Brahmaea tancrei diastemata ( Zhang & Yang, 1993 ) Beljaev & Makhov, 2025

Brahmaea tancrei diastemata ( Zhang & Yang, 1993) , stat. nov.

( Figs 4 View FIGURES 1–4 , 10, 15 View FIGURES 9–17 )

Brachygnatha diastemata Zhang & Yang, 1993: 49 (Chinese) , 50 (English), figs 1 (male genitalia), 2 (gnathos), 5 (moth dorsally), 6 (moth ventrally) [ holotype] . T.l.: [ China], Shaanxi, Taibaishan, Haoping . T.s.l.: Insect Collection of the Beijing Agricultural University .

Material examined. ZIN: China: 1♀, 100 km W of Beijing 6–8 VII 2006 V. Krivokhatsky | Taihang Mts., 1100 m Xiao Longmeng Nat. Forest Park [ Beijing, Xiaolongmen, 39°57′N 115°29′E, V. Krivokhatsky leg.]. Moth web photographs: Table 6. Molecular samples: Table 7 GoogleMaps .

Distribution. China ( Hebei, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan; Chu & Wang (1977) indicated Zhejiang (Tianmushan) for “B rahmaea ledereri ”, Zhangn et al. (1999) also indicated Ningxia for “ Brachygnatha ”; the mention of “ Brahmaea ledereri ” from Shanghai by Conte (1911) may refer to Brahmaea tancrei diastemata , but it is unlikely that this specimen could have been collected directly in Shanghai) ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 ).

Ecology and preimaginal stages. From the literatures and internet data, moths occur from end of April to mid-August, and possibly the subspecies develops in two generations per year. Mountain subspecies, observed on elevations from 800 up to 2750 m, mostly— 900–1600 m a.s.l. The physical-geographical boundary separating the areas of Brahmaea tancrei tancrei and Brahmaea tancrei diastemata is the Liaohe Plain in Liaoning Province.

Data on the preimaginal stages are insufficient. Yang (1978) noted that larvae of “ Brahmaea undulata ” (= Brahmaea tancrei diastemata ) were collected in Baihushan ( Beijing) from the Syringa oblata Lindl. Zhu & Wang (1983) briefly described larva of “ Brahmaea christophi ” (= Brahmaea tancrei diastemata ) from the same locality: “The larvae are lighter in colour than the above species [ Brahmaea certhia ], almost white with light black spots, with bright red spots on the back of the third segment, and red spiracles; the larvae live scattered in shaded and moist places, and damage the genus Fraxinus L. in July and August. The pupa is black and thick, with two tubercles on the back of the chest, and pupates in mosses or under stones” ( Zhu & Wang 1983: 414, in Chinese). This description corresponds to Brahmaea tancrei . However, description of larva of “ Brahmaea ledereri ” from Xitianmushan ( Zhu & Wang 1983: 415) corresponds to Brahmaea certhia , whereas the photograph of the moth ( Zhu & Wang 1983: fig. 2987) agrees with Brahmaea tancrei diastemata .