DISTRIBUTION:

Lemaireia chrysopeplus flies in
Sumatra (possibly replaced by L. jaegeri in Sumatra??; I think so);
Jawa (Java): West Jawa Province, East Jawa Province; and
Sundaland.

The species derives its species name from "chrysos" [Greek] = gold; "peplum" [Latin] = a splendid cape or mantle. The genus name is honourific for Claude Lemaire.

Lemaireia chrysopeplus male, West Java, courtesy of Ulrich Paukstadt.

As of January 1, 2019, there are ten Lemaireia species/subspecies that are recognized by science. Two of those species, loepoides and schintlmeisteri from the loepoides group, are distinct from each other and distinct from the other eight species/subspecies in the chrysopeplus group to which Lemaireia naessigi belongs. It is almost impossible to distinguish the species in the chrysopeplus group by outward appearance; almost always examination of genitalia or DNA barcoding is needed for a confident identification.

Although there is possibly some overlap in ranges of the chrysopeplus group members, location can greatly reduce some of the confusion. Below is a listing of the chrysopeplus group members from east to west, north to south in their respective known ranges.

Lemaireia luteopeplus luteopeplus northeastern India: Assam and possibly northern Mayanmar;
Lemaireia naessigi central to southeastern Mayanmar and central western Thailand;
Lemaireia luteopeplus aureopeplus possibly Myanmar, northern Thailand, China: Yunnan; northern Laos; northern Vietnam;
Lemaireia mediovietnama central Vietnam;
Lemaireia inexpectata southern Vietnam;
Lemaireia hainana China: Hainan;
Lemaireia jaegeri northern Sumatra: Aceh;
Lemaireia chrysopeplus Java; possibly Sumatra: Aceh. I think those specimens described from northern Sumatra are most likely L. jaegeri.

Lemaireia chrysopeplus male, 63mm, West Java,
1500m, courtesy of Ron Brechlin.

Lemaireia chrysopeplus male, Mt. Gede, West Java, d'Abrera

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

It is expected that females call at night and males fly into the wind to pickup and track the females' airbourne pheromone plume. Possibly some species in this genus call at dawn or dusk.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae and hostplants are unknown.

Lemaireia chrysopeplus female, Java, d'Abrera

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

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