Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic

DAHIRA JITKAE Haxaire & Melichar, 2007

Male Dahira jitkae (upperside), Sichuan, China. Photo: © Jean Haxaire

Male Dahira jitkae (underside), Sichuan, China. Photo: © Jean Haxaire

Male Dahira jitkae (upperside), Huangshaping, Huaihua, Hunan, China, 3-13 viii 2021, 800-850m. Photo: © Xu ZhenBang

Male Dahira jitkae (underside), Huangshaping, Huaihua, Hunan, China, 3-13 viii 2021, 800-850m. Photo: © Xu ZhenBang

TAXONOMY

Dahira jitkae Haxaire & Melichar, 2007, European Entomologist 1(1): 20. Type locality: China, Sichuan, 10Km NW Miansi, 31°27'N 103°23'E, 1300m.

ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION

Wingspan: 50mm. Visually, very similar to the related species Dahira niphaphylla, but with markedly different male genitalia. In Dahira jitkae these are characterized by the very strongly curved apical process of the phallus, with only a pair of small apical teeth. In Dahira niphaphylla and Dahira haxairei the apical process is spatulate and bordered by a row of fine teeth (Haxaire, Melichar & Manjunatha, 2021).

Male genitalia of Dahira jitkae, Sichuan, China. Photo: © Jean Haxaire

ADULT BIOLOGY

Occurs at around 700-1300m altitude.

FLIGHT-TIME

China: 4-10.iv (Sichuan); viii (Huaihua).

EARLY STAGES

OVUM: Unknown.

LARVA: Unknown.

PUPA: Unknown.

Larval hostplants. Unknown.

PARASITOIDS

Unknown.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTION

China: Sichuan (near Miansi); Hunan (Huaihua, 800-850m).

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

Endemic to southern China.

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION

Holarctic; eastern Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Yunnan refugium.

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