Conilepia nigricosta paiwan Kishida, 1991

(Figs 18–21)

Conilepia nigricosta paiwan Kishida in Kishida & Yazaki, 1991; Japan Heterocerists’ J. 165: 263, figs 1–2. Type locality: “Fushan (400 m) Wulai, Taipei Hsien” [Taiwan].

Type material. JAPAN: 1 ♂, holotype, Fushan (400 m) Wulai, Taipei Hsien, 23–25.viii.1990 (M. Owada) (NSMT); 1 ♀, paratype, the same locality; figured by Kishida & Yazaki (1991): Figs. 1 (male, holotype) and 2 (female, paratype).

Material examined. TAIWAN: Prov. Taipei: 3 ♂, Taipingshan N.R., 1300 m, 12.vii 1997, leg. B. Herczig & Y. Y.L i e n (M W M); 1 8 ♂, 3 ♀, Hsiapen, 650 m, 11.vii 1997, leg. B. Herczig & Y. Y.Lien (MWM); Prov. Taoyuan: 1 ♀, gen. prep. 17.438, Ming Chyr Forest Reservation Area, 1160 m, 05–06.x.1996, Gy. Fábián & F. Nemeth leg. (MWM); 1 ♂, 16 km E of Fuhsing, 870 m, 16.vii 1997, 121˚24’E, 24˚50’N, leg. Tibor Csovari & Laszlo Mikus (MWM); 13 ♂, 4 ♀, Ming Chyr Forest Recreation area, 1160 m, 13–14.vii 1996, leg. G. Csorba & L. Nemeth (MWM); 1 ♀, 14 km E of Fushing, 800 m, 4.x 1995, 121˚23’E, 24˚25’N, leg. Csovari & Steger (MWM); Prov. Ilan [Ylan]: 2 ♂, gen. prep. 17.436–17.437, 1200 m, Ming Chyr Forest Reservation Area, 8–9.vii.1997, B. Herczig & S. Kovács leg. (MWM); 17 ♂, 4 ♀, 1200 m, Ming Chyr Forest Recreation Area, 8–9.vii 1997, leg. B. Herczig & S. Kovacs (MWM); Prov. Hualien: 1 ♂, 6 km SE Juisui, 200 m, 22.v 1997, leg. Gy. M. László & G. László (MWM).

Description. Male. Forewing length 17–19 mm. Thorax, patagia and tegulae orange-yellow. Abdomen yellow with grey scales. Forewing ground colour light yellow, with orange borders at base, dorsal, outer and costal margins, but costal orange border more than twice narrower than others. Costa black, costal line slightly broadened at 1/3 from apex. Forewing cilia black. Hindwings light yellow, with brown scales along the hind edge of discal cell. Male genitalia (Fig. 48) as in nominotypical subspecies, but spine-like cornutus has changed into a small sclerotized plate with a small spine on it; cucullus is smaller, so the tip of sacculus is longer than the central part of sacculus. Female Forewing length 20–22 mm. Wing colouration like in the nominate subspecies, but forewing much brighter and black spots larger, the posterior spot slightly larger than the anterior spot. Female genitalia (Fig. 53) characterized by stronger sclerotization of meduim part of duscus bursae than other parts of genitalia.

Remarks. C. nigricosta paiwan is well characterized by the black costal line slightly broadened at one-third from apex and often by the presence of a yellow margination along costal margin of forewings in males. Its male genitalia are characterized by the transformation of the cornutus of the vesica into a small plate with a minute spine on it. Females are not as distinctive as males; Kishida & Yazaki (1991) stated that forewings in specimens from Taiwan are orange instead of yellowish orange, with a larger median spot, which we have also observed. Specimens of the nominotypical subspecies that occurs on the mainland are characterized by the entire absence of yellow margination along the costal margin of forewings in males. In male genitalia, the presence of a small spinelike cornutus on vesica, smaller than in the Taiwan population, is distinctive.

Distribution. Taiwan.

Bionomics. Mountain subspecies, like the nominotypical one, native to forest zone at the altitudes of 200–1200 m. Moths were collected in May, again in first half of July and then in late August and early October in Taiwan, highly probably producing two or more generations. Hosts are unknown.