Sphingids from Thailand Sept-Oct 2012

Now I have lots of questions again -hope someone (especially Les) still has patience with me...

On the last day of my trip this year I finally managed to track down 4 volumes of Moths of Thailand (I had the Catocalines already) + the second edition of Butterflies of Thailand, so now I am missing only volume one (Saturniids) of MoT - and litterature to all groups not (yet?) covered herein.

This time I will send my questions in threads sorted by family instead of area, so you can ignore threads of groups you are not interested in.

With the help of volume two of MoT and various websites, I have managed to put a name on most (not all!) of my hawkmoths from this trip except the Macroglossa - although with some difficulties (are the specimens depicted in MoT just very old and faded or were the plates printed on a printer run out of green ink?). Anyway here comes my unID'ed and (in subsequent posts) my ID'ed for confirmation :-)

These are from head quarter area in Mae Wong National Park 30th and 27th of September.

Here comes some I have tentatively ID'ed my self. Still from HQ, Mae Wong. Mae Wong is in the west of Thailand.

I did a Google search & the match for post 1 are.

1. Craspedortha porphyria male.
There are 2 very similar species the other being C. montana.
C. porphyria have the basal spot quadrate while montana have the spot elliptical. See link.
http://www.douban.com/note/28119774/

2. probably Ascomeryx anceus female.
The markings appeared very variable. The closest match is this female from Australia.
http://volunteer.ala.org.au/task/show/77113

TL Seow:cheers:

I agree completely with Seow on No. 1. The forewing apex shape is distinctive for this genus and C. montana, in Thailand, is only known from the extreme north.

With regards to No 2, I am more inclined towards Acosmeryx omissa, though the members of this genus are very similar, and the specimen appears quite worn.

The named ones appear correct.

Thx a lot Seow and Les!

Here are some more with own IDs for checking.

The last from Mae Wong (forgotten yesterday - I guess I overlooked, that it did not upload on account of being more than 117 k).

If I got this one correct, maybe it is a small argument in favour of Seow's view, but I guess they can easily be there both :-)

These are from Tha Ton in the North. It is a small town on Mae Kok (river). 3 hours by bus north of Chiang Mai. It is the normal place to stay, when visiting the birdding site Doi Lang (near Doi Pha Hom Pok).

I have no more sphingids except some shots of unIDed Macroglossa mostly in flight, but one attracted to my blended MV lamp. Is it worth uploading these?

What a wonderful collection of Sphingidae from Thailand!!!

Thx a lot Antonio, they are the result of 5 nights in Mae Wong (3 nights just the fluorescent tube on the balcony of our bungalow and 2 nights with a blended MV lamp) and 4 nights in Tha Ton all with the MV lamp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guldsmed

Thx a lot Seow and Les!

Here are some more with own IDs for checking.

The last from Mae Wong (forgotten yesterday - I guess I overlooked, that it did not upload on account of being more than 117 k).

If I got this one correct, maybe it is a small argument in favour of Seow's view, but I guess they can easily be there both :-)

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I must admit that this does look more like A. anceus subdentata. I think the first is too worn for me to be certain.

The lot from Tha Ton all look right to me. I love the Parum and Pergesa species, never seen them before. The pic in Pinratana's book of Parum colligata does not do it justice. I suspect it is an old faded specimen (green rarely lasts long).

Yes, I was unable to ID the Parum from the book, I only managed by accidentally stumbling over a pic online (John Moore, thaibugs). After that I could confirm by the book, as you say greens do fade, but I really think it is worse in that book than it should be...

It must be VERY old specimens (or specimens exposed to light) or a printing problem or a combination. The Pergesa is hopeless too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Painted Jezebel

I agree completely with Seow on No. 1. The forewing apex shape is distinctive for this genus and C. montana, in Thailand, is only known from the extreme north.

With regards to No 2, I am more inclined towards Acosmeryx omissa, though the members of this genus are very similar, and the specimen appears quite worn.

The named ones appear correct.

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Agreed with you no. 2 is unlikely to be A. anceus as the forewing dark band is gently curved. I think it is also missing a dark band/line at the upper abdomen just below the thorax.
It could be the female of A. omissa as you suggested.
The post 5 male looks correctly A. anceus.

TL Seow:cheers:

Very good, so got two species out of it :-)