(Taxonomic note. The various subspecies and forms of R. komarovi appear to have developed in several isolated refugia during the last (Pleistocene) ice-age. They have since re-established contact and appear to be merging in a manner similar to D. porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758.)
GB: Madder Hawkmoth, RU: Komarova Brazhnik
Deilephila komarovi Christoph, 1885, in Romanoff, Mem. Lepid. 2: 169.Type locality: Askhabad [Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan].
Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Polycentric -- mainly Syrian and Iranian refugia. The isolated population in Europe appears to have been the result of a post-glacial expansion in range, followed by a small contraction.
Wingspan: 55--65mm. Similar to subsp. manifica, but smaller with better-defined, darker markings on the forewings, particularly in more northern examples. The species is confusable only with R. brandti and the other two Rethera species from Afghanistan, but is considerably larger than any of them.
Exhibits little variation except for the intensity of 'tint' colours, which range, ventrally, from pale orange to deep pink. Newly-emerged examples often have a magnificent rose sheen. However, due to the fact that the dorsal green coloration fades in strong sunlight, those collected from drier regions tend to be paler than examples from more verdant areas. The same applies when killing agents such as diethyl ether and ethyl acetate are used.
The presence, width and intensity of black lines and specks on the forewings also varies, with specimens from colder areas being darker and more heavily marked.
Occurs in mountains and hilly areas where it frequents 'vegetation islands' on sparsely vegetated cliffs and rocky slopes which are cold in winter and become parched in summer. Little is known of the behaviour of this species, except that it is attracted to light. In Turkey, especially partial to dry, herb-rich hillsides and vegetation-fringed, dry riverbeds, generally at 600--1600m.
Many individuals are attracted to most forms of light and, by day, seem to have a preference for resting on boulders (Rebel & Zerny, 1934).
Univoltine; mid-April to the second week of June, depending on location and season. In Turkey, from early April/May until late June, depending on altitude, but only during July above 1500m (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998). In the Boguty Mountains of Kazakhstan (east of Alma-Ata), in late May and early June (Eitschberger & Lukhtanov, 1996).
OVUM: Illustrated by Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt (1998) and identical to that of subsp. manifica.
LARVA: Full-fed, 70--90mm. A full-grown larva is illustrated by Pelzer (1991), while Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt (1998) picture every instar. These, as well as the full-grown larva, are identical to that of subsp. manifica.
Occurs during May, June and/or July.
Major Hostplants. Rubia and Galium spp. (Pittaway, 1979a). On Rubia rigidifolia in Armenia (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998).
Minor Hostplants. Reputedly Euphorbia (Melnikow, 1922; Buresch & Tuleschkow, 1931), but this is highly unlikely.
PUPA: As for subsp. manifica, but smaller. The overwintering stage.
None recorded.
The mountains of eastern Albania (Rebel & Zerny, 1934; Eichler & Friese, 1965), southern Yugoslavia, northern Greece and southern Bulgaria (Ganev, 1984; S. V. Beschkow, pers. comm.) as an isolated population. Then western, central (Daniel, 1932; de Freina & Witt, 1987) and southern Turkey (Feza Doganlar, pers. comm.), Transcaucasia, eastern Turkey (Daniel, 1979), southern Turkey (Hariri, 1971), Lebanon (Müller et al., 2005a), northern Jordan (Müller et al., 2005a), northern Iraq (Wiltshire, 1957), Armenia (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998), northern Iran (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998), southern Turkmenistan (Tashliev, 1973), southern Uzbekistan (Western Gissar Mountains), southern and eastern Kazakhstan (Eitschberger & Lukhtanov, 1996) to Tajikistan (Derzhavets, 1984) and Kyrgyzstan.
A very sparsely distributed species, though large colonies sometimes occur in certain localities in Kurdistan between 1000-2000m altitude (Wiltshire, 1957). It may have a wider distribution than indicated due to the remote, inaccessible nature of its habitat.
Extra-limital range. None, although it may yet be found in the Chinese portion of the Pamirs and/or Tian Shan.
Central and southern Iran as R. k. manifica.
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