Rhagastis binoculata Matsumura, 1909, Thous. Ins. Japan Suppl. 1: 39. Type locality: [Taiwan, Hsinchu Hsien], Hoppo [Peipu].
Synonym. Rhagastis varia Wileman, 1910.
Synonym. Rhagastis elongata Clark, 1937.
Synonym. Rhagastis albomarginatus sauteri Mell, 1958.
Wingspan: 54--63mm. Almost identical to Rhagastis dichroae Mell (1922), distinguishable only in the pinkish-grey (rather than greyish-buff) oval pale patch that divides the postmedian lines on the forewing upperside, between veins M2 and Cu2. Hindwing underside with a small black discal spot. Colour on the underside of forewing and hindwing tends to be orange-colored; patterns more blurred than in R. dichroae but still recognizable. Labial palp segment 2 longer than broad, not narrowed to base. Metanotum with a conspicuous tawny patch at each side.
Male genitalia similar to that of R. everetti Rothschild & Jordan (1903), but the uncus and gnathos are shorter and thicker. Valva rounded, with the basal part narrower than the terminal part. Sacculus very short and little curved, and the apex is blunt (Jiang et al., 2024).
Unknown.
Taiwan: i (Taipei); iii-x (Taipei); iii-v (Kaohsiung Hsien); vi (Nantou Hsien); vi (Tainan Hsien); vii (Pingtung Hsien); viii (Nantou Hsien); xii (Nantou Hsien).
OVUM:
LARVA:
PUPA:
Larval hostplants. Hydrangea chinensis [syn. Hydrangea angustipetala] (Hydrangeaceae; Felix Lin, pers. comm. 2006).
Unknown.
Taiwan: Tainan Hsien (Kuantzuling, 1000'); Nantou Hsien (Bukai; Puli); Hsinchu Hsien (Peipu); Kaohsiung Hsien (Shanping, 640m; nr. Tuona, 12km SE of Shanping, 750m); Taipei (Yungmingshan National Park; Taoyuan); Taipei Hsien (Fushan); Taitung Hsien (Donghe, 560m); Pingtung Hsien; Yilan Hsien (Tianone, 1200m).
Endemic to Taiwan.
Map: Distribution of species of the albomarginatus group of the genus Rhagastis. The blue dotted line indicates the range of R. dichroae, the red dotted line indicates the range of R. albomarginatus, the orange dotted line indicates the range of R. everetti, and the green circle indicates the range of R. binoculata (© Jiang, Wang, Xu, Kitching, Huang, Hu & Xiao, 2024).
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