RHAGASTIS CASTOR FORMOSANA Clark, 1925

Female Rhagastis castor formosana. Photo: © BMNH Male Rhagastis castor formosana. Photo: © BMNH

TAXONOMY

Rhagastis aurifera formosana Clark, 1925, Proc. New Engl. zool. Club 9: 37. Type locality: Central Formosa [Taiwan, Nantou Hsien], Horisha [Puli].


ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION

Adult Rhagastis castor formosana, Taiwan. Photo: © Felix Lin.

Wingspan: 53--68mm.


ADULT BIOLOGY


FLIGHT-TIME

Taiwan: iii-xi (Hualien Hsien); iii-v (Kaohsiung Hsien); viii (Ilan Hsien).


EARLY STAGES

OVUM:

LARVA:


Final instar larva of Rhagastis castor formosana. Photo: © Hsu TienChuen

PUPA:

Larval hostplants. Saurauia.


PARASITOIDS


LOCAL DISTRIBUTION

Taiwan: Hualien Hsien (Taroko National Park); Nantou Hsien (Puli); Ilan Hsien (Taipingshan); Kaohsiung Hsien (Shanping, 640m; nr. Tuona, 12km SE of Shanping, 750m); Taipei Hsien (Fushan).


GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

Endemic to Taiwan.


Global distribution of Rhagastis castor formosana. Map: © BMNH.

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION


Return to Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic species list
© A.R. Pittaway & I.J. Kitching (The Natural History Museum, London)