NEORIS CODYI (Peigler, 1996) -- Cody's Emperor Moth

UK: Cody's Emperor Moth.

Type locality: Pakistan, Northwest Frontier Province, Ghizar Mountains, Yasin.

(Taxonomic note. Some recent taxonomic works place this species in the genus Saturnia.)

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION

Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Sindian refuge.

ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION

Wingspan 110--116mm. According to Peigler (1996), a very distinct species, with the submarginal area of all four wings pale-to-dark chocolate-brown in most individuals, giving the illusion that the postmedian line has a much stronger white component in both forewing and hindwing. The postmedian line is much smoother in the hindwing than in other species. In the forewing, the postmedian line is not drawn inwards as far at the anal margin than in other species. The antemedian line is weakly defined, even more so than in Neoris huttoni Moore, 1862. A band of similar colour runs across the eye-spots on both the upper- and undersides of each wing. The eye-spots themselves are smaller than in other species of Neoris, the wings proportionately more rounded and broader, and the median notch of the male valve is reduced. However, some individuals are similar to darker forms of Neoris huttoni in both colour and patterning.

ADULT BIOLOGY

Found around 4000m altitude.

FLIGHT-TIME

Mid August to early September as one generation.

EARLY STAGES

Unknown.

PARASITOIDS

Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION

The Hindu Kush mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, and western Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, and from here westwards into northeastern Afghanistan and eastwards into Jammu & Kashmir, India (Naumann, Löffler & Nässig, 2017).

Extra-limital range. None.

OTHER SUBSPECIES

None.