Brahmaea certhia ( Fabricius, 1793 )

Brahmaea certhia ( Fabricius, 1793)

( Figs 5–8 View FIGURE 5–8 , 11, 13, 17 View FIGURES 9–17 )

Bombyx certhia Fabricius, 1793: 412 . T.l.: Island of Chusan [ China, Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Island], based on the image of moths in Petiver 1709: tab. 18, fig. 3 (moth). T.s.l.: Natural History Museum (London), but the specimen was not found ( Butler 1880: 189).

Saturnia lunulata Bremer & Grey, 1853 ( Bremer & Grey 1853a): 64, stat. resurr. T.l.: aux environs de Pekin [ China, Beijing vicinity]. Junior subjective synonym of Brahmaea certhia . T.s.l.: Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. St. Petersburg, Russia. Holotype image: Ménétriès 1863: pl. 15, fig. 5 (moth, as Brahmaea lunulata ). Holotype photograph: Zolotuhin 2016: [pl.] 2, fig. 4).

Saturnia undulata Bremer & Grey, 1853 ( Bremer & Grey 1853b): 16, pl. 5, fig. 3 (moth) [ holotype], stat. resurr. Unnecessary replacement name and junior objective synonym of Saturnia lunulata , junior subjective synonym of Brahmaea certhia .

Brahmaea petiveri Butler, 1866: p. 120 , fig. 3 (moth) [reproduction of the Petiver’s figure]. T.l.: Island of Chusan [ China, Zhejiang, Zhoushan Island]. Junior objective synonym of Brahmaea certhia .

Brahmaea carpenteri Butler, 1883: 114 , stat. resurr. T.l.: Corea, Chosan Harbour [ South Korea, Busan Port]. Junior subjective synonym Brahmaea certhia . T.s.l.: Тatural History Museum, London. Holotype photograph: Zolotuhin 2016: [pl.] 2, fig. 3.

Brahmaea bicolor Matsumura, 1921: 935 , pl. 64, fig. 1 (moth) [ holotype], stat. resurr. T.l.: Formosa [ Taiwan Island] [mainland China?]. Junior subjective synonym of Brahmaea certhia . T.s.l.: Entomological department of the Sapporo University, Japan. Holotype photograph: Zolotuhin 2016: [pl.] 2, fig. 5.

Brahmaea porphyria Chu & Wang, 1977: 83 , 84, fig. 4 (moth) [not indicated holotype or paratype]. T.l.: China, Chekiang [ Zhejiang], Tienmushan [Tianmushan]. Junior subjective synonym of Brahmaea certhia . T.s.l.: Insect Museum of Peking Institute of Zoology (Insect Collection of the Institute of Zoology), Academia Sinica. First synonymisation: Yang 1978: 426.

Brahmaea separata Yang & Zhang in Zhang & Yang, 1994 (1994a): 112, figs 1 (uncus), 2 (valva), 5 (moth dorsally), 6 (moth ventrally) [ holotype], syn. nov. of Brahmaea certhia . T.l.: [ China], Hubei, Wuchang. T.s.l.: Insect Collection of Beijing Agricultural University .

Brahmaea recta Yang & Zhang in Zhang & Yang, 1994 (1994a): 112, figs 3 (uncus), 4 (valva), 7 (moth dorsally), 8 (moth ventrally) [ holotype], syn. nov. of Brahmaea certhia . T.l.: [ China], Zhejiang, Xitianmushan [West Tianmu Mountain, Tianmushan] . T.s.l.: Insect Collection of Beijing Agricultural University .

Brahmaea goniata Zhang &Yang, 1994 ( Zhang &Yang 1994b): 276, figs 1 (moth dorsally), 2 (moth ventrally), 3 (valva), 4 (uncus) [not indicated holotype or paratype], syn. nov. of Brahmaea certhia . T.l.: [ China], Shaanxi, Zhenan. T.s.l.: Insect Collection of Beijing Agricultural University .

Material examined. ZIN: China: 1♂, Berg Paoschan b.[ei] Nanking, China sept. or. | Kollektsiya A.A. Bundelya [ Jiangsu, Jurong, Baohua Mountain, 32°08′N 119°06′E, A.A. Bundel coll.] GoogleMaps ; 1♂, 39. | coll. O. John [China, locality unknown]. North Korea: 1♂, Pung Tung / 20.06.[18]84 Herz | Kol. Vel. Kn. Nikolaya Mikhaylovicha [? Nungdong , 38°23′N 127°38′E, ~ 4 km SE of Kimhwa-up, 38°25′N 127°36′E, Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich coll.]. Moth web photographs: Table 8. Molecular samples: Table 9 GoogleMaps .

Taxonomic notes. Brahmaea separata and Brahmaea recta are described based on the single specimens, slightly deviating from the typical moths of Brahmaea certhia in the wing pattern. But they have all the key diagnostic characters of the species both in external features and in the structure of the male genitalia. Brahmaea goniata , judging by the description and illustrations, is a typical Brahmaea certhia . Therefore, we synonymise Brahmaea separata , Brahmaea recta and Brahmaea goniata with Brahmaea certhia .

For Brahmaea bicolor Matsumura, 1921 , the type locality was originally indicated as “Formosa” with remarks that “exact habitat being not well known” ( Matsumura 1921: 936). However, there is no other data on the Brahmaea certhia from Taiwan Island. Zolotuhin (2016) proposed “ Korea ” as a type locality for the Matsumura’s taxon, but here are no reasons for this decision. The holotype has on the forewing a rather deep notch of postmedial pocket of bands between the veins CuA2–1A+2A, which is typical for moths from continental China, but in moths from South Korea this notch is noticeably less deep. It is possible that the type specimen could have been brought to Taiwan from China by a ship with goods, since similar modern introduction of Brahmaea certhia to South Korea probably from China is known ( Kang et al. 2019).

Distribution. China (south of Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Shandong, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Yunnan; Leech (1898) and Mell (1930) reported this species from northwest Jiangxi, from “Kiukiang” (Jiujiang) and “Kuling” (Guling) respectively; Yang (1978) indicated also Henan), south of North Korea, South Korea (except Ulleungdo and Jeju) ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 ).

Ecology and preimaginal stages. From the literatures and internet data, in China the moths were recorded from mid-March to early September, which is consistent with Mell’s (1930) reports of 2–3 generations of Brahmaea certhia in Shanghai (citing a written communication from Höne). In South Korea, moths were recorded from late May to late August, and the species develops in two generations ( Yoon 1991). Based on the iNatiralist website data, the species occurs from plains to mid-mountains mostly up to 400–500 m a.s.l., in China on the south of its area up to 800 m a.s.l. in Ningbo (iNatiralist observation 18707388) and at 1500 and 2400 m s.a.l. in Yunnan (BOLD sequences ID SARBB937-09 and SARBB1306-09). Mell (1930) reported this species from “Kuling [Guling], 1200 m ” (northwest Jiangxi). The northern border of Brahmaea certhia distribution is located near the line Beijing —Liaodong—Pyongyang—Wonsan, which runs approximately along 39°– 40° north latitude. These areas are characterised by moderately cold winters with average January temperatures of -3 °C … -5 °C and absolute minimums of not lower than -20 °C … -25 °C.

Egg, larva and pupa are described in detail in literatures ( Mell 1930; Owada 1987; Heo 2012; Paukstadt & Paukstadt 2017a; Wu 2017). In China larvae feed on Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. , “ Ligustrum ibota amurense Carr. ” (= Ligustrum obtusifolium Siebold & Zucc. ) ( Mell 1930), Ligustrum lucidum W. T. Aiton and Ligustrum quihoui Carrière ( Wu 2017) , in South Korea on Ligustrum obtusifolium Siebold & Zucc. , Syringa oblata subsp. dilatata (Nakai) P.S. Green & M.C. Chang , Forsythia koreana Nakai and Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance ( Yoon 1991; Heo 2012). Yoon (1991) noted that after eating all the leaves on the typical host plants, the larvae then ate leaves on the shrubs of Euonymus japonicus Thunb. , growing around them.