Daphnusa, established by Walker in 1856, is a small and little-known group of the family Sphingidae (Lepidoptera). The genus is mainly distributed in the Oriental region, currently comprises seven recognized species: Daphnusa ailanti (Boisduval, 1875) of Indonesia (Sulawesi); D. fruhstorferi (Huwe, 1895) of Indonesia (Java); D. haxaireiMelichar and Řezáč, 2014 of northern India; D. ocellarisWalker, 1856 of northern India to the Philippines and Indonesia (Sulawesi, Java); D. philippinensisBrechlin, 2009 of Philippines; D. sinocontinentalisBrechlin, 2009 of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, southern China and northern India; D. zythumHaxaire and Melichar, 2009 of Indonesia (Siberut) (Bioisduval, 1875;Huwe, 1895;Holloway, 1987;Brechlin, 2009;Haxaire and Melichar, 2009;Melichar and Řezáč, 2014).

In biology, the larva of D. ocellaris has been confirmed to utilize durian (Bombacaceae) as a host, while the host plants of other species are still unknown (Dupont and Roepke, 1941). Nonetheless, there is potential that species within the genus may share similar host plants. Further study is warranted to investigate this possibility.

Until now, the genus Daphnusa has not been recorded in Korea. However, we recently collected two male specimens of D. sinocontinentalis from Wando, located in the southern region of Jeollanam-do Province. This study reports the presence of the little-known genus Daphnusa in Korea for the first time, providing a diagnosis and description of the adult and male genitalia of the species based on illustrations.

Materials and Methods

All specimens were collected by using a light trap; a mercury vapor lamp (220/500 W) and two black light lamps (20W). All specimens, including slide vouchers, are deposited in a single institution for preservation: Lab. of Insect Phylogenetics & Evolution. Jeonbuk National University (IPE JBNU), Republic of Korea.

Genitalia of voucher specimens were prepared following a modified method based on Robinson (1976) to identify the unrecorded species. Observation and photography of genitalia were conducted using a Leica Z16 APO stereomicroscope equipped with a Tucsen Dhyana 400DC digital camera (Tucsen Photonics, China) and a Leica LED 5000HDI dome illuminator (Leica Microsystems, Germany). Adult habitus photographs were taken using a Nikon Z5 mirrorless camera fitted with a NIKKOR Z MC 105 mm f/2.8 VR S lens (Nikon Corporation, Japan). Multifocus image stacking was applied to both genitalia and adult photographs using Tucsen Mosaic 2.4 software (Tucsen Photonics, China).

Results

Family Sphingidae Latreille, 1802

Sphingidae Latreille, 1802: 400. Type genus: SphinxLinnaeus, 1758

Genus DaphnusaWalker, 1856

DaphnusaWalker, 1856: 237. Type species: Daphnusa ocellarisWalker, 1856: 238. Type

Locality: Borneo [Malaysia/Indonesia].

Diagnosis. The members of Daphnusa exhibit wing pattern elements similar to those of Marumba Moore, 1882 species, but can be distinguished by following the characteristics: i) the tornal marking of the forewing more ocellate, larger and olive green; ii) the fasciae in that region are faintly defined and irregularly wavy (Holloway, 1987).

Distribution. Oriental: Vietnam; China (Yunnan); Thailand; Myanmar; Cambodia; Laos; Indonesia; northern India; Philippines. Palaearctic: Korea (Wando) (New record, this study); China (Shaanxi) (Brechlin, 2009;Haxaire and Melichar, 2009;Holloway, 1987;Melichar and Řezáč, 2014).

Remark. Considering the distribution, further studies on the host plants of this species are warranted, as Daphnusa, which is primarily distributed in the Oriental region, appears to have possibly established a population in Korea, which lies within the Palaearctic region (Melichar and Řezáč, 2014). Juxta appearance may vary with orientation of slide mounts; preparation requires caution.

Daphnusa sinocontinentalisBrechlin, 2009 동방호랑박 각시(신칭)

Daphnusa sinocontinentalisBrechlin, 2009: 11. Type locality. Thailand: Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon National Park 1730m, 12 –22. Xi. 1998 (Coll. R. Brechlin)

Diagnosis. This species (Fig. 1C–F) is similar to another Daphnusa species in male genitalia but can be distinguished by following the characteristics: i) D. ocellaris, pear-shaped juxta; ii) D. zythum, V-shaped juxta; iii) D. sinocontinentalis, fingershaped juxta.

Description. Adult (Fig. 1A–B). Wingspan 68.0–74.0 mm. Head: Frons reddish brown; vertex brown. Scape of antenna pale brown; flagellum pale brown dorsally and reddish brown ventrally. Labial palpus reddish brown to brown. Thorax: Dorsally brown to pale brown, including the tegula; ventrally reddish brown. Forewing: Ground color of forewing brown to reddish brown; a brown basal spot present; two subbasal lines waved, angled outward toward the oblique antemedian band, with a downward curve anterior to it; an oblique antemedian band present; a strong darkish brown discal dot present; a crenulate postmedian band present; large greenish-grey ocellus patch at inner margin; two crenulate submarginal lines; a darkish brown patch on costa before apex. Ventral side of forewing; crenulate postmedian band and two crenulate submarginal lines present. Hindwing: ground color of hindwing brown to reddish brown; strong darkish brown tornal spot present; two crenulate terminal lines present; darkish brown spot on anal angle. Ventral side of hindwing; median band and two postmedian lines waved. Abdomen; brown to reddish brown; mid-dorsal stripe divided.

Male genitalia (Fig. 2). Uncus bifid, forming two laterally symmetrical processes, each with a sclerotized, curved apex; outer surface rounded, densely covered with setae (Fig. 2A, C). Tegumen with cleft on middle of anterior margin (Fig. 2A, C). Valva rounded, bean-shaped, inner surface concave with the central margin enclosing most of the harpe (Fig. 2A, C). Harpe pronounced, flexed, hook-shaped and reminiscent of a cat’s claw (Fig. 2A, C). Juxta finger-shaped (Fig. 2A, C). Saccus short, funnel-shaped (Fig. 2B;D). Aedeagus strongly bifid, Y-shaped (Fig. 2B, D).

Material examined. 2 ♂, Korea, Jeollanam-do, Wando-gun, Wando-eup, Jangjwa-ri, Wando Natural Recreation Forest 331m 28. VII. 2022 (leg. S. Kim and J. W. Kim), gen. slide. no. IPE 16001 (♂), 16002(♂)/Dae-Kyeong RA.

Host plants. Unknown.

Distribution. Palaearctic: Korea (Wando) (New record); China (Shaanxi). Oriental: Vietnam, China (Yunnan), Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos (Brechlin, 2009)