Tuesday, 25 June 2013

New species of moth found in China

Moth with striking pattern new to science
June 2013. During a spring expedition to north-west Yunnan, a striking specimen of an undescribed Stenolobawas collected. The new species resembles members of the Stenoloba olivacea species-group but displays clearly recognisable external and genital differences.


The most prominent distinguishing feature, unique within the genus, is the presence of circular orange patches in the forewing. Stenoloba solaris differs from all related species by its forewing's bright lettuce-green colour

Biology and distribution.
The single male was collected with ultraviolet light on 24-25 May 2012 near Zhongdian in northwest China's Yunnan province in the remote Baima Xue mountain range. The new species was collected at an elevation of 3200 metres in a wide river valley near mountain mixed forests dominated by various conifer trees, bushes and rhododendron.

Information and images (C) 2013 Oleg Pekarsky - Via Zookeys Journal 

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