Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937

Jiang, Zhuo-Heng, Li, Tao, Yan, Ming, Wang, Jia-Xin, Zheng, Xin-Yi & Hu, Shao-Ji, 2024, The life history of Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937, with a review of the East Asian species of the genus Smerinthus Latreille, 1802 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), Zootaxa 5551 (3), pp. 453-478 : 467-470

Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937 [小n天ë]

( Figures 15–18 )

Smerinthus minor Mell, 1937 , Dt. ent. Z. 1937: 5. TL: ‘Taibai Shan, Shaanxi [ China]’.

Material examined. CHINA: 1♂, 1♀, Huairou , Beijing, 25-VI-2022, Tao Li leg. [ JZHC] ; 6♂♂, Huairou , Beijing, 5-VII-2023, Tao Li leg. [ JZHC] ; 4♂♂, 2♀♀, Huairou , Beijing, 24-VI-2024, Tao Li leg. [ LTC] ; 2♂♂, Mentougou , Beijing, 16-VI-2022, Hao-Lin Gan leg. [ GHLC] ; 1♂, Baoji , Shaanxi, 16-VI-2022, Yu-Xin Shi leg. [ JZHC] .

Diagnosis. Male ( Figure 15A–B ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but body and upperside of wings paler and greyer. Forewing sharper with a pointed apex and a smooth outer edge except for a small protrusion on vein M 3; upperside greyish brown with black curved lines and spots instead of the brown wavy lines of S. kindermannii , greyish white patch near apex and edge; underside similar but more faded, basal to medial area pinkish. Hindwing with posterior half yellowish brown and anterior half black-brown patch with a wide white band, basal area rose pink, complete small black ocellus near tornus with small blue circle, black patch nearby; underside similar to forewing underside but without pink area, medial area with white curved band.

Female ( Figure 15C–D ): Similar to male, but wings broader, ground pattern paler and more extensive, antennae slenderer.

Male genitalia ( Figure 16A–D ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but uncus apex sharper, gnathos sharper and half the length of uncus. Valva more rounded. Sacculus leaf-shaped, basal part narrower and harpe longer than S. kindermannii . Phallus shorter and wider than S. kindermannii , apical process longer, sharper and more curved, lateral sclerite absent.

Female genitalia ( Figure 17 ): Similar to S. kindermannii , but lamella postvaginalis slender and wavy. Ostial lobe narrower. Ductus bursae tubular and broad.

Distribution. Endemic to China (Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang).

Biological notes. This species was collected in high elevation temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, attracted to light at night.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Habitus of Smerinthus minor. A–B. male, Baoji, Shaanxi, China; C–D. female, Huairou, Beijing, China. Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 16. Male genitalia of Smerinthus minor, Baoji, Shaanxi, China. A. Lateral view; B. Left valve; C. Phallus; D.Anterior lobe of the process.

FIGURE 17. Female genitalia of Smerinthus minor, Huairou, Beijing, China.

FIGURE 18. Immature stage and host plant of Smerinthus minor from Huairou, Beijing, China. A. Egg; B. First instar larva; C. Third instar larva; D. Fourth instar larva; E. Fifth instar larva; F. Pupa; G. Host plant, Spiraea trilobata.