Data to the Geometrid (Lepidoptera) fauna of Iran: Larentiinae and Sterrhinae

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1 ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 78. Budapest, 1986 p Data to the Geometrid (Lepidoptera) fauna of Iran: Larentiinae and Sterrhinae by A. M. VOJNITS, Budapest Abstract The description of Glossotrophia bullata sp. n., Sterrha ronkayi sp. n., Colostygia salicata hangayi ssp. n. ; the first publication of the male genitalia of Glossotrophia origalis BRANDT, of the female of Sterrha elongata STGR., and of both sexes of Euphya khorassana BRANDT. With 7 figures and 1 photoplate. I had occasion to study, in the Landesmuseum für Naturkunde, Karlsruhe, GFR, some Geometrid moths deriving from Iran, and principally from BRANDT'S collection. Certain new taxa have been found, and the configuration of the genitalia, hitherto unpublished, has also been ascertained. I wish to express my gratitude, also in this place, to MR. G. EBERT, for his extensive help and permission for the loan of the material. Mitt, munch, ent. Ges. 31 (3): Glossotrophia origalis BRANDT, 1941 (Plate 1/A, Fig. 1) The original description may be completed as follows : Diagnosis Alar expanse of fore wings of the two female specimens studied: 18 and 18.5 mm, respectively (Plate 1/a). Biology The specimens had been collected in the middle of November. Genitalia çf: An extremely compact and heavily sclerotized clasper system. Valvae deeply incised. Aedoeagus arcuate, long and very narrow, with a small sclerotized excrescence. Sternite VIII asymmetric, with a very long, distinct, corniform process. Tergite VIII wide and squat (Fig. 1). Examined material 2 çfçf : environs of Sardze, Laristan, Iran, 200 m. Slides Nos , (çfçf), gen. prep. A. Vojnits. Glossotrophia bullata sp. n. (Plate 1/G, Fig. 2) Diagnosis Alar expanse of fore wings of the two female specimens 18 and 17 mm, respectively. Costa of fore wing considerably arcuate preapically. Tornus angulate. Hind wing wide, rounded. Basic colour of wings slightly greyish white, with a yellowish sheen. Transverse stripes yellowish grey. Terminal field darkest of all. Discal spot elongate, brown, conspicuous on both fore and hind wings. Underside of wings pale yellowish, very shiny, pattern elements obscure. Cilia medium long (Plate 1 g). Genitalia Q : Bursa copulatrix large, sacculiform, membranous. Antrum sclerotized. Apophyses short. Papillae anales large and wide (Fig. 2). çf unknown. Biology First stages and foodplant unknown. The known specimens had been collected in December. Distribution Collected in Balutchistan, Iran. Locus typicus: Bender Tchahbahar. Specific differences The new species differs from Glossotrophia origalis BRANDT, originating also from Iran, in the following points: somewhat smaller (origalis on the average larger by mm); wings wider, especially fore wing (that of origalis definitely elongated); irrorated with grey (origalis yellowish, its discal spots smaller and blackish,

2 220 A. VOJNITS the costa of fore wing with cuneiform dark spots), costal cuneiform spots absent, pattern in this area not darker than elsewhere; terminal field of both fore and hind wings with a narrow and discontiguous sinuous stripe (wide and whole is origalis: terminal fields of underside grey). Holotype Q ; "Iran Baloutchistan Bender Tchahbahar Dezember 1937 Coll. Brandt." Paratype : data as for holotype. Holotype deposited in the Landessammlungen für Naturkunde, Karlsruhe; paratype in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. Slides Nos 16445, ( 9 9), gen. prep. A. Vojnits. Sterrha ronkayi sp. n. (Plate 1/E, Fig. 4) Diagnosis Alar expanse of fore wings of the two females specimens 15 and 16.5 mm, respectively. Wings considerably elongate, narrow. Costa of fore wing slightly arcuate preapically, apex obtuse, termen finely but evenly arcuate, dorsum long, tornus angulate. Hind wing elongate, obtusely angulate. Basic colour of wings grey, with a slightly yellowish sericeous sheen. Transverse stripes only weakly indicated. Fore wing hardly darker than hind wing, median field being the darkest area. Underside of wings yellowish. Cilia rather long (Plate 1 /E). Genitalia 9 - Bursa copulatrix heavily sclerotized, long, cucumber-shaped, with longitudinal furrows and transverse spines. Apophyses medium long and robust. Papillae anales wide (Fig. 4). çf unknown. Biology First stages and foodplant unknown. The known specimens had been collected in February. Distribution Found in Balutchistan, Iran. Locus typicus: Bender Tchahbahar. Specific differences As to habits, the new species resembles Sterrha allongata STGR., in so far as that one also displays much elongated wings, a dark coloration and small stature, but the new species is smaller, not so extremely elongated, with an obtuse apex and the absence of the dense transverse striation characteristic of allongata (Table lc). The female genitalia show rather considerable differences; those of allongata, so far unpublished, are hereby illustrated (Fig. 3). Figs = Male genitalia of Glossotrophia origalis BRANDT, 2 = Female genitalia of Gl. bullata sp. n., 3 = Female genitalia of Sterrha allongata STGR.

3 D e d i c a t i o n I dedicate the new species to D R. L. R O N K A Y, renowned specialist o f the N o c t u i d moths, Hungarian N a t u r a l H i s t o r y M u s e u m. H o l o t y p e Ç : " I r a n Baloutchistan Bender Tchahbahar Februar 1938 C o l l. B r a n d t. ". P a r a t y p e : 1 $ data as for the holotype. H o l o t y p e deposited i n the Landessammlungen f ü r N a t u r k u n d e, Karlsruhe; paratype i n the H u n g a r i a n N a t u r a l H i s t o r y M u s e u m, Budapest. S ü d e s N o s 16446, (9 $ ), n. prep. A. Vojnits. g e C idarin (Colostygia) salicata hangayi ssp. n. (Plate 1/H, F i g. 5) D i a g n o s i s A l a r expanse o f fore wings o f the t w o k n o w n female specimens 25.5, and 26.5, respectively. Differing f r o m the n o m i n o t y p i c a l f o r m as follows: C o l o u r a t i o n yellowish, yel lowish b r o w n, not grey, greenish grey or silvery grey. Fore w i n g w i t h considerably more expressed ante- and postmedians, wide and white stripes, w e l l distinct o f basic colour. Basal field o f h i n d w i n g evenly light, transverse striae o f marginal field especially marked (Plate 1/H). G e n i t a l i a $ : Resembling those o f the n o m i n o t y p i c a l f o r m, differring t o some extent o n l y in the sclerotized excrescence contained i n the large bursa o f soft walls ( F i g. 5). çf u n k n o w n. B i o l o g y First stages and foodplant u n k n o w n. The k n o w n specimens had been collected very early, i n M a r c h. D i s t r i b u t i o n F o u n d i n I r a n. L o c u s t y p i c u s : T c h o u r e u m, ca 1000 m. Subspecific differences: see diagnosis. W i t h o u t digressing t o the p r o b l e m o f the disputed specific pair o f the " m o n t a n e " "salicata" and the " M e d i t e r r a n e a n " ablutaria B., I s u b m i t that the new subspecies is o f the saficata type. D e d i c a t i o n I dedicate the new subspecies to M r. George Hangay, o n the staff o f the Australian M u s e u m, Sydney, zealously enriching the Collection o f Lepidoptera o f the H u n g a r i a n N a t u r a l H i s t o r y Museum, Budapest. H o l o t y p e O : " I r a n Fars Strasse K a z e r o u n Bouchir Tchoureum, ca m. M ä r z 1937 c o l l. B r a n d t " "gen. prep. N o det. A. V o j n i t s ". P a r a t y p e 9 data as for holotype. H o l o t y p e deposited i n the Landessammlungen für N a t u r k u n d e, K a r l s r u h e ; paratype i n the H u n g a r i a n N a t u r a l H i s t o r y M u s e u m, Budapest. Slides N o s 16433, (9 9), gen. prep. A. Vojnits. : Cidaria (Euphya) khorassana B R A N D T, 1941 (Plate 1/I-J, Figs 6-7) Mitt, munch, ent. Ges. 31 (3): 875, fig. 19. T h e original description, lacking also a characterization o f the genitaha, may be complemented as follows : D i a g n o s i s A l a r expanse of the fore wings o f male specimen studied 31 m m, that o f a female 32 m m. Costa o f fore w i n g considerably arcuate preapically, apex definitely pointed, termen hardly arcuate, dorsum straight, tornus rounded. H i n d wing elongate, obtusely angulate. Basal field of fore w i n g slightly darker, t e r m i n a l field a somewhat lighter yellowish b r o w n. M a i n l y t e r m i n a l field irrorated w i t h grey. T e r m i n a l field w i t h a discontiguous dark b r o w n line. Submarginal yellow, sinuous. Inner and outer transverse striae d e l i m i t i n g median field sinuous, outer one also w i t h an obtuse and a sharper projection. M e d i a n field b r o w n, widest towards costa, n a r r o w i n g towards dorsum, bordered by sinuous b r o w n lines a n d n o t m u c h darker than basal field. H i n d wing light yellowish w i t h a sericeous sheen, transverse striae hardly discernible. Underside o f wings w i t h evenly b r o w n basal and median fields sharply differentiated f r o m yellow t e r m i n a l field. D i s c a l spots rather pale b u t discernible, but invisible o n upper side o f wings. C i l i a striated yellow and yellowish b r o w n, rather short. M a l e slightly lighter and w i t h m o r e elongated wings than female (Plate 1/I-J). G e n i t a l i a rf: Claspers squat, especially median part, valvae relatively small. Aedoeagus comparatively short w i t h a sclerotized p e c t i n i f o r m excrescence. Sternite V I I I n a r r o w ( F i g. 6). 9 ' Bursa copulatrix large, elongate, walls membranous, translucent, w i t h a sclerotized, sphaerical forma t i o n bearing short and robust spines. Ductus bursae heavily sclerotized. B o t h anterior and posterior apophyses l o n g and robust. Papillae anales large and wide ( F i g. 7). B i o l o g y First stages and foodplant u n k n o w n ; a l l k n o w n specimens had been captured in July. A c c o r d i n g to B R A N D T (1941) occurring also i n August. D i s t r i b u t i o n L o c u s t y p i c u s : Binaloud range, Khorassan, I r a n, m. T h e specimens studied derive f r o m 3000 m. E x a m i n e d m a t e r i a l 1 çf a n d 1 9> I» Khorassan, B i n a l o u d (Meched), 3000 m, 30. J u l i 1938, c o l l. Brandt. Slides N o s (rf), ( 9), gen. prep. A. Vojnits. r a n

4 References BRANDT, W. (1941) : Beitrag zur Lepidopteren-Fauna von Iran (4). Einige neue Geometriden. Mitt. manch, ent. Ges. 31 (3): WILTSHIRE, E. P. (1952): Lepidoptera recently taken in Arabia Bull. soc. Fouad ent. 45 (36): WILTSHIRE, E. P. (1952): Middle-East Lepidoptera, X Bull. soc. Fouad ent. 45 (36): Author's address: DR. A. M. VOJNITS Zoological Department Hungarian Natural History Museum Budapest, Baross utca 13. H-1088 Figs = Female genitalia of Sterrha ronkayi sp. n., 5 Female genitalia of Colostygia salicata ssp. hangayi ssp. n., 6 = Male genitalia of Euphya khorassana BRANDT, 7 = Female genitalia of Euphya khorassana BRANDT

5 Plate 1 Plate 1. A - B = Glossotrophia origalis B R A N D T, C - D = Sterrha allongata S T G R., E - F = Sterrha ronkayi sp. n., G = Glossotrophia bullata sp. n., H = Colostygia salicata ssp. hangayi ssp. n., I = Euphya khorassana B R A N D T female, J = E. khorassana B R A N D T male

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