Brahmaea certhia (Fabricius, 1793)

Key to species and subspecies in the Brahmaea certhia species group

1. Head unicolourous brownish black; flagellum and pectinae of antenna brownish black; short, rounded, almost wide as long; forewing dorsally with light lines of antemedial band packet between the Rs and M1 veins separating into sickle-shaped, hook-shaped or / and spot-shaped fragments; forewing and hindwing ventrally in basal portion with oblique light lines and spots; forewing with fork of veins Rs1–Rs2 long, starting into median field of wing basal to the postmedial band packet and in length reaching no less than 2/3 length of Rs3–Rs4 fork; abdomen dorsally with transverse intersegmental stripes of ochre-yellow scales; in male genitalia median dilation of gnathos bilobate with large teeth on lobes dorsally, valva oblong, length of valva along dorsal margin approximately twice as width of valval base along vinculum, harpe (apex of sacculus) wide lamellar........................................................................................ Brahmaea certhia

– Head brownish black with transversal band of yellow scales between scapi; flagellum and pectinae of antenna light brownish yellow; labial palpus with third segment almost twice as long as wide; forewing dorsally with uninterrupted light lines of antemedial band packet between the Rs and M1 veins; forewing and hindwing ventrally in basal portion uniformly black, without light lines or spots; forewing with fork of veins Rs1–Rs2 short, starting into postmedial band packet of wing and in length reaching no more than ½ length of Rs3–Rs4 fork, rarely Rs1 and Rs2 completely fused; abdomen dorsally black, without light intersegmental scales; in male genitalia median dilation of gnathos entire, spatulate, without visible serrations, valvae triangular, widened towards base, length of valva along dorsal margin no more than 1.5 times greater than width of valval base along vinculum, harpe (apex of the sacculus) in form of narrow, oblong process.................. Brahmaea tanctei ( 2)

2. In forewing dorsally postmedial band packet between veins CuA2 and 1A+2A with prominent notch comparable in depth to its width between these veins; first (proximal) line of this packet between vein 1A+2A and posterior margin of wing usually slightly convex or almost straight, without tooth on vein 1A+2A; in hindwing dorsally inner margin of postmedial band packet veins CuA2 and anal margin of wing usually strongly inclined outward; in male genitalia median dilation of gnathos with convex or straight posterior margin, process of harpe long and directed dorsally.............. Brahmaea tancrei tancrei

– In forewing dorsally postmedial band packet between veins CuA2 and 1A+2A with shallow notch, significantly smaller than its width between these veins; first (proximal) line of this packet between vein 1A+2A and posterior margin of wing usually slightly concave and with small tooth on vein 1A+2A; in hindwing dorsally inner margin of postmedial band packet between veins CuA2 and anal margin of wing usually curved weakly or almost straight; in male genitalia median dilation of gnathos with shallow notch on posterior margin, process of harpe short and deflected medially...... Brahmaea tancrei diastemata