Samia kohlli Naumann & Peigler, 2001

Wu, Yujie, Peigler, Richard S. & Liu, Zhengyang, 2025, Ecological observations on the genus Samia Hübner, 1819 (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae) of China, especially the natural hostplants, Nota Lepidopterologica 48, pp. 251-268 : 251-268

3. Samia kohlli Naumann & Peigler, 2001

Fig. 1 E, F

Material examined.

YUNNAN: ( AD): A cluster of seven ovum shells, pyramidal (three-layer, 4-2 - 1), attached on the leaf underside (Fig. 3 B ), and a cluster of four L 1 larvae (Fig. 3 F ), one solitary L 3 (Fig. 3 H ) and two solitary mature larvae (Fig. 3 L ); Z. armatum , Coriaria nepalensis ( Coriariaceae ); Xishan Hills Park, Xishan District, Kunming, 2105 m; 06 and 24 September 2021. ( AD): One empty cocoon; an unknown plant closed to C. officinarum ; Xishan Hills Park, Xishan District, Kunming, 2102 m; 01 May 2021. ( AD): Four L 3 larvae; C. nepalensis ; Fengyuan Road, Panlong District, Kunming, 1964 m; 18 August 2023. ( AD): One cocoon; C. officinarum ; Songhuaba, Panlong District, 2262 m; 22 February 2025. ( AD): A cluster of eleven L 1 larvae; Camphora septentrionalis ; Songhuaba, Panlong District, 2239 m; 08 September 2025. ( AD): Twelve L 5 larvae; Litsea rubescens ; Songhuaba, Panlong District, 2187 m; 07 October 2025. ( OD): Three L 4 larvae; H. acerba ; Kunming Botanical Garden, Panlong District, Kunming, ca. 1990 m; 09 September 2020. ( OD): A mature larva; Lagerstroemia tomentosa ( Lythraceae ); Kunming Botanical Garden, Panlong District, Kunming, ca. 1990 m; 04 October 2020. ( OD): A mature larva; found on the ground, its hostplant unknown; Gongdangshenshan, Bingzhongluo Town, Gongshan County, Nujiang, ca. 2000 m; 09 July 2023. ( OD): Two L 4 larvae and six mature larvae; Z. armatum , Toddalia asiatica ( Rutaceae ); Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Menglun Town, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, ca. 600 m; 03 November 2016 and 27 November 2017.

Notes.

In China, this polyphagous species is distributed only in the southwestern provinces such as southeastern Tibet and most of Yunnan, also recorded from the western border of Guangxi ( Peigler and Naumann 2003: 136). In a previous Chinese publication, Wu provided preimaginal images only ( Wu 2017: 130). Generally, the adults of S. kohlli are the largest compared to the other species in the genus, and usually have a brighter colour tone than the other southern China flyer —— S. wangi ; but some individuals show a darker taupe colour. Oviposition usually occurs on the underside of leaves and there are less than ten eggs per group. Although it is sometimes difficult to directly identify this species without dissecting adult moths or molecular sequencing, each of the dorsal scoli on the 9 th abdominal segment [A 9] in the final larval instar (L 5) shows a red tip., This feature clearly distinguishes it from related species in China (see also section 6). There are possibly one or two generations per year in the wild of western and central Yunnan, and possibly more in the southern tropics. In subtropical regions of Yunnan, this species overwinters as a pupa (it is unknown whether this occurs in tropical areas). The pupa is protected within a brownish, peduncled cocoon that is typically attached to the food plant, although some individuals may leave the host after feeding. Furthermore, there are no records of this species being bred or collected for the silk industry.

Figures

Figure 1. Adults of Samia spp. from China, dorsal views. A. S. cynthia ♂, Heshan, Donggang District, Rizhao, Shandong, ca. 334 m, 24 March 2024; B. S. cynthia ♀, Beijing Botanical Garden, Haidian District, Beijing, ca. 316 m, March 2024; C. S. wangi ♂, Longjiang Township, Yongfu County, Guilin, Guangxi, ca. 214 m, 20 March 2024; D. S. wangi ♀, Linfengshan, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ca. 370 m, 22 April 2024; E. S. kohlli ♂, Tuanjie Township, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan, ca. 2200 m, September 2023; F. S. kohlli ♀, Gejiu, Honghe Hani Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, ca. 1780 m, 26 July 2023. Scale bar: 3 cm.

Figure 3. Preimaginal materials of Samia spp. of China. A – I, K – M, P. Individuals photographed in the wild. N, O, Q. Captive individuals. A. Ova of S. wangi on leaf underside of Styrax sp., Hangzhou; B. Ovum shells of S. kohlli on leaf underside of Z. armatum, Kunming; C. Ovum shells of S. watsoni on leaf upperside of P. corymbosus, Hangzhou; D. Ovum shells of S. watsoni on leaf upperside of S. gemmata, Hangzhou; E. Larval cluster of S. wangi L 3, dorsal view, on leaf underside of H. acerba, Hangzhou; F. Larval cluster of S. kohlli L 2 (pre-ecdysis), dorsal view, on leaf underside of Z. armatum, Kunming; G. S. watsoni L 2, dorsal view, on leaf underside of P. corymbosus, Hangzhou; H. S. kohlli L 3, dorsal view, on the leaf underside of C. nepalensis, Kunming; I. S. watsoni L 4, dorsolateral view, on leaf underside of P. corymbosus, Hangzhou; J. S. cynthia L 5 (mature), dorsolateral view, on C. officinarum; K. S. wangi L 5 (mature), lateral view, on S. japonica, Hangzhou; L. S. kohlli L 5 (mature), lateral view, on C. nepalensis, Kunming; M. S. canningi L 5 (mature), lateral view, on Zanthoxylum sp., Xishuangbanna; N. S. ricini L 5 (mature), lateral view, on C. nepalensis; O. S. watsoni L 5 (mature), lateral view, on P. corymbosus; P. Cocoon of S. wangi, on C. officinarum, Shanghai; Q. Cocoon of S. watsoni, on P. corymbosus.