Bonn zoological Bulletin 61 (1): 135-139 July 2012 Scotopteryx kuznetzovi (Wardikian, 1957) (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), a new species for the fauna of Iran and Turkey & Hossein Rajaei Sh.* Dieter Stuning Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum AlexanderKoenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany ' Corresponding author: [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract. Scotopteryxkuznetzovi(Wardikian, 1957), arare andhabitually remarkable Larentiine species described from Armenia, is recorded for the first time from Iran and Turkey. Males from both countries are illustrated, the females be- ing still unknown. A redescription is given and diagnostic characters are presented. External features and genitalia are mainly compared withthose ofS. vicinaria hyrcanaria (Staudinger, 1892), described from northern Iran, and othertaxa ofthe vicinaria species group which all have genitalia very similar to S. kuznetzovi. The taxonomic position ofthe lat- ter is briefly discussed. Key words. Scotopteiyx kuznetzovi, redescription, new records, Iran, Turkey. INTRODUCTION Scotopteryx Hiibner, 1825, a Larentiine genus belonging Material examined. 2 Basmendj [NW Iran, SE to the tribeXanthorhoini Pierce, 1914, contains more than Tabriz], 15.10. [19]74, [leg.] Damanabi, gen. preps 1063 70 species which are distributed in the Palaearctic region & 1064/2010 H. Rajaei, Iran; coll. HMIM. 2 Ost Tur- from Europe to Far EastAsia, in SouthAfrica and South kei, Van, 2700 m, Giizeldere Pass, 28.9.1981, leg. P. Kuh- America (Parsons et al., 1999). Neither in the latter pub- na, gen. prep. 3074, P. Kuhna; 1 <S'- Turkey, Prov. Bitlis, lication nor in the updated list ofthe Geometridae ofthe Van Goto, 19 km E ofAhlat, 1700 m, 42°34' E, 38°46' World (Scoble & Hausmann, 2007) Scotopteryx kuznet- N, 18.10.1993, leg. Gy. Fabian, B. Herczig, GyLaszlo and zovi(Wardikian, 1957) was mentioned. Until now, no fur- K. Szeoke, coll. ZFMK. therrecords ofthis species, whichwas describedon a sin- gle male from Armenia, have been published. Here we Morphology ofadult males (Figs 1, 2). Wingspan 29-30 record the data offive additional males found in the col- mm.Antennabipectinate from base to tip, except 2-3 dis- lections ofthe Zoologisches ForschungsmuseumAlexan- tal segments, rami moderately long, black, dorsally un- der Koenig, Bonn (ZFMK, collection Peter Kuhna) and sealed, arising ventrally from the proximal end ofthe fla- Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM) in the Iranian gellum segments, the latter scaled white dorsally. Head, Research Institute ofPlant Protection, Tehran, recently. In thorax and abdomen covered with mixed greyish-white addition, we provide a redescription of this almost un- and greyish-brown scales. Frons broad, roundly protrud- known species and compare it with the probably related ing, lower part smoothly covered with very small, grey- taxa ofthe S. vicinaria-group. ish-brown scales, upper margin a broad band of large, white scales, vertex with large white and brown scales mixed. Chaetosemata transversally extended. Palpi short TAXONOMY and narrow, acute at tip, just reaching beyond the clypeus. Haustellum almost completely reduced. Tibia of Redescription ofScotopteryx kuznetzovi (Wardikian) hindlegs notdilated, index ofspurs 0-2-4. Forewings elon- Ortholitha kuznetzovi Wardikian, 1957: 281. gated, length 16-18 mm, apex andtornus rounded. Ground Type Material. Holotype S, (collection ofthe Zoological colour yellowish-brown, surface shining, basal area and Institute, Academy ofScience ofArmenia). medial band edged with dark brown internally and white Type locality. Yerevan (Armenia). externally. Basal line moderately (in Turkish specimens) Scotopteryx kusnetzovi: Wardikian, 1985: 27, 52 (incor- to strongly (in Armenian and Iranian specimens) indent- rect subsequent spelling). ed.Antemedial line roundly curved in the middle, withtwo Scotopteryxkuznetsovi: Viidalepp, 1996: 13 (incorrect sub- acute incisions anteriorly and posteriorly, the latter en- sequent spelling). larged and completely dividing the medial band in the Received: 12.03.2012 Corresponding editor: F. Herder Accepted: 31.05.2012 & 136 Hossein Rajaei Sh. Dieter Stiining 3-b 3-a Figs 1-3. Adults (males) ofScotopteryx. 1-2. Scotopteryx kuznetzovi: 1. Guzeldere Pass, E. Turkey; 2. Basmendj, Iran. 3. Sco- topteryx vicinaria hyrcanaria, syntype, "SchakurT [Semnan Prov., NE Iran]; a: dorsal view, b: ventral view. Scale bar: 1 cm. holotype and in specimens from Iran. Postmedial line and the Iranian material. Apical whitish triangular patch wavy, roundly curved outwards in the middle, also with distinct in the holotype, but weakly defined in the other two deep incisions at either side. Submarginal line white, specimens. Fringe consisting ofarow ofshorterand dark- rathersmoothinTurkish specimens, wavy inthe holotype er basal scales and a row of longer and lighter terminal Bonn zoological Bulletin 61 (1): 135-139 ©ZFMK Scotoptetyx kuznetzovi (Wardikian, 1957), a new species for the fauna ofIran and Turkey 137 unc. cos. 5-a 5-b Figs 4-5. Male genitalia. 4. S. kuznetzovi (NW. Iran); 5. S. vicinaria hyrcanaria (Schahkuh); a. genital armature, b. aedeagus. Abbreviations: unc. Uncus; tr. Transtilla; cos. Costa; v. Valva; an.lob. Anellus lobe. Scale bar: 1 mm. scales, both with distinctly darker areas near the ends of dial band. Fringe as in forewings. Underside generally veins. Discal dots black, narrow streak-like or separated paler, but basal area up to postmedial line darkerthan the into dots in the forewings, absent in the hindwings. The rest, patterns ofupper side only partly visible. Underside latteroval, elongated, whitish-grey, with a darkergrey me- of hindwing loosely scattered with single dark brown Bonn zoological Bulletin 61 (1): 135-139 ©ZFMK & 138 Hossein Rajaei Sh. Dieter Stuning 2000 m 0 200 400 600 800 1000 mi 3000 m ' 1 1 1 1 Fig. 6. Distribution map ofScotopteryx kuznetzovi (Wardikian, 1957). scales. Abdomen long, narrow, light grey, with white pos- much lighter than forewings and - except a medial band teriormargins ofthe segments. Sternites elongate, ST7 and - without pattern (hindwings as dark as forewings and ST8 very small, no coremata developed. with much more pattern elements); antemedial and post- medial lines strongly waved and incurved, with deep in- Male genitalia (Fig. 4). Valve broadatbase, sacculus scle- cisions, sometimesmedialband interruptednearhindmar- rotized, without terminal processes; costa band-like, gin (transverse lines smooth or - in S. subvicinaria - curved, longer than the remaining part of the valva and slightly waved, not interrupted; fig. 3); transverse lines distally separatedfrom it, with aroundedtip. Sacculus and highlighted with black inside and white outside, a white valve lamina setose. Transtilla a curved, continous band. submarginals line present (transverse lines not highlight- Uncus with a broad base and a narrow, acute tip, curved ed in this way, submarginal line unconspicuous); anten- ventrad. Anellus lobes elongate, conical, distally round- nae bipectinate from base to apex, except distal 2-3 seg- ed and setose. Aedeagus only a little longer than valve, ments (antennaebipectinate and agreeing inall details, but slightly bent, distal one third covered with the densely unpectinated distal portion distinctly longer); frons very spined part ofmanica (ifnot removed), vesica with four broad,palps shortand acute attip, haustellumalmostcom- broad-based cornuti. pletelyreduced(frons lessbroad, palps longer,broaderand with rounded tip, haustellum well developed); abdomen Female unknown. without coremata, 7 segment with a small sternite (ab- domen with a pair ofcoremata arising laterally from 7 Diagnosis. S. kuznetzovi is easily distinguished from oth- segment, tergite and sternite of7 segmentreduced, mem- er members ofthe genus Scotopteryx by its peculiar ap- branous); aedeagus small, only slightly longer than pearance andby anumberofdistinctcharacters (here com- valve, with a few small cornuti on vesica (aedeagus very paredmainly to members ofthe S. vicinaria-group, char- large, at least two times the length ofthe valve, cornuti acters inroundbrackets): elongated forewings with glossy large and numerous; figs 4, 5); tip ofuncus short, anellus surface, rounded apex andtornus inkuznetzovi(forewings lobes long (tip ofuncus long, anellus lobes short, round- less elongated, not glossy, apex less rounded, angled or ed; figs 4, 5). even slightly falcate; fig. 3); hindwing elongated-oval, Bonn zoological Bulletin 61 (1): 135-139 ©ZFMK 1 Scotopteryx kuznetzovi (Wardikian, 1957), a new species for the fauna ofIran and Turkey 139 Bionomy. S. kuznetzovi seems to be an autumn-flying the provisions of the Code (ICZN, 1999, articles moth (end ofSeptember to end ofOctober), based on the 58.1.-58.15), of names deemed to be identical. So they few specimens collected (altitude 1700-2700 m). Food- are here not treated as homonyms. plant and larval stages are unknown. Acknowledgements. Wethank Dr. HelenAlipanah (Tehran) for NW Distribution. Armenia, Iran and E Turkey (fig. 6). loan ofmaterial from HMIM, and Dr. Bemd Miiller(Berlin) for helping us in many ways. Sincere thanks of the senior author Taxonomic note. Habitually and in a numberofmorpho- are also due to Professor Dr. J. W. WageleD(ZAFAMDK, Bonn) for supporting his Ph.D. project and to the (Deutscher logical characters S. kuznetzovi is very different to and Akademischer Austauschdienst) for financial help. This paper seems to be widely separated from other members ofthe is a part ofthe Ph.D. thesis ofHossein Rajaei at the University genus Scotopteryx. Wardikian (1957) compared her new ofBonn, Germany. & species withS. bipunctaria (Denis Schiffermuller, 1775) which, however, has strongly different genitalia structures REFERENCES and belongs to another species-group inside Scotopteryx. We found that the male genitalia ofkuznetzovi agree well Choi S-W(2002)Taxonomic ReviewoftheKoreanXanthorhoi- ni (Geometridae: Lepidoptera). InsectaKoreana 19: 213-231 and in detail with those ofdifferenttaxa ofthe S. vicinar- ICZN, International Commision on Zoological Nomenclature ia - group (Figs 4, 5). The taxonomy ofthe latter (com- (1999) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, prising S. vicinaria, S. subvicinaria and their subspecies Fourth Edition, adoptedbythe InternationalUnionofBiolog- brunnescens Prout, hyrcanaria Staudinger, libanaria ical Sciences. The InternationalTrust forZoological Nomen- Prout and probably S. perplexaria Staudinger) is still not clature, c/o The Natural History Museum, London, 306 pp. fully understood, but is beingrevised inthe course offur- Parsons MS, Scoble MJ, Honey HR, Pitkin LM & Pitkin RB (1999)TheCatalogue.In: ScobleMJ, (ed.) GeometridMoths ther studies on Iranian Larentiinae by the senior author. of the World: A catalogue (Lepidoptera, Geometridae). Male genitalia capsules in all these taxaare extremely sim- Collingwood, CSIRO Publishing 1046 pp. ilar, specific differences canprobably be found only in the Scoble MJ & Hausmann A [updated 2007] Online list ofvalid number, size and arrangementofcomuti on the vesica, but and available names of the Geometridae of the World, also these characters seem to be variable. Molecularstud- http://lepbarcoding.org/geometridae/species_checklists.php ies have been started, but the number ofbarcoded speci- Page visited March 5, 2012 mens is still too small and the results are not yet satisfac- Viidalepp J (1996) Checklist ofthe Geometridae (Lepidoptera) tory. Fresh specimens ofkuznetzovi are urgently needed oftheformerU.S.S.R.Apollo Books, Stenstrup, Denmark, 11 pp. to decide upon its position within the genus. Wardikian CA (1957) Novyj vid pjadenitsy iz roda Ortholitha Scotopteryx kuznecovi Herbulot, 1996, mentioned in Hb. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) iz Armjanskoj SSR [Anew Parsons et al. (1999: 871) in contrast to S. kuznetzovi geometridmoth speciesofthegenus Ortholitha Hb. oftheAr- Wardikian, is externally similar to S. chenopodiata Lin- menian SSR]. - Doklady Akademii Nauk Armjanskoj SSR [BerichtederAkademiederWissenschaftenderArmenischen naeus, 1758 andrelatedtaxa. Choi (2002) treatedit, aswell SSR] 25: 281-283 (in Russian) as S. golovushkini Kostjuk, 1991 (Transbaical region) as Wardikian CA (1985) Atlas genital'novo apparata pjadenits a junior synonym of S. acutangulata Inoue, 1941, de- (Geometridae, Lepidoptera) Armjanskoj SSR [Atlas of the scribed from Korea. Despite an identical origin and pro- genitalia of geometrid moths of the Armenian SSR]. nunciation ofkuznetzoviWardikian andkuznecoviHerbu- Izdatel'stvo AN Armjanskoj SSR [Verlag derAkademie der lot, the differences in spelling do not explicitly fall under Wissenschaften derArmenischen SSR], Yerevan, 136 pp. (in Russian) Bonn zoological Bulletin 61(1): 135-139 ©ZFMK