RHODAMBULYX SCHNITZLERI Cadiou, 1990

Male Rhodambulyx schnitzleri, Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo: © NHMUK Rhodambulyx schnitzleri, Baihualing, Baoshan, Yunnan, China, 1540m. Photo: © Tony Pittaway, leg. Southwest Forestry College, Kunming

TAXONOMY

Rhodambulyx schnitzleri Cadiou, 1990, Lambillionea 90(2): 42. Type locality: Thailand, Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon, 1800m.

Note. Similar to Rhodambulyx haxairei Melichar, Řezáč & Horecký, 2014 in appearance, but generally paler and less reddish.

Note. The genus was originally established for a single species, Rhodambulyx davidi Mell, 1939, described from Fujian, China, and which has since also been found in Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong. Subsequently, four more species have been described: Rhodambulyx schnitzleri Cadiou, 1990 from Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai, Thailand (also found in western Yunnan (Chen & Ou, 2008) and northern Laos); Rhodambulyx hainanensis Brechlin, 2001 from the Wuzhi Shan, Hainan (currently endemic to the mountains of Hainan Island); Rhodambulyx haxairei Melichar, Řezáč & Horecký, 2014 from the Ba Na Hills near Da Nang south to Lam Dong, Vietnam; and Rhodambulyx kitchingi Brechlin, 2015 (from the mountains of central Vietnam). In addition, Eitschberger & Nguyen (2017) described Rhodambulyx namvui from the border hills of northern Vietnam, but this was later synonymized with Rhodambulyx kitchingi by Eitschberger (2018) without stating any reasons for so doing (Xu, Melichar, He, Zhang, Zhang, Feng & Hu, 2022).


ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION


Fresh adult Rhodambulyx schnitzleri, Doi Pha Hom Pok, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 20.ii.2007, 2100m. Photo: © Thomas Ihle. Faded adult Rhodambulyx schnitzleri, Doi Pha Hom Pok, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 20.ii.2007, 2100m. Photo: © Thomas Ihle.

ADULT BIOLOGY

This species flies at altitude (1500-2100m) during early spring in wet, evergreen, subtropical montane forests.


FLIGHT-TIME

China: 12.iv (Yunnan).

In southern China and northern Thailand mainly during January and February, but it has also been found in early April.


EARLY STAGES

OVUM: Unknown.

LARVA: Unknown.

PUPA: Unknown.

Larval hostplants. Unknown.


PARASITOIDS

Unknown.


LOCAL DISTRIBUTION

China: Yunnan (Baoshan, Baihualing, 1540m).


GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

So far, only known from western Yunnan, China (from where it was also noted by Chen & Ou (2008)), northern Thailand and northern Laos (Luang Prabang, Phou Khon).


Global distribution of Rhodambulyx schnitzleri. Map: © Tony Pittaway.

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION

Unknown.



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