DISTRIBUTION:

Lemaireia inexspectata (mfwl: 40.3mm; females: probably larger) flies in
southern Vietnam: Lam Dong Province: Bao Loc: Rung Cat Tien at elevations near 1500m.

Based on images from Igor Ivannikov, I think it also flies in the province of Dak Nong: Quang Sun.

Lemaireia inexspectata?? male, Quang Son, Dak Nong, Vietnam,
September, courtesy of Igor Ivannikov.

Lemaireia inexspectata?? male, (verso) Quang Son, Dak Nong, Vietnam,
September, courtesy of Igor Ivannikov.

Lemaireia inexspectata male (verso), Bidoup Nui Ba NP, Lam Dong, Vietnam,
courtesy of Alex Dumchas.

Two other very simiar species also fly in Vietnam; the considerably smaller Lemaireia luteopeplus aureopeplus from northern Laos and northern Vietnam: Fan-si-pan; and Lemaireia mediovietnama from central Vietnam.

Examination of genitalia and/or DNA barcoding is probably necessary to conclusively determine this species.

The three specimens of L. inexspectata from S. Vietnam are larger (length of forewing [lfw] 40,3 mm, n = 3) than those 3 specimens of L. luteopeplus aureopeplus from the Fan-si-pan area in the North (lfw 32,7 mm, n = 3) in the W. Nassig’s collection; but specimens of L. luteopeplus aureopeplus from N. Thailand are also larger (lfw 38,0 mm, n = 5), approaching the size of both inexpectata and mediovietnama. Thus, the size appears not to be a character to distinguish the two species reliably.

"The fw apex of two of the three specimens of L. inexspectata is slightly more produced (falcate) than in most specimens of L. luteopeplus, but this character is ..... " possibly also variable.

Lemaireia inexspectata male, Rung Cat Tien, Bao Loc, Lam Dong, Vietnam,
April 1993, 1500m. courtesy of W. Nassig.

Lemaireia inexspectata male, Bidoup Nui Ba NP, Lam Dong, Vietnam,
courtesy of Alex Dumchas.

The antennae of the Igor Ivannikov specimens (shorter and darker) and the Alex Dumchas specimen seem different to me, and the countour of the forewing apices also seem somewhat different. I think possibly that Igor's specimens may be from northwestern slopes while Alex's specimens are more likely inexspectata from southeastern slopes. Perhaps??? Igor's specimens are L. luteopeplus aureopeplus or something undescribed which probalby also flies in southern Laos.

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 inexspectata southern Vietnam;
Lemaireia hainana China: Hainan;
Lemaireia jaegeri northern Sumatra: Aceh;
Lemaireia chrysopeplus Java; possibly Sumatra: Aceh.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in April and December at 1500m. There are possibly additional flight months, probably September.

Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

I believe the female remains unknown as of this update, December 30, 2018.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae are also unknown as of December 2018.

The genus name, Lemaireia, is honourific for Claude Lemaire while the species name, inexspectata, is indicative of the unexpected discovery of this species while examining the genitalia of specimens mistakenly identified as Lemaireia luteopeplus aureopeplus.

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the anticipated foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile. The natural host(s) is/are unknown.

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Lemaireia Genus

Lemaireia inexspectata HT male

Lemaireia inexspectata male

Lemaireia inexspectata .