Zoological Studies

Hasora anura de Nicéville from Taiwan (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Coeliadinae) Representing a New Subspecies Endemic to the Island

Yu-Feng Hsu, Hiroshi Tsukiyama, and Hideyuki Chiba (2005) Populations of Hasora anura of Taiwan possess morphological characters and larval host usage which differ from those of conspecific populations in continental Asia. They are considered to represent a new subspecies endemic to Taiwan. This new subspecies is characterized by 1) an ocherous ground color on the wing undersides; 2) creamy-yellow markings on the hindwing undersides; 3) a valva rapidly narrowing distally; and 4) arms of the uncus close at the base. It is monophagous as a larva, feeding on Ormosia formosana (Fabaceae), in contrast to the broader host range of the continental populations, which utilize both Ormosia and Milletia (Fabaceae) as larval hosts. Year-round observations of the occurrence of immatures of this new subspecies and documentation in literature records suggest that it is a univoltine species, in which the occurrence of immatures is synchronized with the annual budding of its host; it probably overwinters as an adult.