Gnophopsodos puengeleri ( Bohatsch, 1910 )

Erlacher, Sven & Erlacher, Josepha, 2016, A systematic revision of the genus Gnophopsodos Wehrli, 1945, with description of two new species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), Zootaxa 4169 (3), pp. 435-456 : 444-445

5. Gnophopsodos puengeleri ( Bohatsch, 1910) stat. rev.

(adults Pl. 1, Figs 5 a, 5b and Pl. 2, Fig. 5 c; male gen. Pl. 3, Figs 5 d, 5e; female gen. Pl. 5, Fig. 5 f)

Gnophos puengeleri Bohatsch, 1910 , Jahresbericht des Wiener Entomologischen Vereins , 20: 164.— Locus typicus: Uzbekistan, Fergana region, Alai Mountains. Deposition of lectotype: MNHU. Examined.

Chelegnophos alaianus Viidalepp, 1988 syn. nov., Fauna pyadenits gor Srednei Azii [ Geometridae fauna of the Central Asian mountains ]: 159, Pl. 3, Fig. 15, text-Pl. 37, figs. 2–5.— Locus typicus: Kyrgyzstan, northern slope of the Alaiski mountain range , River Terek , Darvaza, 2600 m. Deposition of holotype: ZRAS. Examined.

Material examined. Type material. Lectotype 1Ƌ of Gnophos puengeleri Bohatsch, 1910 (Pl. 1, Fig. 5 a; Pl. 3, Fig. 5 d) (hereby designated): [ Kyrgyzstan:] ‘ Asia centr[al]. | Fergane, Alai | M. Korb’, ‘ Type | Püngeleri Bohatsch Ƌ’, ‘ Genit. Unters. | Nr. 5395 | Zool [ogisches]. Mus [eum]. Berlin’, MNHU.

Paralectotype 1♀ of Gnophos puengeleri Bohatsch, 1910 (Pl. 1, Fig. 5 b; Pl. 5, Fig. 5 f) (hereby designated): Kyrgyzstan: Fergana region , Togus –torau, 1901, leg. W. Rückbeil, gen. prep. SE–591, MNHU.

Holotype 1Ƌ of Chelegnophos alaianus Viidalepp, 1988 : [ Kyrgyzstan:] <in Russian> ‘ Alayskiy khr[ebet], sev[ernyi] sklon, | r[eka] Terek , uroch[ishche] Darvaza [ Alai Range , northern slope, river Terek , tract Darwaza ] | 20.7.1968, 2600 m, [leg.] Bundel’, ‘ Chelegnophos | alaianus Viid. ’, ‘2624 Ƌ’, ‘ Holotypus’, ‘ IZBE | IZBE 0096325 | Insecta Generale | LepPal –26225’, ZRAS .— Further material. Kazakhstan: 1Ƌ (Pl. 2, Fig. 5 c; Pl. 3, Fig. 5 e), SE Kazakhstan, Almaty, Bolshaya Almatinka , 2600 m, 10.–20.vii.1994, leg. A. Saldaitis, gen. prep. SE–588, barcode id. SE–MNC– Lep –00856, BIN BOLD: ABU 6743 ; 1♀, SE Kazakhstan, Transili-Alatau, valley of Alma-Atinka river , 0.5 km S Medeo, 28./ 29.viii.1990, lux, leg. T. Karisch, gen. prep. SE–590, barcode id. SE–MNC– Lep – 0 0 857, KTD.

Description. Adults (Pl. 1, Figs 5 a, 5b and Pl. 2, Fig. 5 c).

Measurements. Wingspan: 31–34 mm (Ƌ), 26–29 mm (♀); forewing length: 14–17 mm (Ƌ), 15–17 mm (♀); forewing width: 12 mm (Ƌ), 10–13 mm (♀).

Wings. Upper side ash-gray to brownish; antemedial line slightly visible or absent; postmedial line rather continuous; discal spot occasionally indistinct.

Male genitalia (Pl. 3, Figs 5 d, 5e). Total length: 1.91–1.99 mm; valvae span: 1.15–1.36 mm; valvulae span: 1.37–1.59 mm; valvae width: 0.60–0.64 mm. Costa padded, sparse costal thorns pooled to a subterminal cactus– like structure; uncus medium–broad, rounded with slender peak; gnathos strongly sclerotized, bulb–like, laterally compressed, moderately pointed and roof–shaped; juxta weakly sclerotized, caudally broadened; aedeagus length: 0.68–0.81mm; appendix aedeagi: 0.93–1.08 mm.

Female genitalia (Pl. 5, Fig. 5 f). Total length: 2.83–3.18 mm; antrum length: 0.60–0.62 mm; antrum width: 0.30–0.33 mm.

Diagnosis. The following species appear to be similar to G. puengeleri : G. fractifasciaria , G. sabine , and G. stemmataria . For distinction see diagnoses of the respective species.

Distribution ( Fig. 5). Two of the examined specimens of G. puengeleri originate from the so called “Fergana region” in Kyrgyzstan: the lectotype (male) from the Alai Mountains and the paralectotype (female) from the province Naryn (Togus–Torau, about 2000 m). Two further specimens were captured in South– East Kazakhstan: there is a male from around Almaty (2600 m) and a female originating from the Transili–Alatau south of Medeo (about 2000 m). G. puengeleri was also recorded (as G. alaianus ) from Kyrgyzstan (river Terek, northern slope of the Alaiski mountain range), and from Transalai Mountains, Tshatkal, south–east of lake Issyk–Kul ( Viidalepp 1988), east of Naryn in Kyrgyzstan, and from the Alma–Ata National Park in Kazakhstan at altitudes between 1700 m and 2900 m ( Kaila et al. 1996).

Biology. The flight period lasts from early July to the end of August (see Viidalepp 1988, Kaila et al. 1996).

Remarks. Gnophos puengeleri , that has been considered to be synonym of Chelegnophos stemmataria (= orbicularia ) since Parsons et al. (1999) is herewith reinstated as bona species. Chelegnophos alaianus Viidalepp, 1988 is recognized to be conspecific with Gnophopsodos puengeleri ( Bohatsch, 1910) .

Based on available molecular data the nearest species of G. puengeleri is G. fractifasciaria with a COI distance of 4.77% (see also Tab. 1 and Fig. 6).