[Topics] Professor HIROWATARI Toshiya, a specially appointed professor, has discovered a new species of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg from the foot of Mt. Takao in Tokyo!

Prompted by a photo posted on a social media bulletin board

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The significance and background of the research
The family Adelidae consists of beautiful, diurnal moths. Among them, the genus Nemophora, known as fairy moths, includes about 180 species worldwide, with 28 species recorded in Japan. In recent years, no new species had been discovered in Japan, but an entirely unexpected unknown species was found at the foot of Mount Takao in Tokyo.

Background
The discovery of this species began when a local nature enthusiast, Mr. ITO Kenichi, photographed mating individuals of the species at the foot of Mount Takao in late September 2021. He posted the photo on an online bulletin board. Professor HIROWATARI Toshiya , a specially appointed professor  (a professor at that time) at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, happened to see the photo and was convinced that it was an unknown species in Japan.

Conclusion
Based on additional specimens obtained in 2022, the research team at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, compared the wing patterns, wing venation, and genitalia morphology of both sexes with known species, and analyzed the DNA barcode region. As a result, it was determined that this species was previously undescribed. It was given the scientific name Nemophora takaosana and described as a new species.

Publication Date
This research was published in the domestic journal Lepidoptera Science on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
For more details, please refer to this.

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Comment from the researcher

The discovery was prompted by a photo posted by a nature enthusiast on an online bulletin board. I was very surprised when I saw the photo. The reasons why this species had not been discovered until now could be due to its very small size (about 11mm wingspan) and its later appearance period (late September to early October) compared to other species. I was excited when investigating this species, but future conservation measures are also desired.

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Research-related inquiries

HIROWATARI Toshiya, a specially appointed professor
Mail：hirowat_t★agr.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Please change ★ to @ in the e-mail address