Cossus ramoni, Saldaitis & Prozorov & Müller & Yakovlev, 2023

Saldaitis, Aidas, Prozorov, Alexey M., Müller, Günter C. & Yakovlev, Roman V., 2023, Cossus ramoni - a new species from northeastern Iran (Lepidoptera, Cossidae, Cossinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 70, pp. 1-6 : 2-4

Cossus ramoni sp. n.

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( Figs 10−11, 18–19)

Material. Holotype, ♂, Iran, Khorosan prov. , Kuh-E-Binalud Mt., Dorrut loc., h− 1720 m, 12.v.2017, (slide Prozorov 2022 0355, WIGJ).

Paratypes: 4♂, same locality and data (slide Prozorov 1305, ASV, GMM) .

Description. Male ( Figs 10−11). Forewing length of holotype is 27 mm, paratypes 28–31 mm. Antenna dark-brown, basal third of flagellum covered with cream-colored scales. Head, thorax and abdomen speckled brown and cream-colored. thorax has dark-brown somewhat W-shaped pattern and paler medial spot. Abdomen bears pale cream-colored and dark brown stripes. Forewing speckled brown and cream-colored with dark brown marble-like pattern less pronounced in basal half of the wing, one dark brown transversal line is well pronounced. Hindwing dark brown with darker marble-like pattern. Fringe speckled brown and cream-colored, paler between veins. Female remains unknown.

Male genitalia. Unscus triangular, elongated, slightly concave basally, more sclerotized and pointed apically. Tegumen broader than uncus, somewhat trapezoid. Arms of gnathos C-shaped, slender; gnathos small, semi-round, covered with minute hair-like outgrowths. Valva semilanceolate with dorsoapical sclerotized ridges, apical membranous field covered with setae, and smooth concavity in ventral margin. Transtilla sclerotized, elongated, claw-shaped. Juxta somewhat H-shaped or consisting of two medially joint rhombs elongated in dorsoventral direction. Saccus semi-spherical with ventral semi-spherical concavity. Phallus narrow, long, slightly c-shaped, about the length of valva. Vesica elongated, cylindrical.

Variability. Adults may be overall paler ( Fig. 11) or darker ( Fig. 10); with more ( Fig. 11) or less ( Fig. 10) pronounced pattern. Transtilla may be longer ( Fig. 19) or shorter ( Fig. 18).

Distribution. So far known from one locality in the Binalud Mountain Range, Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran.

Diagnosis. The new species C. ramoni sp. n. differs from:

1) C. c. kossai by longer forewing, lack of contrast in wing pattern, darker coloration; longer uncus; parapatric distribution in north-eastern instead of southern Iran;

2) C. c. araraticus by less contrast in wing pattern, rather darker hindwings; wider uncus, narrower gnathos; parapatric distribution in north-eastern instead of northern and central Iran;

3) C. c. kopetdaghi by less contrast in wing pattern, rather darker hindwings; wider uncus;

4) C. afghanistana by less contrast in wing pattern, darker coloration, massive extension on costal margin of valva, longer extensions of transtilla;

Etymology. The new species is named after our colleague Ramon Hulsbosch (Echt, the Netherlands) for his valuable contribution to the systematics of Cossidae .