Notes on the Life History of <i>Sephisa princeps</i> in Eastern Russia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).

Authors

  • A. Dantchenko
  • A. Sourakov
  • T. C. Emmel

Keywords:

Apatura, Apaturinae, behavior, biology, China, Coleoptera, conservation, egg, Euripus, Europe, Fagaceae, Far East, Hainan, Hestina, Hestinalis, hostplants, immature stages, India, Japan, Korea, larvae, Lycaenidae, Malaysia, Nepal, oviposition, Primor'e, pupae, Russia, Salicaceae, Sasakia, Sephisa, Taiwan, Yunnan

Abstract

Descriptions of immature stages and adult and larval behavior of Sephisa princeps Fixsen (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) are provided from the Russian Far East. The larvae feed in groups and exhibit an elaborate communal behavior. The overall distribution and biology are discussed in relation to the species' supposed endangered status, which is not confirmed in the present work: only complete destruction of the habitat can actually thrust a S. princeps population into endangered existence. The geographic range of each of the four species of the genus Sephisa is correlated with the range of different species of the larval hostplants of the oak genus Quercus. The ranges of different subspecies of S. chandra, are found to correspond with the ranges of different subspecies of Q. glauca, allowing one to suppose a possible co-speciation between these two taxa.

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Published

1996-09-01