The Moths of Borneo, Part 3 Bombycoidea: Lasiocampidae, Eupterotidae, Bombycidae, Brahmaeidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae

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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.

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