Hyles chuvilini Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998, Herbipoliana 4: 275. Type locality: Russia, Khakasia [Khakasskaya], Abakan, Red Lake, about 53°30'N 91°30'E.
Note. Danner et al. (1998) separated H. chuvilini from Hyles costata (von Nordmann) based on minor differences of colour pattern and male genitalia. In view of known morphological variation within other desertic species of Hyles, the strong possibility remains that these two taxa are conspecific. We were unable to examine sufficient specimens to resolve this issue or to separate the below records, although most would probably be referrable to H. chuvilini.
Note. There is a further taxonomic problem. Records of H. chuvilini from Xizang/Tibet and western Yunnan indicate that Hyles nervosa (Rothschild & Jordan) and H. chuvilini may be the same species.
China: 4.v (Jiangsu); vi (S Gansu, 1000-1400m); 30.vi-7.vii (Beijing); vi-vii (Hebei); 21.vii (Nei Mongol); vii (Heilongjiang). Mongolia: 6.viii (Ubsu Nuur). Russia: 23.vii (Amurskaya).
There are two generations in northern China, with adults flying between June and September (Yang, 1978).
OVUM:
LARVA:
PUPA:
Larval hostplants. Unknown in China, but A.V. Chuvilin found larvae on a species of Euphorbia by the Yenisey River, Tuvinskaya ASSR, Russia (Danner et al., 1998). H. costata was recorded in northern China on unspecified Euphorbiaceae by Yang (1978).
Unknown.
China (including Hyles costata): Xinjiang (Altai Mountains); Nei Mongol (Great Khingan Mountains, Zalantun/Butha Qi; Ximong, 1100m); Heilongjiang (??Buchalu, Xiao Hinggan Ling, 1100m); Hebei (Beidaihe; Tianjin; Shijiazhuang); Beijing; Shandong (Qingdao); Shaanxi; Gansu; Jiangsu (Longtan); ?Yunnan (west).
Common over the northern half (Loess Plateau) of Shaanxi, China, but absent as a breeding species south of Xi'an (A.R. Pittaway, pers. obs).
Mongolia Ubsu Nuur.
Russia: Altai; Siberia; Tuva ASSR; Transbaikalia (Kiachta); Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk).
Recorded from Mongolia, northeastern China and adjacent areas of Russia (where it co-occurs with H. costata), and also further south in China, in Shaanxi and Shandong (Danner et al., 1998). Zhao & Hu (1987) recorded this taxon (as Celerio costata) from Xigazê (3836m), Gyangzê (4050m) and Yadong (2900m) in Xizang/Tibet, but the specimens in question may be misidentified Hyles nervosa (Rothschild & Jordan) or Hyles livornica (Esper). However, the moth illustrated by Chu & Wang (1982) from Nyalam, Xizang/Tibet, is definitely H. chuvilini (although misidentified as Hyles gallii von Rottemburg).
Holarctic; eastern Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Sinopacific refugium.
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