Daphnusa haxairei Melichar & Řezáč, 2014

Jiang, Zhuo-Heng, Xu, Zhen-Bang, Lin, Yi-Ting, Liu, Chang-Qiu, Wang, Xin & Hu, Shao-Ji, 2025, New records and notes of hawkmoths from China (Lepidoptera, Bombycoidea), Zootaxa 5673 (2), pp. 151-188 : 157

Daphnusa haxairei Melichar & Řezáč, 2014 [哈ĸäDz天ẽ]

( Figures 6–8 )

Daphnusa haxairei Melichar & Řezáč, 2014 ; European Entomologist, 6(3): 190; TL: S. Xizang, China.

Material examined. CHINA: ♂, Nyingchi, Xizang Autonomous Region , 25-VI-2023, Yun Li leg. [ JZHC] .

Diagnosis. Male ( Figures 6A–B , 8 ): The head is brownish-grey with a dorsal black stripe and orange palpi. The thorax is blackish-brown, exhibiting a dorsal pinkish-brown pattern resembling a skeletal face. The basal part of the abdomen is yellow dorsally, transitioning to brown in the middle, and ending in a black terminal region, while the ventral surface remains yellow. The forewing is elongated and triangular, with a falcate apex with a small concavity and a smooth outer margin; the distal part of the inner margin shows slight concavity. The dorsal surface of the forewing has a brown ground color, with a black band marked by zigzag lines in the basal area, accompanied by five dark green curved lines. A black line extends from the basal to the medial area near the cell, along with a dark brown medial line. The coloration transitions to creamy in the medial to submarginal areas, with scattered black scales, and a black falcate patch and line extending from vein Rs 4 to the margin of the anal area and ending in a large circular black patch near the tornus. On the ventral side, the ground color is yellow, featuring patterns similar to those on the dorsal side but more densely marked with brown spots. The hindwing has a yellow ground color with black patches and curved lines in the medial area, with scattered brown crackles, and the submarginal to marginal regions are black. The tornus projects sharply. Ventrally, the ground color remains yellow with a pattern resembling the dorsal side marked in grey-brown, but more extensive.

Female: Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figures 7A–D ): The uncus is broad, with an apex divided into two lobes, each of which terminates in a sharp, curved hook. The gnathos is absent. The valve is rounded, with a thickened dorsal margin that curves inward, and a long, sharp spine projecting ventrally from the apical region, which also features a sharp hook. The sacculus bears a ventral, elongated, upward-curving sclerite. The phallus is slender, lacking any apical teeth.

Distribution. NE India and China (SE Xizang) ( Figure 1 ).

Biological notes. This species was collected in middle elevation evergreen broad-leaf forest, attracted to light at night ( Figure 8 ).

Remarks. D. haxairei was described as a separate species based on small differences in male genitalia, wing markings and DNA barcodes (Melichar & Řezáč, 2014). In this study, we recorded this rare species from SE Tibet in China and confirmed the identification by DNA barcoding and male genitalia structure. This is the new distribution record beyond its type locality in S. Xizang. D. haxairei is very similar to D. sinocontinentalis but can be distinguished by the larger forewings, olive eyespot and elongate V-shape of the juxta.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geographic distribution of Smerinthinae and Sphinginae species included in this study.

FIGURE 6. Habitus of Daphnusa haxairei, male, Nyingchi, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. (A) Upperside; (B) underside. Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia of Daphnusa haxairei, male, Nyingchi, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. (A) Genital ring; (B) Left valve; (C) Right valve; (D) Phallus.

FIGURE 8. Habitat and living adult (male) of Daphnusa haxairei in Nyingchi, Xizang Autonomous Region, China.