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The eggars, snout moths or lappet moths (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) of Papua Indonesia
by Vadim Zolotuhin
Although New Guinea and Australia were joined historically not long ago and their faunas have significant similarity, the lasiocampid fauna of both are very distinct. 20 species of the Lasiocampidae were described from New Guinea; this number will soon be corrected because at least 6 new species will shortly be described and 3 new synonyms will be established. Almost all species are endemics except for one (Porela cinerea), and 5 of the 7 genera inhabit New Guinea (Isostigena, Pararguda, Sporostigena, Pseudophyllodes and a new one for “Taragama” proserpina) are also endemic. Large, active flying members of the 6th genus Cyclophragma are known also from Australia. The presence of one Isostigena species on Sumatra (1 male in ZSM, Munich) and the discovery of the “Taragama” proserpina Bethune-Baker, 1904 from Java (Roepke, 1953) are surely due to mislabeling or occasional introduced with a transport. Porela cinerea is probably a relict of the Australian fauna caused by the last Ice Age. All genera are very characteristic and can’t be linked with any Oriental genus (the Javanese Voracia is the only exception related to the Isostigena–Sporostigena lineage) but all genera are related with Australian ones and therefore the lasiocampid fauna of New Guinea has its origin in common with these.
The checklist is preliminary, with mostly original combinations given, and strongly needs further study (in prep.).
Listed New Guinea species: 21 (20 endemic to New Guinea)
thumbnail gallery
Cyclophragma Turner, 1911
centralistrigata Bethune-Baker, 1904
leucosticta Grünberg, 1913
Isostigena Bethune-Baker, 1904
bicellata Bethune-Baker, 1904
Pararguda Bethune-Baker, 1908
aroa Bethune-Baker, 1904
melanacra (Joicey & Talbot, 1917)
ninayi Bethune-Baker, 1916
pallens Bethune-Baker, 1908
pratti Bethune-Baker, 1904
rufa Bethune-Baker, 1908
Porela Walker, 1855
cinerea (Boisduval, 1832)
Pseudophyllodes Bethune-Baker, 1910
babooni Bethune-Baker, 1908
castanea Joicey & Talbot, 1917
dinawa Bethune-Baker, 1904
hades Bethune-Baker, 1908
mafala Bethune-Baker, 1908
melanospilotus Joicey & Talbot, 1917
nigrostrigata Bethune-Baker, 1910
purpureocastanea Rothschild, 1916
rubiginea Bethune-Baker, 1904
Sporostigena Bethune-Baker, 1904
ninayi Bethune-Baker, 1916
trilineata Joicey & Talbot, 1916
uniformis Bethune-Baker, 1904
Streblote Hübner, 1820
proserpina (Bethune-Baker, 1904)
last update on 28 May 2023
