Ambulyx semiplacida Inoue, 1990, Tinea 12: 248. Type locality: Taiwan, Nantou Hsien, Lushan Spa, 1200m.
Similar to Ambulyx placida Moore, 1888, but forewing upperside subterminal line more strongly arched and the yellow proximal border is broader; abdominal sternum 8 of the male is more strongly bilobed. The colour also tends to be a slightly bit darker. Forewing broader and wider, upperside ground colour purplish-grey, the subbasal black spot much larger than in Ambulyx placida, black discal spot conspicuous, subterminal line more strongly arched and the line of yellow scales along the inner edge much broader; underside—almost the same as the upperside but ground yellowish-orange, covered with dense scattered greyish scales. Hindwing—upperside pale yellow covered with dense scattered black scales; underside—almost the same as the upperside but ground colour in yellowish-orange and pattern paler (Jiang, Kitching, Xu, Xu, Yan, Yu, Liu & Hu, 2025).
Male genitalia similar to Ambulyx placida but gnathos bilobed medially. Dorsal lobe of sacculus and harpe more strongly separated, each tending to be straighter than those in Ambulyx placida. Phallus posterior lobe sharp and longer, a large tooth laterally rather than terminally (Jiang, Kitching, Xu, Xu, Yan, Yu, Liu & Hu, 2025).
Unrecorded.
Taiwan: iii-iv (Nantou Hsien); v (Chiayi Hsien; Nantou Hsien); 2.vi (Nantou Hsien); 6.x (Yilan Hsien).
OVUM: Unrecorded.
LARVA: Unrecorded.
PUPA: Unrecorded.
Larval hostplants. Recorded from Pistacia chinensis.
Unknown.
Taiwan: Nantou Hsien (Lushan Spa, 1200m; Hotso; Renluen, 1400m; Xinyi township, Wangxiang, 2300m); Taitung Hsian; Pingtung Hsien; Chiayi Hsien (Alishan, 1450m); Yilan Hsien.
Endemic to Taiwan.
[The 'Ambulyx semiplacida' described from China (Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi), and northeastern India (Assam), are Ambulyx semiplacida interplacida Brechlin, 2006 and Ambulyx semiplacida bhutana Brechlin, 2014, respectively (Haxaire & Melichar, 2023)].
Map: Distribution of species of the Ambulyx placida-group: Ambulyx japonica japonica (blue dots); Ambulyx japonica koreana (pink patch); Ambulyx japonica angustifasciata (green dots); Ambulyx placida (ochre squares); Ambulyx semiplacida semiplacida (red dots); Ambulyx semiplacida montana (black dots); Ambulyx semiplacida interplacida (orange patch); Ambulyx semiplacida bhutana (yellow dots); and Ambulyx wukong (purple squares). (© Jiang, Kitching, Xu, Xu, Yan, Yu, Liu & Hu, 2025).
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