, 1400–1880 m, March to April 2000, J. Li leg. (MWM); [HUBEI] Huanggang City: 6 males and 1 female, Tapieh Shan (Mt. Dabieshan), June to August 19999, J. Li leg. (MWM); 1 male, Tapieh Shan (Mt. Dabieshan), 900–1600 m, middle June to early August 1999, J. Li leg. (MWM); Shiyan City: 20 males, Mt. Wudangshan, 1500 m, 32˚16’N, 110˚57’E, September 2000, local collector leg. (MWM); Jianli County: 1 male, Xingou Town, 16.VII.2004, Liu-Sheng Chen leg. (SCAU); Shenglongjia Forest District: 1 male, Shenglongjia National NR, 8–11.VII.2009, Min Wang & Yang Long leg. (SCAU); [GUANGXI] Tian’e County (Buliuhe NR): 1 male, 16.IX.2002, Guo-Hua Huang leg. (HUNAU); Xing’an County (Mao’ershan National NR): 1 male, 1.VI.2003, Guo-Hua Huang & De-Yu Xin leg. (HUNAU); 1 male, 1000 m, 14–16.VIII.2009, Min Wang leg. (NSMT); Jingxi County: 1 male, Tongling Grand Canyon, 25.VII.2008, Liu-Sheng Chen leg. (SCAU); 3 males, Renzhuang Village, 10–15.VII.2006, Liu-Sheng Chen leg. (SCAU); Longsheng County (Huaping National NR): 1 male, Liu-Sheng Chen leg. (SCAU); Fangchenggang City (Shiwandashan National NR): 3 males, 30 km southwest of Nanping town, 900 m, 21˚43’N, 107˚32’E, 1–14.IV.2003, Siniaev & local collector leg. (MWM); [SHAANXI] Fopin County: 1 male, Qin Ling Mts., 1800 m, 33˚35’N, 108˚01’E, July 2005, team of Siniaev leg. (MWM); Taibai County (Mts. Tsinling (Qinling), Mt. Taibaishan, Houzhenzi): 9 males, 1500 m, September 2000, 33˚53’N, 107˚49’E, local collector leg. (MWM); 3 males, 1600 m, 27.V–08.VI.1999, 33˚53’N, 107˚49’E, local collector leg. (MWM); 7 males and 2 females, Dudamen village, 1500 m, 33˚50’N, 107˚41’E, X.2003, Viktor Sinyaev leg. (MWM); Xi’an City (Mts. Qinling): 4 males, 1850 m, 40 km south of Xi’an, 33˚52’N, 108˚50’E, 22–24.VI.2004, Viktor Sinyaev leg. (MWM); Baoji City (Mts. Qinling): 1 female, 760 m, 24.VIII.2014, Min Wang, Hai-Ling Zhuang, Lan-Lan Huang, Lu Wan & Qi-Tong Huang leg.; [SICHUAN] Dujiangyan City: 3 males, Mts. Qingcheng Hou Shan, 70 km northwest of Chengdu, 1500 m, 2–7.XI.2006, S. Murzin leg. (MWM); 16 males, Mt. Qingcheng, 60 km west of Chengdu, 1200 m, 15–25.VIII.2004, S. Murzin leg. (MWM); 4 males, Mt. Qingcheng, 70 km west of Chengdu, 1360 m, 26–30.VIII.2004, S. Murzin leg. (MWM); 59 males, Mt. Qingcheng, 70 km west of Chengdu, 1400 m, 8–14.VI.2005, S. Murzin leg. (MWM); Dayi County: 43 males and 3 females, Mt. Xiling Shan, 1700 m, 50 km west of Dayi, 25.X–7.XI.2006, J.S. Lou leg. (MWM); Mianning County: 1 male, Mt. Lingshan, 376 m., 1– 3.VII.2010, local collector leg. (MWM); Baoxing County: 1 male, 1600 m, 11.VII.2003, S. Murzin leg. (MWM); Luding County: 3 males, Mt. Gonggashan, 2300 m., 29˚41’N, 101˚58’E, 15.IX–04.X.2005, Siniaev & his team leg. (MWM); 1 male, Moxi Town, 19.VII.2004, Min Wang Leg. (SCAU); Wenchuan County/Xiaojin County: 8 males, Wolong National NR/ Mt. Siguliang Shan, 31˚09’N, 103˚20’E, July 2005, Siniaev & his team leg. (MWM); [YUNNAN] Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture: 2 males and 1 female, Puwen, 30 km southwest of Simao, 900 m, 16.III–10.IV.2000, 22˚30’N, 100˚02’E, Brechlin’s local collector leg. (MWM); Lancang County: 1 male, 130 m southwest of Kunming, 1430 m, 25.XI–5.XII.1998, local collector leg. (MWM); Fugong County: 1 male, 42 km north of Fugong, 1390 m, Lishadi (Walo), 27˚15’N, 98˚55’E, 14–24.X.1999, local collector leg. (MWM); Mouding County: 1 male, 25˚19’N, 101˚32’E, 16.III–10.IV.2000, local collector leg. (MWM); Baoshan County (Gaoligong-shan): 1 male, 4000 m, February 2001, local collector leg. (MWM)

Bionomics. Adults appear from June to November (Plate 3A) and there are probably two generations per year. Chu & Wang (1993) reported Morus alba Linn., 1753 as the larval host plant,in China.

Distribution. China (Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Thailand, Vietnam.

Remarks. This species is endemic to the Himalayan region and differs clearly from its congeners by the typical white semilunar fasciae on a gray ground color. Holloway (1987) considered that it might not belong to Bombyx , but it is clearly a member of the genus based on male genital characters and DNA sequence analysis ( Zolotuhin & Witt, 2009).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adults of Bombyx spp. A. B. mori, male (from artificial feeding in Guangzhou); B. B. mori, female (from artificial feeding in Guangzhou); C. B. mandarina formosana, male holotype of B. formosana Mats. (Taiwan); D. B. mandarina, male (Sichuan); E. B. lemeepauli, female (Hubei); F. B. lemeepauli, male (Guangxi); G. B. huttoni, male (Guangdong); H. B. huttoni, female (Guangdong).