Lophoterges (Variterges) varians, Ronkay, 2005

Ronkay, L., 2005, Revision Of The Genus Lophoterges Hampson, 1906 (S. L.) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Cuculliinae). Part Ii. The Genus Lophoterges S. Str., Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (1), pp. 1-57 : 27-29

Lophoterges (Variterges) varians sp. n.

( Figs 10, 11 , 41–44 , 71)

Holotype: male, “ Uzbekistan, W-Tien-Shan 1200 m, Tshatkal Reserve , Bash-Kizil-Say, 27. V.- VI.3.1982, leg. Peregovits ”. The holotype is deposited in coll. HNHM Budapest.

Paratypes. Uzbekistan: 7 males, 5 females, W-Tien-Shan Chatkal Reserve , Bash-Kizil-Say, 1200 m, 27. V .- VI .3.1982, leg. L. PEREGOVITS (coll. HNHM, HACKER and FIBIGER); 1 male, 1 female, from same locality, 1–4. VI .1981, leg. O. MERKL & I. HAHN (coll. HNHM); 67 males, 88 females, Chimgan, 800–2000 m, 18–25.VII.1990, leg. GYULAI & HREBLAY (coll. HNHM Budapest, P. GYULAI, M. HREBLAY, G. RONKAY); 1 male, 1 female, Bolshoj Chimgan, 1500 m, 3.VII.1981, leg. K. & P. KRUŠEK (coll. KRUŠEK) ; 1 female, Chimgan, 1700 m, 5.VII.1991, leg. DANILEVSKY (coll. HNHM) . Kazakhstan: 2 males, 2 females, W Tien-Shan, Thalasskiy Alatau, valley Aksu-Dzhabagli , 1300 m, 8.VII, 17.VII.1985, leg. I. KOSTYUK (coll. HNHM and G. RONKAY) ; 1 male, Prov. Almaty, Zailisky Alatau, 4 km SE Kaskelen , 1000 m, 76°47’E, 43°08’N, 16. VI .1996, leg. GY. FÁBIÁN and L. NÁDAI (coll. BENEDEK); 1 female, Saisan, 84°55’E, 47°28’N, 13–15. VI .1993, coll. SCHINTLMEISTER (coll. SPEIDEL); 1 male, Akterek, 25. V .1994, leg. GY. FÁBIÁN & Z. VARGA (coll. G. RONKAY); 1 male, Alma-Ata, Aksay, 800 m, 9.VII.1981, leg. K. CERNY (coll. SPEIDEL) ; 1 male, Karatau Mts , Kentau, 800 m, 4. V .1994, leg. PLIUSH (coll. P. GYULAI); 1 female, Boroldai Mts , Pisteli, 700 m, 8. VI .1992, leg. M. DANILEVSKY (coll. P. GYULAI). Kirghisia: 2 males, 1 female, Chon-Aryk, 1200 m, 17–22. VIII.1993, leg. TOROPOV (coll. P. GYULAI) ; 2 females, Alai Mts , 20 km E Uch-Kurgan, near Kuva, 1800 m, 13.VII.1993, leg. M. KOPP (coll. P. GYULAI and G. RONKAY) ; 1 female, Tash-Kumyr valley , Burzhu-bulak, 1100 m, 8.VII.2001, leg. S. CHURKIN (coll. P. GYULAI) . Mongolia: 1 female, Chovd aimak, Mongol Altai Mts , Uliassutai gol, 45 km NNE Somon Bulgan, 1400 m, 6.VII.1966, leg. Z. KASZAB, No. 638 (coll. HNHM) .

Slide Nos: 2518m, 2744m, 2745m, 3818m, 4541m, 8051m, 8052m, 8522m, 8523m, 8530m, 8531m RONKAY (males), 2521f, 2523f, 2743f, 8059f, 8060f, 8061f, 8065f, 8067f, 8525f, 8526f, 8528f, 8529f RONKAY (females).

Diagnosis. Lophoterges (V.) varians is the smallest species of the subgenus (wingspan 26–31 mm), being regularly considerably smaller than the other taxa of Variterges . Lophoterges (V.) varians is more broad-winged than the other Variterges taxa, its fore wing apex is more rounded and the basis colouration is less variegated, less shining than those of L. (V.) centralasiae and L. (V.) radians .

The male genitalia of L. (V.) varians differ from those of the L. (V.) centralasiae – L. (V.) aksuensis species-pair by the almost straight, only apically curved distal parts of the valvae and the shorter, broader, less acutely pointed socii, and the harpes are the smallest in L. (V.) varians . The male genitalia of these three species differ from those of L. (V.) radians by their smooth socii, shorter valvae and, especially, by the discontinuous armature of the vesica, having two large spinulose areas being separated by a longer spineless section.

The female genitalia of L. (V.) varians can be distinguished more easily from those of L. (V.) centralasiae and L. (V.) aksuensis by the considerably smaller, shorter and more asymmetrical ostium bursae, the shorter distal part of the ductus bursae and the shorter cervix bursae having smaller sclerotised plate. The ostium bursae of L. (V.) radians is even more shortened and more asymmetrical and the cervix bursae is considerably larger, longer and more sclerotised than those of L. (V.) varians .

Description. External morphology ( Figs 10, 11 ). Wingspan 26–31 mm. Colouration of head and thorax dark chocolate-brown with grey-brown shade, mixed with a few silvery greyish and blackish hair-scales; collar pale ash-grey with blackish grey basal and paler apical lines. Abdomen much paler, light greyish with more brownish lateral ridges; dorsal crest well developed, blackish. Fore wing relatively short, apically less pointed than in other species of Variterges , ground colour dark brownish, suffused with whitish grey, darker grey and brownish. Costal and marginal areas paler, irrorated with whitish grey or ashy grey, median zone darker, more brownish; veins covered with fine blackish-brownish scaling in medial and marginal areas, this covering turns into whitish along terminal line. Basal dash medium long, blackish, with dark brownish shadow around; median zone with dark chocolate-brown or blackish stripe running from base to termen in and below cell. Maculation typical of Lophoterges , white outlines of stigmata very sharp. Orbicular and reniform stigmata strongly flattened, reniform semilunar, narrow, with long, pointed tips. Costal streaks of antemedial and postmedial lines most often present, blackish grey, other parts of crosslines deleted. Subterminal line diffuse, interrupted, partly whitish greyish defined by small, dark brownish dots; termen with two-three longer, stronger, rather diffuse blackish striae between veins. Terminal line very fine, blackish followed by whitish line; cilia with fine whitish-ochreous medial line and whitish streaks at veins, basal half as ground colour, outer half paler greyish brown. Male hind wing shining silky whitish, marginal area with darker brown irroration, veins with fine brownish covering, especially in marginal area; discal spot diffuse but usually present. Terminal line fine, brown; cilia whitish, with a few brownish scales. Hind wing of female with broader, more intense darker marginal suffusion. Underside of fore wing greyish with whitish grey irroration, hind wing as on upperside but dark covering of costa, discal spot, marginal area and veins stronger.

Male genitalia ( Figs 43, 44 , 71). Ground plan typical of Variterges . Uncus short, curved apically and slightly dilated, tegumen narrow, high, socii symmetrical, relatively broadly cuneate-triangular, acutely pointed but their tips less elongated and acute than those of L. (V.) aksuensis and L. (V.) centralasiae ; their lateral margins smooth, finely setose, sometimes minutely dentate. Valvae strongly asymmetrical, distal parts of both valvae rather slender, curved at apical third; right extension twice as long as left one, rather hockey-stick-like with relatively short, pointed apex and small but well-visible subapical peak. Harpes pyramidal, small, smaller than those of L. (V.) centralasiae and L. (V.) aksuensis . Basal third of vesica strongly inflated, basal field of cornuti large, consisting of a large number of long, spiniform cornuti, this field rather dense but more sparse than those of L. (V.) centralasiae and L. (V.) aksuensis , its proximal section (close to dorsal edge of carina) consists of smaller, shorter spinules. Medial third of vesica membranous, regularly spineless, terminal part of vesica armed with two long stripes of shorter spinules; terminal diverticulum small, semiglobular, covered with fine cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Figs 41, 42 ). Ovipositor very short, weak, conical; gonapophyses thin, short. Ostium bursae moderately long, broader than longer, strongly asymmetrical, lyriform-calyculate. Distal part of ductus bursae heavily sclerotised, long, longer than ostium bursae; proximal part forming large, elliptical-ovoid, wrinkled-rugose, gelatinous bulb. Cervix bursae moderately long, shorter than those of L. (V.) centralasiae and L. (V.) aksuensis , conical with larger, apically rounded sclerotised patch, terminated in small, pointed apex.

Bionomics. The species is a typical member of the fauna of the shrubby forest belt following the stream valleys in the lower and medium high altitudes of the semiarid-xeromontane regions of the Tien Shan system. It appears as local but not rare in its habitats. Lophoterges (V.) varians is presumably bivoltine, the adults are on the wing from the beginning of May to the end of August; the moths are strongly attracted to light.

Distribution. The core area of the species is the western Tien Shan (Chatkal, Chimgan, Alai) including also the insular mountains in the steppe zone located north-westwards from the western chains of the Tien Shan massif; only a few records are known from the central parts of the Tien Shan (Thalasskiy Alatau, Zailiskiy Alatau, Saisan). Interestingly, a seldom female specimen of the species was found in the western part of the Mongolian Altai (Chovd province), indicating the supposedly larger range of the species and, indirectly, the level of exploration of the Noctuidae fauna of the eastern Tien Shan region.

Figures

Figs 9–16. 9 =Lophoterges (Variterges) aksuensis (BANG-HAAS, 1912), female, China, Aksu;10–11= L. (V.) varians sp. n.: 10 = holotype, male, Uzbekistan, Chatkal, 11 = paratype, female, Uzbekistan, Chimgan; 12–15 = L. (V.) radians sp. n.: 12 = holotype, male, Afghanistan, Nuristan, 13 = paratype, male, Afghanistan, Safed Koh, 14 = paratype, male, Tadjikistan, Shahristan, 15 = paratype, male,

Figs 40–42. 40 = Lophoterges (V.) aksuensis (BANG-HAAS, 1912), female, China, Aksu; 41–42 = L. (V.) varians sp. n., paratype females, Uzbekistan: 42 = Chimgan, 42 = Chatkal

Figs43–44. Lophoterges (V.) varians sp.n., paratype,male,Uzbekistan:43 = Chatkal, 44 = Chimgan