Dodia maja Rekelj & Česanek, 2009

Koshkin, Evgeny S., 2024, A review of the genus Dodia Dyar, 1901 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae) with description of a new remarkable species from the Russian Far East, Zootaxa 5458 (1), pp. 53-72 : 65

Dodia maja Rekelj & Česanek, 2009

Dodia maja Rekelj & Česanek, 2009: 276 , figs 1–6, 10, 13, 14, 16–19. Holotype ♂ (HNHM). Type locality: Russia, Far E [east]. Magadanskaia oblast’, Khasinskii okrug, Maimandzhinskii khrebet, Goluboe ozero, km 25 of road to Talaia village , 800– 900 m.

Diagnosis. In habitus Dodia maja is similar to D. kononenkoi and D. transbaikalensis , but differs in darker wing and body coloration, and smaller size. The dorsal margin of the valva is almost straight, its apex has a small rounded process dorsally and a large triangular process ventrally. Vesica is specific, it’s with two spine clusters: one larger near the opening of the seminal duct with 10 to 14 spines, and the second one smaller on the opposite side with 5 to 8 spines ( Rekelj & Česanek 2009).

Distribution. So far, the species is known from a type series that originate from several localities in the Magadan Oblast’ of Russia (Khasynsky and Omsukchansky districts).

Ecology. Inhabits dry mountain tundra at altitudes of 800–1200 m, rocky slopes of south-western exposure. Flight period from mid-June to early July. Adults are active at nightfall, but may fly during cloudy periods of the day. Females wait for males under or between rocks. They lay yellow eggs in groups of 5 to 20 eggs near the cocoon. The first three instars of larva have a black head, pale yellow body and black setae. Under laboratory conditions, larvae were reared on Taraxacum and Plantago ( Rekelj & Česanek 2009) .