Lemaireia naessigi

Lemaireia naessigi
Brechlin, 2001

Lemaireia naessigi male, 77mm, Myanmar or Thailand,
courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Genus: Lemaireia Nässig & Holloway, 1987

DISTRIBUTION:

Lemaireia naessigi (wingspan: males: 77mm; females: 89mm) flies in
southeastern Myanmar (Burma). Type locality: Burma, SE Burma, Kayin State, Dawna, 1300 m. V.1996. leg. local ...

This species has also been taken in western
Thailand.

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.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The holotype male was taken in May of 1996. There are probably additional flight months.

Lemaireia naessigi female, 89mm, southeastern Myanmar or Thailand.
courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

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.

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.

The genus name, Lemaireia, is honourific for Claude Lemaire.
The species name, naessigi, is honourific for Dr. Wolfgang A. Nässig.

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