Pyrausta armeniaca Slamka, 2013

Alipanah, Helen, Asselbergs, Jan, Malm, Tobias & Slamka, František, 2023, Taxonomic study of the subfamily Pyraustinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Iran, Zootaxa 5289 (1), pp. 1-82 : 39-42

Pyrausta armeniaca Slamka, 2013

( Fig. 12D )

Pyrausta armeniaca Slamka, 2013: 47–48 , col.-pl. 9, pl. 13, pl. 72.

TL: Armenia, Vayots Dzor province, 10 km SE Areni, Noravank , 1600 m 39˚41´07˝N 45˚14´02˝E.

Material examined. 5 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀: Alborz Prov.: 2 ♀♀, Âsârâ , 40 km N Karaj, 1850 m, 27.vi.1971, Safavi, Borumand, Kâviân, Ghâzioff leg. (gen. prep. HA-2455, HMIM) ; East Âzarbâijân Prov.: 1 ♂, Kâghazkonân protected area, Âghkand, Hâjimir vill. to Mendejin vill. Rd. , 5.5 km to Mendejin , vill., N 37˚21´19˝, E 48˚11´60˝, 1220 m, 15.vi.2020, Âlipanâh, Falsafi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2659, HMIM) ; Qazvin Prov.: 1 ♂, Alamut, Gâzorkhân , 2080 m, 19.-21.vi.1995, Ebrâhimi, Ardeh, Parchami-Arâghi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2655, HMIM) ; Qom Prov.: 1 ♂, Qom, Vesf , 5.viii.1988, Hâshemi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2492, HMIM) ; Mâzandarân Prov.: 1 ♀, Baladeh, Yush , 1920 m, 23.ix.1996, Badii, Ardeh, Hâshemi leg. , 1 ♀, Râmsar , 6 km Javâherdeh, N 36˚54΄29.3˝, E 50˚35΄13.2˝, 554 m, 23.vii.2007, Âlipanâh, Zahiri leg. ; Tehrân Prov.: 1 ♀, Fasham , 1450 m, 5.ix.1981, Hâshemi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2490, HMIM) , 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Târ Lake, Palang Darreh , 2000 m, 16.ix.1987, Hâshemi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2489, HA-2510, HMIM) .

Distribution. Armenia ( Slamka 2013).

Remarks. Slamka (2013), states that Pyrausta armeniaca is comparable to P. pionalis and P. zeitunalis externally, except for the darker and more contrasting wing pattern of P. armeniaca . The male genitalia of these three species are also very similar to each other. Based on the results of this study, in P. zeitunalis ( Fig. 18D ) the uncus is relatively wider than that of P. armeniaca or P. pionalis ( Figs 18A , 19A ). In both P. armeniaca and P. zeitunalis the uncus has an almost blunt tip ( Fig. 18A, B ), while in P. pionalis it is pointed apically ( Fig. 19A–C ). In the males of P. armeniaca and P. zeitunalis there is no variation in the shape of cornuti ( Fig. 18A, C, D, F ), but in P. pionalis there is an intraspecific variation ( Fig. 19A, D ). Besides the shape of cornuti, these three species can easily be differentiated based on the shape and length of the juxta. In P. pionalis it is shorter ( Fig. 19A ) compared to P. armeniaca and P. zeitunalis ( Fig. 18A, B, D, E ). Additionally, the posterior margin of the juxta in P. pionalis has a shallow curvature medially ( Fig. 19A ). In both P. armeniaca and P. zeitunalis the shape and length of the juxta is more or less similar except for the anterio-medial cleft, which in P. armeniaca is slightly deeper than in P. zeitunalis ( Fig. 18A, B, D, E ). These three species also differ in the shape of the antrum and partly the colliculum in the female genitalia. In all of them, the posterior part of the antrum is cup-shaped, more sclerotized than the other parts, and densely covered with minute sclerotized spines, mainly at the dorsal surface. Its anterior part is nearly membranous except the median area of the ventral surface, which is slightly sclerotized; however, its shape and size is different in each. In both P. zeitunalis and P. pionalis , the anterior part is relatively shorter than the posterior part ( Fig. 19G–J ). However, in P. zeitunalis ( Fig. 19G–I ), like that of P. armeniaca ( Fig. 19E, F ), the anterior part of the antrum is wider than the posterior part, while in P. pionalis it is narrower than the posterior part ( Fig. 19J ). In P. armeniaca , the posterior part is nearly as long as the anterior part ( Fig. 19E, F ). The length of the colliculum is also different in these three species; in P. pionalis it is longer ( Fig. 19J ) compared to P. armeniaca ( Fig. 19E, F ) and P. zeitunalis ( Fig. 19G–I ). In both P. armeniaca and P. pionalis , the lateral walls of the colliculum are more sclerotized compared to the remaining areas ( Fig. 19E, F, J ).

This species is newly reported for the fauna of Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 12. A) Pyrausta aurata Scopoli, male, Kerman, Lalehzar. B) P. purpuralis (Linnaeus), female. C) P. cingulata (Linnaeus), female. D) P. armeniaca Slamka, male. E, F) P. zeitunalis Caradja, females, Zanjan, Sorkhabad (scale bar = 10.0 mm).

FIGURE 18. Male genitalia of Pyrausta armeniaca Slamka (genitalia slides HA-2492, HA-2510, HMIM) (A–C) and P. zeitunalis Caradja (genitalia slides HA-2503, HA-2582, HMIM) (D–F). A, D) Genitalia and phallus in ventral and lateral views, respectively. B, E) Juxta. C, F) Distal half of phallus.

FIGURE 19. A–D) Male genitalia of Pyrausta pionalis Toll (genitalia slides HA-2061, HA-2493, HA-2505, HMIM):A) Genitalia and phallus in ventral and lateral views, respectively. B, C) Uncus. D) Distal half of phallus. E–J) Antrum area in female genitalia of Pyrausta armeniaca Slamka (genitalia slides HA-2455, HA-2489, HMIM) (E, F), P. zeitunalis Caradja (genitalia slides HA-2190, HA-2600, HA-2658, HMIM) (G–I) and P. pionalis Toll (genitalia slide HA-2030, HMIM) (J).