Ontogeny and phylogeny of the genus Solus Watson, 1913 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract Preimaginal stages of the enigmatic genus Solus Watson, 1913 are described for the first time, based on a completed life history of a representative species Solus parvifenestratus Bryk, 1944 fed with Camphora officinarum , with a report on testing of alternative potential host plants. The complete mitochondrial genomes are produced for two species within the genus and they are used to construct phylogenetic hypothesis and analyze nucleotide diversity. The alternative hypotheses derived from the molecular analyses are discussed in light of 14 morphological and biological features, the optimal result supports Solus to be the sister group of Saturniini + Attacini and justifies the establishment of the tribe Solini within the subfamily Saturniinae.