Hong Kong Arthropods - help needed

[Roger C. KENDRICK]

Hi Kevin and fellow Leps-L readers,

I've taken a look at the seven leps illustrated. [btw Kevin, please use a
scale bar, e.g. |-----| = 2 cm, rather than a "times 0.5" type scale - a
practice that causes problems on different screen resolutions!].

There are a few problems in the i/d, but tentative determinations are as
follows (numbered one through seven from top to bottom, reading left to
right as one goes down)

1. probably _Lophophelma calaurops_ (a geometrine Geometridae) - the
underside is much lighter, suffused with yellow basally, a black rectangular
discal f/w rectangle, the post-medial to terminal area in black and a white
fringe. This is a common species in H.K. The posture illustrated, however,
is not typical as this species usually rests flat in an almost "set
specimen" position.

2. Only two true clearwing (Sesiidae) species are known to occur; one quite
commonly on Camphor and this may be that species (name not immediately at
hand). The illustration of the abdomen with a "fanned" last few abdominal
segments rules out any of the Wasp Moth group (Arctiidae: Ctenuchinae) of
which there are seven or eight species in H.K.

3. This is a _Eurema_ species, probably _hecabe_, although I can't rule out
_brigitta_ until the underside is illustrated (Pieridae). Widespread and
common in H.K.

4. _Eligma narcissus_ (Noctuidae, Sarrothripinae). Widespread in H.K. and
very common last November - on one occasion I counted a dozen resting near
fluorescent strip lights near the Hong Kong Bank on the University campus
during the day.

5. _Paracymoriza_ sp., probably new to science. I have only one specimen of
this species (from Tai Po Kau Special Area) and there is no other material
of this species from the collections I have seen, including the Natural
History Museum, London; Bishop Museum, Honolulu; USNM, Washington DC and the
Munroe collection in Ottawa (Agriculture Canada). It is a Nymphulinae
(Pyralidae s.l.).

6. I can only think this is _Marumba dyras_ (Sphingidae, Macroglossinae) as
this is the only sizeable sphingid in H.K. with the crenulate wing termen
(see http://web.hku.hk/~kendrick/sph/mar-dyra.htm for a photo of this
species). A common species in H.K. (one of the most abundant sphingids)

7. _Macroglossum stelletarum_: the only species with a fully orange h/w in
H.K. (Sphingidae, Macroglossinae). The only previous record of this species
in Hong Kong was from The Peak on H.K. Island, just a mile or so from the
University.

Hope this helps.

best regards,

Roger.
==================================================
K.J.Caley wrote:

> Hello all!
> Can anyone help in the identification of Hong Kong insects, including a
> number of moths?
>
> I have just created a preliminary web-page which shows some of the wee
> beasties that I couldn't identify to species level.  Each has some
> relevant information, e.g. what I think the critter is, but some as yet
> lack dimensions such as body lengths and wingspans - which I will put on
> soon.  Scientific names would be greatly appreciated!
>
> The web site is -
>
> http://vsb.nott.ac.uk/~plzkjc/hkins.html


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