Samia beekei Paukstadt & Paukstadt, 2012

Samia beekei Paukstadt & Paukstadt, 2012 View in CoL

Figs 4E–J View Figure 4 , 17I–J View Figure 17

Material examined. LAOS: Champasak Province, dry monsoon forest, 14°36'26"N, 105°53'55"E, 04– 09.07.2023, E. Spitsyna & V. Spitsyn leg. – 1♂, 1♀ GoogleMaps ; Bolaven Plateau, Champasak Province, Paksong town , mountain tropical forest and pine plantations, 15°10'54"N, 106°14'25"E, 25– 28.07.2023, E. Spitsyna & V. Spitsyn leg. – 4♂ GoogleMaps ; Bolaven Plateau, Sekong Province, Thateng town , mountain tropical forest, 15°24'16"N, 106°22'58"E, 21– 25.07.2023, E. Spitsyna & V. Spitsyn leg. – 2♂ GoogleMaps ; Attopu Province, tropical forest, 14°44'08"N, 107°29'17"E, 10– 17.07.2023, E. Spitsyna & V. Spitsyn leg. – 3♂ GoogleMaps ; Luang Namtha Province, Viangphoukha town , tropical forest, 20°40'58"N, 101°03'28"E, 23.05.2016, V. Spitsyn leg. – 1♂ GoogleMaps ; Phongsaly Province, Phongsaly town, mountain tropical forest, 21°41'34"N, 102°06'19"E, 29.07– 02.08.2024, V. Spitsyn & E. Spitsyna leg. – 4♂, 4♀ GoogleMaps ; the same locality and collectors, 06– 09.08.2024 – 7♂, 2♀ GoogleMaps ; Phongsaly Province, Boun Neua town , mountain tropical forest, 21°37'23"N, 101°55'36"E, 02– 05.08.2024, V. Spitsyn & E. Spitsyna leg. – 6♂ GoogleMaps ; the same locality and collectors, 15– 16.08.2024 – 3♂, 1♀ GoogleMaps ; Phongsaly Province, mountain tropical forest, 21°37'18"N, 101°57'06"E, 03– 04.08.2024, V. Spitsyn & E. Spitsyna leg. – 2♂ GoogleMaps ; the same locality and collectors, 12– 13.08.2024 – 2♂, 1♀ GoogleMaps .

Distribution in Laos. Phongsaly Province, Luang Namtha Province, Champasak Province, Sekong Province, Attopu Province (this study), and Vientiane Province (BOLD).

Reference COI barcode sequences. GenBank acc. no. PV069517–PV069525, PV069560– PV069574.

Remarks. (1) The first record from Laos. (2) BOLD contains the COI sequence of the holotype (sample ID SAUPA666-12). (3) The records of “ Samia kohlli Naumann & Peigler 2001 ” from Laos ( Naumann & Peigler 2001), in all probability, belong to Samia beekei Paukstadt & Paukstadt, 2012 . There are no sequences of S. kohlli confirming the occurrence of this species beyond its type locality (“West Malaysia, Pahang prov., Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata”). (4) S. beekei is phylogenetically close to Samia vanschaycki Brechlin, 2014 [TL: “ China, Prov. Yunnan, Yinjiang of W Yunnan, near border to Myanmar ”], the taxonomic status of which needs further revision. (5) Since the original description is unavailable to the public, we present a brief redescription of the taxon, as well as illustrations of the adults of both sexes and the male genitalia ( Figs 4E–J View Figure 4 , 17I–J View Figure 17 ) based on the specimens collected from southern and northern Laos. The redescription includes only those morphological features that are barely visible in the photographs.

Diagnosis. S. beekei is similar to S. vanschaycki . Since the original description of the latter is also unavailable, the diagnostic comparison of both species is provided only based on molecular data. S. beekei can be distinguished from S. vanschaycki by 6 fixed nucleotide substitutions in the COI gene fragment: 158C, 173C, 269A, 413T, 563A, 626A. S. beekei is also externally similar to Samia wangi Naumann & Peigler, 2001 [TL: China, Guangdong Province, Huiji, Duang Mt.], but differs from it by the larger basal saccular process of the valva.

Brief redescription. Male morphology ( Fig. 4E, G, I, J View Figure 4 ): Wingspan 104–130 mm, forewing length 60–81 mm (n = 34). Head brown with white band at base of antenna. Frons with long, white, brown and grey scales. Eye black or brown. Antenna quadripectinate, brown. Labial palp short (its length ca. one of eye diameter), brown, with white scales at apex. Thorax brown with white band at posterior margin. Patagium brown with white band. Tegula brown. Legs brown with white bunches of scales at tarsal segments; outer surface of femur white. Abdomen light brown, with three rows of white spots dorsally, two white bands ventrally, and two white bands laterally (two from each side); ventral and lateral white bands divided into separated spots in some specimens; base of abdomen with white band. Female morphology ( Fig. 4F, H View Figure 4 ): Similar to male, but having wider wings. Wingspan 118–131 mm, forewing length 70–81 mm (n = 8). Head brown with white band at base of antenna. Frons with long, white, brown and grey scales. Eye brown. Antenna quadripectinate, brown; rami slightly shorter than in males. Labial palp short (its length ca. one of eye diameter), brown, with white scales at apex. Thorax brown with white band at posterior margin. Patagium brown with white band. Tegula brown. Legs brown with white bunches of scales at tarsal segments; outer surface of femur white. Abdomen light brown, with three rows of white spots dorsally, two narrow white bands ventrally, and two broad white bands laterally (two from each side); ventral and lateral white bands divided into separated spots in some specimens; base of abdomen with white band.