Erannis kashmirensis, M, 2003

M, Gy., 2003, New Species Of The Genus Erannis Hübner, [1825] 1816 From The North-West Himalaya And Iran (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (2), pp. 153-158 : 154-156

Erannis kashmirensis sp. n.

( Figs 1–4 , 9 )

Holotype: male, “ Pakistan, Kashmir , Himalaya Mts , Deosai Mts, Bubin village, 3150 m, 74°59’E, 35°12,6’N, 16.X.1998 leg. Gy. M. László & G. Ronkay ” slide No.: LG 562 (coll. HNHM).

Paratypes: 3 males with the same data as the holotype ; 2 males from the same locality as the holotype, but collected at 12.X.1998 ; 1 male, valley of Indus , between Chilas and Dassu, Motel Barseen, 73°12’20”E, 35°21’42”N, 1100 m, November 1998, leg. Fida Hussain (coll. HNHM, Budapest; GY. M. LÁSZLÓ, Budapest; M. SOMMERER, Munich) .

Slide Nos: RL 6378, LG 560, LG 561, LG 918.

Diagnosis: Erannis kashmirensis is easily distinguishable from the related E. potopolskii VIIDALEPP, 1988 by its much paler yellow fore wing ground colour with less dense brownish irroration, somewhat longer postmedial line the straight section of which is considerably longer than that of E. potopolskii . E. kashmirensis has much paler hindwing, without any trace of the transverse line, while E. potopolskii has rather broad, pale but distinct transverse line on the hind wing, consisting of brownish scales. In the male genitalia there are no remarkable differences between the two species, but it is worth to mention, that the genital differences between the species of the genus Erannis are subtle in most cases.

Description: Wingspan 39–45 mm, length of forewing 21–27 mm. Male. Head and collar uniformly pale yellow or brownish yellow. Antenna bipectinate, red-brown. Tegulae and thorax covered with long, abdomen with flattened, unicolorous, pale yellow or brownish yellow hair-scales. Forewing rather broad, apically rounded, outer margin almost straight. Ground colour less variable, most often pale ochreous, sometimes with scarce brownish irroration; median area and inner part of marginal field usually covered with darker, brownish-yellow scales. Basal line absent, subbasal and antemedial lines arcuate, indistinct or sometimes absent, diffuse, marked only by a fine row of brownish scales. Medial line poorly visible, represented only by its brownish costal part. Discal spot rounded, usually strongly marked, dark brown. Postmedial line usually narrow, distinct but may be absent, its lower half slightly sinuous, almost straight, upper half starting with an obtuse angle towards terminal area, its costal third strongly sinuous. Praeterminal line absent, subterminal line rather indistinct, interrupted, sinuous, often absent. Terminal line very fine, continuous, bright yellow; cilia relatively long, proximally yellowish, distally silvery whitish. Hindwing pale ochreous, sometimes with sparse brownish irroration, veins marked with yellowish scales, transverse line absent. Discal spot relatively well marked; terminal line and cilia as on forewing. Underside of wings pale ochreous, discal spots present, transverse lines poorly visible.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ). Uncus triangular, broad at base, apically truncate. Gnathos ribbon-like, with a relatively large, apically rounded, triangular plate medially. Tegumen triangular, robust. Juxta large, well sclerotized, shield-like, with narrower, rounded dorsal lobe. Vinculum relatively short, saccus broadly rounded. Valva rather short, broad, ventral margin evenly sinuous, costal margin slightly arcuate, with tongue-shaped, rounded apical lobe. Basal half of costal margin strongly sclerotized, with large, triangular lobe projecting towards valval apex, distally covered densely with strong, relatively short spines. Basal part of valva with small but conspicuous, strongly sclerotized, tapering, apically pointed extension. Transtilla rectangular, weakly sclerotized, relabaijan, Talysh, Massali tively long and broad. Aedeagus short, broad, with a tongue-shaped apical plate; vesica short, with a cornuti field of rather long cornuti united into a large, sole cornutus.

Female unknown.

Bionomics and distribution. The new species occurs – according to our present knowledge – in the westernmost chains of the Himalayas, inhabiting the partly lightly forested, partly bushy valleys of the subalpine region: all but one specimens of the type series were collected at 3150 m a.s.l. The only exceptional specimen was found in the xerothermic, semi-desert-like region of the Indus valley near the village Barseen. The collecting site is characterised with scattered groups of hard-leaved oak trees on a steep slope, which could be an appropriate habitat of an Erannis species. Another possibility is that the specimen had descended from the rather high mountains nearby the valley with the “help” of the regularly very strong wind. The larval foodplants are probably deciduous trees and bushes. The female and the immature stages are unknown.

Figures

Figs 1–8. Erannis males. E. kashmirensis: 1 =holotype; 2–4 =paratypes: 2 =Pakistan, Kashmir, Deosai Mts, 3 =Pakistan, Kashmir, Deosai Mts, 4 =Pakistan, Indus valley, Barseen. 5–8 = E. caspica: 5 =holotype; paratypes: 6 =Iran, Prov.Gilan, Disku, 7 =Iran, Prov. Gilan, Disku, 8 =Azer -

Figs 9–10. Erannis male genitalia capsule. 9 = E. kashmirensis, holotype; 10 = E. caspica, paratype (Iran, Prov. Gilan, slide No. LG 1744). (Aedeagus with larger magnification)