Mimaporia, a new genus of Epicopeiidae (Lepidoptera), with description of a new species from Vietnam
Author
Wei, Chia-Hsuan
Author
Yen, Shen-Horn
text
Zootaxa
2017
4254
5
537
550
journal article
33192
10.11646/zootaxa.4254.5.3
d052da5f-7fb1-4969-ae20-89437a05f105
1175-5326
556278
3AFBE875-A713-4627-9377-0DB8C33ADB06
Mimaporia hmong
sp. n.
Fig. 3–27
Type
material.
Holotype
♂
(
Fig. 6
).
Vietnam
:
Sapa
,
Lào
Cai Province
,
1800 m
,
VII-2015
, local collector (
NSYSU
).
Paratypes: 3 ♂, 1♀. Collection information same as for holotype (1♂ in NHM and 2 ♂1♀ in NSYSU).
Description.
Head
. Length of antenna
8–9 mm
, unipectinate, rami thicker in male. Compound eye black, size as described for genus. Frons wide, covered with brown, hairy scales. Vertex white and brown rough-scaled. Basal segment of labial palpus brown, rough-scaled. Apical segment brown, smooth-scaled. Basal segment about 0.5 times that of apical segment. Proboscis black.
Thorax
. Prothorax covered by white scale, with few brown scale developing at anterior margin. Mesothorax and metathorax black, rough-scaled. Tegula hairy, orange basally and black apically. Legs black, smooth-scaled.
Wings
(
Fig. 6–8
). Forewing length
22–23 mm
, ground colour brownish black. Spots round, white-yellowish, arranged in series in r5, m2-1a cells in submarginal zone, and one spot located in postmedial zone of m1 cell. A row of spots present or absent in postmedial zone, extending toward tornus if present. Oval patches present in base of r1, discal cell and 1a, divided by veins, arranged transversely. Size of white spots and patches variable in size. Hindwing: Ground colour brownish black. Two rows of spots arranged in series in submarginal and postmedial zones. Several white yellowish patches from base to medial or to postmedial zone present.
Pregenital abdomen
(
Fig. 16–19
). As described for genus.
Male genitalia
(
Fig. 20–24
) and female genitalia (
Figs. 25–26
). As described for genus.
Distribution
(
Fig. 27
).
Vietnam
(
Lao Cai
).
Biology.
According to the similarity between
M. hmong
and
Aporia agathon
in wing pattern, we anticipate that the new species is very likely diurnal and occurs sympatrically with
Aporia
. The larval hostplant has yet to be investigated as the biology of the possibly closely related genera
Burmeia
,
Chatamla
, and
Parabraxas
is unknown.
Etymology.
The specific name derived from the name of H’mong, the original inhabitants (also known as “Miao” in
China
) living in Sa Pa.
Comments.
Besides
M. hmong
, the specimens discovered in
NHM
may belong to two further undescribed species (specimen examinations:
1♂
,
1 ♀
, North
India
,
NHM
(
Fig. 9–10
)
.
1♂
,
China
:
Wolong
,
Sichuan province
,
NHM
(
Fig. 11
) because they are different from the
Vietnamese
species in several aspects.
The
two specimens from Northeast
India
(
Figs. 9–10
) possibly belong to a sexually dimorphic new species.
The
wing span of the male (
Fig. 9
) is
34 mm
, and the female is slightly smaller.
The
male can be distinguished from
M. hmong
by having a larger size, broader wing shape and large area with white background in male hindwing.
The
specimen from
Sichuan
(
Fig.11
) is similar to
M. hmong
in size, but different having a straighter forewing termen and grey patagia.
Also
, the white area is more extended and the marginal rows of white spots are missing on hindwing.
Due
to the uniqueness and rarity of these specimens as well as the fact that the abdomen of the
Indian
female specimen is missing, we decided to postpone the description of both the
Indian
and
Chinese
taxa until their taxonomic status can be clarified when more specimens become available.