w/e moth spp. list

[Roger C. KENDRICK]

Hi Mark (and fellow Lep-listers),

Mark Walker wrote:

> Roger,
>
> A few questions:
>
> How in the world can you identify all of these moths?

Long hard graft using all means possible - much time was put in at the Natural
History Museum, London, by A.C.Galsworthy, who identified (with help from
several of the BMNH staff) most of the HK macromoths, indeed he has described at
least 27 species new to science that occur in HK. I have also spent several
months of time in the BMNH doing much the same for the micro-leps. Other sources
include the Moths of Borneo series, other publications covering Australia, Fiji,
Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and mainland China, South-east Asia as well as many
journals dealing with more specific areas (often just a couple of species). My
thesis reference list currently contains over 300 relevent moth taxonomy /
"field" guide citations, although it would be greater if I'd included all the
literature for temperate East Asia as well. I have also initiated and maintained
a reference collection (currently somewhere around 2800 specimens of about 1750
species) to back up my observations.

>  You must surely often find some that are not described or pictured?

Most of the macros are already described (principally of Himalayan origin, so
covered by the Moths of India volumes from 100 years ago). The micros are
proving a little (understatement :-)!!) more awkward to label. The Pyralidae,
Tortricidae and Thyrididae are mostly described, but for the Tineoid and
Gelechioid groups there are many species that await identification to genus,
never mind actually putting a species name on them. Getting hold of
illustrations of the micros means sifting through the journals, but usually
using the Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia as a starting
point. More often than not, I get something identified to genus this way, but
there are many undescribed species, so I guess I'll be putting some of that
right in the future.

>  You H.K. Lep Soc. people have your work cut out for you.

Sure do!!  If anyone wants to do some voluntary work here, we would be very
appreciative of the help! - its a great excuse to have a butterfly/moth watching
holiday!!

> Oh, and by the way - I hope that species lists and field reports never
> become un-vogue.  I might find myself with little to say...
>
> Naw, that would never happen.

:-)

cheers,

Roger.

--
Roger C. KENDRICK
  Demonstrator / Ph.D. Student
  Dept. of Ecology & Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong
  mailto:kendrick at hkusua.hku.hk

mailing address:
  Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong
  Lam Kam Road, Shek Kong, Yuen Long, New Territories, HONG KONG

Hong Kong Moths website coordinator
  http://web.hku.hk/~kendrick/hkmoth.htm

HK Lepidoptera Group webmaster (English version)
  http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1085/

HK Lepidopterists' Society (English version) [NEW]
  http://members.xoom.com/hkls/
  (may be redesignated to http://www.hkls.org)
  (and will eventually replace the HKLG site)