Anarta (Calocestra) mirabilis Volynkin, 2014

Titov, Sergey V., Gorbunov, Pavel Yu., Volynkin, Anton V., Egorov, Petr V. & Rakhimov, Ruslan D., 2022, First record of Anarta mirabilis Volynkin from Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Hadenini), Ecologica Montenegrina 60, pp. 43-50 : 44-47

Anarta (Calocestra) mirabilis Volynkin, 2014

( Figs 1–10 )

Anarta (Calocestra) mirabilis Volynkin in Volynkin & Ivanova, 2014, Zootaxa, 3784 (5): 596, figs 1–5, 11, 12, 15, 17 (Type locality: “W Mongolia, Hovd aimak, Dzhungarian Gobi, Arshantyn- Nuruu Ridge , h= 1700–2100 m, 46°22'N 91°15'E ”).

Material examined. 15 males, 3 females, West Kazakhstan, Mugodzhary Mts., 5 km W of Altyndy village, Kuchukbai Mt. , 480m, 48°55'N 58°38'E, 6. V .2014, P. Gorbunov and K. Nupponen ( PGC, KNC & CAV) ; 1 female, West Kazakhstan, Irgiz River basin, 17 km NEN of Kurylys settl., saline semidesert, 49°47'N 60°49'E, 13. V .2016, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 22 specimens, Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Province, 70 km N of Balkhash town, Konyrkulzha Mt. , 700m, 47°28'N 74°43'E, 6. V .2017, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC and OPC); 4 males, 1 female, Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Province, Kyzylrai Mts , 6 km NW of Shylym aul, 990m, 48°27'N 75°19'E, 7. V .2017, P. Gorbunov leg.; 3 specimens, Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Province, 55 km SE of Karkaralinsk town, Obaly Mt. , 1000m, 49°00'N 75°54'E, 8. V .2015, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 4 males, 6 females, 10. V .2022, Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Reg., Aktogay District , Bektau Ata Mts , 571m, 47°21'20.18"N 74°44'42.72"E, saline steppe / riverine Populus woodland / Elaeagnus-Haloxylon thickets / rocks, S. V . Titov leg. ( STP); 3 specimens, East Kazakhstan, Bakanas River valley at Barshatas settl., 670m, 48°14'N 78°37'E, 9. V .2017, P. Gorbunov leg. ( SMC); 1 male, East Kazakhstan, Tarbagatai Massif, Ayaguz River bank, 1150m, 47°35'N 81°30'E, 13. V .2017, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 1 male, 1 female, East Kazakhstan, Tarbagatai Mts. , 10 km S of Kyzyl-Kesek vill., 900 m, 47°47'N 81°59'E, 14. V .2017, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 4 males, 11 females, East Kazakhstan, Manrak Mts., 18 km SW of Tugyl vill., Kusty River , 770 m, 47°38'N 84°08'E, 15.05.2017, P. Gorbunov leg. ( SMC) ; 1 female, East Kazakhstan, 40 km S of Karatogai village, Karaberik Mt. , 530m, 48°02'N 84°36'E, 17. V .2015, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 3 specimens, East Kazakhstan, 65 km SE of Semei Sity, Konsar Mt. , 340m, 49°57'N, 80°54'E, 22. V .2018, P. Gorbunov leg. ( PGC); 1 male, East Kazakhstan, Altai Mts, Bukombai Range , 48°18'N 84°44'E, 700m, 18. V .1992, V . & A. Lukhtanov leg. ( CAV); 5 males, 30.IV.2015, East Kazakhstan, Urdzhar district , W Tarbagatai Mts, 9.5 km ENE of Tasaryk village, 705m, 47°08'04.6''N, 081º24'51.0''E, foot of rocky slope, Volynkin A. V . & Titov S. V . leg. ( CAV); 3 males, 01. V .2015, East Kazakhstan, Urdzhar district, W Tarbagatai Mts , 8 km ENE of Altynshoky (Predgornoe) village, 890m, N 47°11.607' E 81°10.085', mesophilous rocky slopes of canyon, Volynkin A. V . & Titov S. V . leg. ( CAV); 5 males, 02. V .2015, East Kazakhstan, Ayagoz district, W Tarbagatai Mts , northern spurs, 21 km E of Ayagoz town, 810m, N 47°58.425' E 80°43.89', meadow near rocks, Volynkin A. V . & Titov S. V . leg. ( CAV); 2 males, 1 female, East Kazakhstan. East Kazakhstan Reg., Arkaly Mts. , 22 km SW Bakty. 508m . 26.IV.2022, 46.54623° 082.50291° P. Egorov & R . Rakhimov leg. ( CAV); 1 female, E Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan Reg., Karabastau Mts. , 18 km N Bakty, 707m, 29.IV.2022, 46.82657° 082.70579°, P. Egorov & R . Rakhimov leg. ( CAV).

Bionomics. The species was found in Kazakhstan in the middle and southern steppe sub-zones (Botanical geography... 2003). Anarta mirabilis is a local hemi-petrophilous species inhabiting petrophytic steppes and rocky steppe slopes ( Figs 11–14 ). Only in one locality (Besoba Mt.), it was collected in the clayey desert steppe with minor rubble outcrops. Adults fly from late April to middle May and were collected together with such typical spring Lepidoptera as Orthosia spp. , Shargacucullia spp. , Cucullia inderiensis Herrich- Schäffer, 1856, Egira anatolica (Hering, 1933) , Athaumasta spp. , Simyra nervosa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Anarta dianthi (Tauscher, 1809) (first generation), Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel, 1766) (first generation), Cerastis rubricosa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Watsonarctia deserta (Bartel, 1902) , Eudiaphora turensis (Erschoff, 1874) , Saturnia pavonia (Linnaeus, 1758) , Phyllodesma ambigua Staudinger, 1901 , Lycia hirtaria (Clerck, 1759) , Callophrys rubi (Linnaeus, 1758) , etc. In the regions of the sympatric occurrence with the externally similar Anarta armata (Staudinger, 1888) , the flight periods of the two species only partly overlap and A. armata usually gets on wing two or three weeks later than A. mirabilis . However, in East Kazakhstan (Karabastau and Arkaly Mts), specimens of both species in good condition were collected at the same nights. The preimaginal stages and the host plants are unknown.

Distribution. The species is known from Western Mongolia, south-eastern Russian Altai ( Volynkin & Ivanova 2014), and Kazakhstan (Aktobe, Karaganda, Abai and East Kazakhstan Regions) ( Fig. 15 ).

Figures

Figure 11. The habitat of Anarta mirabilis: East Kazakhstan, Urdzhar district, W Tarbagatai Mts, 9.5 km ENE of Tasaryk village, 705 m. 47°08'04.6''N, 081º24'51.0''E, 30.IV.2015 (photo by A.V. Volynkin).

Figure 12. The habitat of Anarta mirabilis: East Kazakhstan, Ayagoz district, W Tarbagatai Mts, northern spurs, 21 km E of Ayagoz town, 810m, N47°58.425' E80°43.89', 02.V.2015 (photo by A.V. Volynkin).

Figure 13. The habitat of Anarta mirabilis: Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Reg., Aktogay District, Bektau Ata Mts, 571m, 47°21'20.18"N 74°44'42.72"E, 10.V.2022 (photo by S.V. Titov).

Figure 14. The habitat of Anarta mirabilis: West Kazakhstan, Aktobe Region, Mugodzhary Mts., 5 km W of Altyndy village, Kuchukbai Mt., 480m, 48°55'N 58°38'E, 6.V.2014 (photo by P.Yu. Gorbunov

Figure 15. Distribution map of Anarta mirabilis.

Figures 1–4. Anarta mirabilis: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in ZISP; 2–4 in CAV.

Figures 5–8. Anarta mirabilis: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 5 in ZISP; 6–8 in CAV.

Figures 9–10. Anarta mirabilis: living adults in nature. 9, East Kazakhstan, Ayagoz district, W Tarbagatai Mts, northern spurs, 21 km E of Ayagoz town, 810m, N47°58.425' E80°43.89', 02.V.2015 (photo by A.V. Volynkin); 10, West Kazakhstan, Mugodzhary Mts., 5 km W of Altyndy village, Kuchukbai Mt., 480m, 48°55' N 58°38' E, 6.V.2014 (photo by P.Yu. Gorbunov).