Burmeia leesi Minet, 2003

Huang, Si-Yao, Wang, Min, Da, Wa & Fan, Xiao-Ling, 2019, New discoveries of the family Epicopeiidae from China, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Epicopeiidae), ZooKeys 822, pp. 33-51 : 38-40

Burmeia leesi Minet, 2003 Figs 10-11, 12-15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-24

Burmeia leesi Minet, 2003: 473, fig. 2, 8, 10, 18-23.

Psychostrophia nymphidiaria : Zhu et al. 2004: 222, fig. 154, pl. VI, fig. 1 [misidentification].

Material examined.

28 males, 1 female, altitude 2700 m, 18-21.VII.2017, 62K, Motuo County, Linzhi Division, Xizang Autonomous Region, leg. Si-yao Huang & Shu-qin Ji; 1 male, altitude 2500 m, 15.VII.2018, Yaojiaping, Lushui County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, leg. Si-yao Huang; 1 male, altitude 3000 m, 16.VII.2016, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, leg. Si-yao Huang.

Diagnosis.

Burmeia leesi Minet is unique among the Epicopeiidae by the morphological characters mentioned above in the generic diagnosis. The female genitalia are recorded here for the first time and the description is given below. The male genitalia (Figs 12-15) have already been described precisely by Minet (2003).

Female genitalia (Figs 16, 17). Papillae anales slightly sclerotized, rectangular in lateral view, with rounded tip. Apophyses posteriores and anteriores slender; the former nearly twice the length of the latter. Antrum membranous and slender. Ostium bursae narrower than antrum. Ductus seminalis short, arising from ductus bursae just below the ostium bursae. Lamella antevaginalis rectangular in lateral view and blunt arrow-shaped in ventral view, strongly sclerotized. Lamella postvaginalis sclerotized and somewhat rectangular in lateral view. Ductus bursae sclerotized, long and broad. Corpus bursae oval, with a strongly sclerotized broad U-shaped signum. Appendix bursae oval and membranous, nearly the same size as corpus bursae.

Remarks.

The female genitalia are illustrated here for the first time. This little known species has not been recorded elsewhere after Minet described it in 2003 from northeastern Myanmar.

Biology.

The flying period of this species in China is from early July to late July. Adults are usually found flying slowly above bushes and trees at edge of evergreen broad-leaved forest (Fig. 18) or conifer-broadleaf forest (Fig. 19) in altitude ranging from 2500 m to 3000 m along river or stream. They can fly in both cloudy days and sunny days. Males can be found sucking nutrients on human feces, damp ground, and wet stone (Figs 20-22). In 62K, Motuo County, this species was occasionally attracted to light trap in night (Fig. 23). Sometimes males can gather on damp ground (Fig. 24). In Yaojiaping, Western Yunnan, this species was found flying together with Psychostrophia nymphidiaria ( Oberthür, 1893).

Distribution.

China* (Yunnan, Xizang), Myanmar (Htawgaw)