PSEUDOBUNAEA SP ??? FROM TOGO

vingerhoedti, surely not !

but ... what is irius ? does anybody know the real identity of this moth ? it is more a bin name for a large complex of species (as far as i know, none type is fixed and/or correctly identified for this name)

all must be revised, except a few characteristic species such as vingerhoedti, callista, pallens, bjornstatdi, cleopatra, ....
what I mean is that irius is actuelly used for a complex of species (including those you spoke about probably from Malawi)not clearly defined and the type (that I don't know) is probably one of these species (who knows ?). Barcodes helped a few to understand ... that is a mess ... more complex than previously suspected. some breedings (espacially made recently by Murphy in Malawi) prooved that some species are involved but the key is not yet found.

I agree, that the species from Togo are probably limited to the seven species mentioned as possibilities, and I also agree that vingerhoedti and the mix called irius are probably not in the group image.

Based on size and general appearance I suspect the largest two specimens, i.e., the lowest two items in the second column, are either illustris or alinda which both tend to be very large species. I know of no method/characters to conclusively distinguish between those two species. Based on the different shape of the forewings, you might have one illustris and one alinda among those two.

I agree the darkest four specimens (top three in middle column, and top one in third column) are probably tyrrhena neglecta.

The palest specimen, #8, is probably heyeri or meloui, with meloui once regarded as a subspecies of heyeri. I do not know where the range of one ends and the other begins (not sure if anyone does) or if they might even be sympatric in some areas.

That leaves the four items, (#'s 1, 2, 3, 4 in the first column) which seem closest to illustris or alinda, and items #7 and #9 in the third column. I think #9 is closest to tyrrhena neglecta and may just be a paler specimen of that species. #7 could be heyeri or meloui, something undescribed or a hybrid.

I live on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. There are two Hyalophora species which are sympatric here. I have collected wild specimens, both males and females which are naturally occurring hybrids of those two species. The hybrids tend to be intermediate in size between the generally much larger cecropia and the significantly smaller columbia. The wing pattern and colouration of the hybrids tends to be a blend/mix of the two species. The females are barren.

I have had captive pairings of cecropia with columbia and have reared the offspring to adulthood, and they exhibit the same features found in some of the wild collected specimens. If one did not recognize these hybrid features in collected specimens, you could be pretty sure you had three different species and not just the two "pure" species. The hybrid females are barren (do not carry any eggs), but the hybrid males seem to be sexually viable, but offspring seem to be quite weak in larval stage and highly susceptible to disease, but intergrades are still possible.

Many species have been found to survive in hybrid blend zones.

I would not be surprised if the Pseudobunaea species in Togo interbreed. With the diversity that is already present (more than two species from the same genus, likely sympatric) it could be expected that there would be naturally occurring hybrids. Maybe you have some in your picture. There may also be wild intergrades of several different species. Unless there are very distinct calling times for the females, it would be surprising to me if there were not naturally occurring hybrids and intergrades.

I have not really told you anything new with regard to ids of your specimens that you had not already surmised, but hopefully the agreement is somewhat comforting. I do not know if DNA barcoding is far enough along with this genus to make accurate determinations, and there may not even be type specimens designated that can still yield DNA sequences. I also do not know what would happen if the first specimen collected and designated as a holotype was actually a hybrid.

Perhaps in our lifetimes this will all be sorted out. Perhaps not.

Bill Oehlke

I think the same thing is true with some of the Asian species. People send me images of specimens they have purchased, reported from a specific location in Indonesia or Southeast Asia that seem out of place for the specific region indicated. I think the dealers/sellers do much trading among themselves, but claim what they offer is from their own area. You have to be careful. I think the Athletes are not as difficult as the Pseudobunaea as long as the location is accurate.
Bill Oehlke