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J.D. HOLLOWAY
Natural
History Museum, (Department of Entomology) Cromwell Road, London SW7.
ABSTRACT. A
review of the classification of the superfamily Bombycoidea is presented.
Forewing venation is compared using a shorthand system to illustrate
branching order. Comparisons are made of the ecology of the group in SE.
Asia with that in Costa Rica: Saturniidae + Eupterotidae + Lasiocampidae
in the former may be equivalent, in terms of host-plant preference at
least, to the highly diverse saturniid fauna in the latter.
Considerable
revisional work is presented for the Lasiocampidae (62 spp.), and some
suggestions are made on possible natural groupings of genera counter to
the established subfamily classification.
In
the Eupterotidae (15 spp.) the genus Eupterote is studied in some
detail; association of males and females in sexually dimorphic taxa of
the genus Melanothrix is re-examined.
The
Bombycidae (15 spp.) fall into two distinct lineages, separable on a
number of morphological features, that have distinct host-plant
specialisations (Moraceae versus Symplocaceae and Theaceae).
The
Brahmaeidae are represented by a single species. The Saturniidae (22 spp.)
include numerous species of Antheraea, one of which is described as
new.
The
Sphingidae (94 spp.) are the most diverse bombycoid family, with no doubt
more species awaiting discovery, particularly in the genus Macroglossum.
The major groupings in the higher classification show an almost
complete segregation amongst host-plant families utilised.
For
each species a diagnosis and the geographical range are given and, where
known, details of habitat preferences and biology. Summary lists are given
of the new taxa described (2 genera and 25 species) as well as of numerous
other taxonomic changes. A checklist of all Bornean taxa may be found at
the end.
Publication date: 1987
Ref : Southene Sdn Bhd (Company No. 92271-D)
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