Nemophora tanakai Hirowatari, 2007

Liao, Cheng-Qing, Hirowatari, Toshiya, Yagi, Sadahisa, Wang, Min, Wang, Xing & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2023, The fauna of the family Adelidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Adeloidea) from China, Zootaxa 5348 (1), pp. 1-152 : 53

(54) Nemophora tanakai Hirowatari, 2007

(Plates VI-4, XVII-4, XXVI-2)

Nemophora tanakai Hirowatari, 2007: 29 , figs. 2A–B, 3A–B, 4, 5C–D, 8, 9 (TL: Vietnam, Vinh Phu Prov., Tam Dao; OPU, BMNH); Wang & Kishida 2011: 6, pl. 70, fig. 19 ( China, Guangdong, Nanling); Wang et al. 2020: 2, pl. 3 ( China, Guangdong, Shimentai).

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished by the following combined characters: 1) pair of forewing central fasciae not connected in middle; 2) subapical yellow area of forewing with distinctly wide black frame; 3) tegula bronzy with metallic blue scales distally; 4) compound eyes of male relatively large and eye size index about 2.6; 5) apex of valva blunt and posterior margin of vinculum without membranous window area in male genitalia.

Specimens examined. [Hunan] 1♂, Mangshan National Nature Reserve, Yizhang County, Chenzhou City , 2020.V.10, C.Q. Liao & M. Deng leg. ; [Guangdong] 1♂, Nanling National Nature Reserve (1,050 m), Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Shaoguan City , 2005.VI.13, G.H. Huang, M. Wang & L.S. Chen leg. ; [Yunnan] 1♀, Qinglongxia (1,800 m), Kunming City , 2017.VI.18–19, G.H. Huang & M. Wang leg. ; [ Taiwan] 1♂, Anmashan (2,500 m), Taizhong City , 1997.VII.28, Y.Arita leg. ( HUNAU) ; 3♂, Kaohsiung, Hsien, Liukwei, Taouang , Tengchih , (ca. 1,600 m), 1999.VII.30, Y. Arita leg. ( OPU) .

Distribution. China (Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Taiwan); Vietnam.

Remarks. This species was described by Hirowatari (2007) in Vietnam, and has been reported in Guangdong, China ( Wang & Kishida 2011; Wang et al. 2020). In this paper, we obtained additional specimens and more geographical information, which widely expanded its distribution ranges. This species, to a considerable extent, seems to have a sympatric distribution with N.fluorites and usually occurs simultaneously based on Hirowatari (2007) and our observations. Hirowatari (2007) observed this species nectaring on flowers of the probable Castanopsis sclerophylla (Fagaceae) and actively flying over the flowers together with N. fluorites during the daytime.

One DNA barcode of N. tanakai is generated, and this sequence is closest to N. fluorites (pairwise distances: 0.038).