LANGIA ZENZEROIDES FORMOSANA Clark, 1936 -- Apple hawkmoth

Female Langia zenzeroides formosana. Photo: © NHMUK Male Langia zenzeroides formosana. Photo: © NHMUK

TAXONOMY

Langia zenzeroides formosana Clark, 1936, Proc. New Engl. zool. Club 15: 83. Type locality: Formosa [Taiwan, Nantou Hsien], Hori [Puli].


ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION

Adult Langia zenzeroides formosana, Taiwan. Photo: © Felix Lin.

Wingspan: 120--150mm.


ADULT BIOLOGY

Unrecorded.


FLIGHT-TIME

Taiwan: 20.ii (Taoyuan Hsien); iii-v (Kaohsiung Hsien; Nantou Hsien); iv (Nantou Hsien); 17.iv (Taoyuan Hsien).


EARLY STAGES

OVUM: Yellow-green when first laid, then becoming scarlet red (if fertile). Slightly oval (2.30mm), shiny and smooth. Laid singly (Lin, 1997).

LARVA: Identical to that of Langia zenzeroides zenzeroides Moore, 1872. All stages documented by Lin, 1997.

PUPA: Documented by Lin, 1997.

Larval hostplants. Recorded from Photinia serratifolia, Prunus campanulata, Prunus mume and Prunus phaeosticta.


PARASITOIDS

Unknown.


LOCAL DISTRIBUTION

Taiwan: Hualien Hsien (Taroko National Park); Nantou Hsien (Jenai; Puli; Renluen, 1400m; Lushan Spa, 1200m); Taoyuan Hsien (Ming Chyr Forest, 1160m; Taoyuan City); Kaohsiung Hsien (Shanping, 640m); Taipei Hsien (Fushan; Wulai); Pingtung Hsien (Shitzu); Chiayi Hsien (Alishan, 2100m); Yilan Hsien (Fushan Botanical Garden, 700m); Taichung Hsien; Yunlin Hsien; Taitung Hsien.


GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

Endemic to the mountains of Taiwan.


Global distribution of Langia zenzeroides formosana. Map: © NHMUK.

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION

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



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© A. R. Pittaway & I. J. Kitching (Natural History Museum, London)