Problepsis wiltshirei (Prout, 1938) Wanke & Krogmann & Murillo-Ramos & Sihvonen & Rajaei, 2021

Wanke, Dominic, Krogmann, Lars, Murillo-Ramos, Leidys, Sihvonen, Pasi & Rajaei, Hossein, 2021, Systematics of Problepsis wiltshirei (Prout, 1938), comb. nov. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Sterrhinae) - an endemic species to the Zagros Mountains in the Middle East, Nota Lepidopterologica 44, pp. 175-192 : 175

Problepsis wiltshirei (Prout, 1938) comb. nov.

Figs 2-9 , 14B , 15 , 18 , 21-25

Somatina wiltshirei Prout, 1938. In: Seitz, A. (Ed.), Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde. Supplement zu Band 4, 220. 2 ♂ Syntypes (Iraq: Kurdistan, Rowanduz [Rawanduz Gorge], Berserini [Berserini Gorge]) examined based on photo; 1 Syntype specimen [sex is not given in the original publication], [Iran]: Fars, Ardekan Talochosroe [Tall Khosrow, today in prov. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad]) (in NHMUK).

Material examined.

2 ♀, Iran, Esfahan, Gandoman S, Gerdeish-e , 200 m, 12./ 13.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, Kallies et al., g.preps 0759, 0760/2020 D. Wanke; 1 ♀, Iran, Khuzestan [now Kohgiluyeh va Boyerahmad], Yassoudj [Yasuj], Sisakht , 2250 m, 13.vi.1972, leg. Ebert, Pazouki ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same data, 13.-14.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner , g.prep. (♂) 0762/2020 D. Wanke; 2 ♂, same data, Sisakht 50 km NW, 15.-18.vi.1975, leg. Ebert, Falkner , g.prep. 0761/2020 D. Wanke; 1 ♂, same data, 15 km SE Yassudj [ Yasuj ], 2050 m, 15.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner , g.prep. 0907/2020 D. Wanke; 1 ♂, S-Iran, Prov. Fars, Tange Surkh , 50 km NW Ardekan, 2250 m NN, 12.-15.vi.1975, leg. Ebert, Falkner ; 2 ♂, S-Iran, Fars, Daschte Ardjan, Kotal-Pirehsan , 2000 m, 18.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner ; 1 ♀, S-Iran, Miyan-Kotal, östl. Kazerun , 51°40'E, 29°30'N, 1900 m, 4.-7.vi.1969, leg. G. Ebert ; 1 ♀, S-Iran, Fars, Kaserun, Mian-Kotal , 1900 m, 11.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner ; all in SMNK.

1 ♀, Iran, Kohkiluye va Boyerahmad , Yasuj , Sisakht, Dena, 2799 m, 30°57'23.6"N, 51°23'28.9"E, 30.vii.2016, leg. Sh. Feizpour, g.prep. 0712/2020 D. Wanke; in SMNS .

1 ♂ / ♀, Iran, Khuzestan, Emamzadeh, Abdollah-low altitude; Saite 4b, 31°22'24"N, 50°7'51"E, 1408 m, 23.ix.2018, Trap 1, leg. Mohammad Ahmadi ; 1 ♂ / ♀, Iran, Khuzestan, Emamzadeh, Abdollah-high altitude; Saite 4a, 31°23'10"N, 50°9'29"E, 2120 m, 13.vii.2018, Trap 2, leg. Mohammad Ahmadi ; 1 ♂ / ♀, Iran, Prov. Khuzestan, Mal aqa, 1100 m, 31°35'57"N, 50°00'50"E, 30.vii.2011, leg. Mehdi Esfandiari ; 1 ♂ / ♀, Iran, Prov. Fars, Bolhayat & Kotal-e-Pirzan, 2000 m, 29°36'48"N, 51°56'28"E, 2. & 9.vi.2011, leg. Mehdi Esfandiari ; 1 ♂ / ♀, Iran, Prov. Fars, Kohmare Sorkhi , 1900 m, 29°28'11"N, 52°08'44"E, 28.iv.2011, leg. Mehdi Esfandiari; all in IMCA .

1 ♀, Türkei [ Turkey], prov. Hakkari, Cigil Suyu-Tal [Zap-Tal], 22 km SW Hakkari, 28.vi.1984, LF, leg. Werner Wolf; in PCWW .

1 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, Fars, Straße Ardekan-Talochosroe [Tall Khosrow, today in prov. Kohgiluyeh und Boyer Ahmad], Comé [Komehr], 7.viii.1937, 2600 m, coll. Brandt; in ZFMK .

1 ♂, Iran, Fars, Straße Ardekan-Talochosroe [Tall Khosrow, today in prov. Kohgiluyeh und Boyer Ahmad], Comèe [Komehr], 2600 m, viii.1937, coll. Brandt, ZSM g.prep. No. 1602; in ZSM .

Re-description.

Wings and body (Figs 2-9 ). Wingspan ♂ 24-28 mm, ♀ 29-32 mm; females slightly larger than males. The proboscis well developed. The length of the labial palpi about equal to the diameter of the eye. Frons, thorax and abdomen concolorous with the wings. Chaetosemata arranged as two patches. Antennae ciliate-fasciculate in males and filiform in females (Figs 2 , 3 ). Male hind tibia with reduced tarsal segments; flattened laterally; longitudinally spoon-shaped; with hair pencil. Hair pencil consisting of two types of differently modified scales as illustrated for P. cinerea by Feizpour et al. (2018). One type of scales apically flattened, while the other scales are tubular and hollow (Figs 4 , 5 ). Ground colour of wings beige, intermixed with some slightly darker ochreous or brown scales; basal areas slightly lighter beige. Fore- and hindwing with a small, light yellowish ocellus, bordered with a thin dark outer line. Discal spots sometimes not visible; more pronounced in the forewings (Figs 6-9 ).

Venation (Fig. 14B ). Two areoles present in forewing. Veins R1, the common stalk of R2-4 and R5 arising from the second areole. In hindwing Sc+R1 slightly curved in basal area, approximating to the cell in the postbasal area; A1+2 originating separately; A3 absent.

Male genitalia (Fig. 15 ). Uncus absent. Socii strongly developed fused at apex. Internal margin of tegumen smooth. Valva with two curved arms (dorsal and ventral arm of valva), both slerotized, narrow and long, apically pointed (Fig. 15a, d ). Aedeagus strongly sclerotized, slender, tapering towards the apex; its basal part dorso-ventrally flattened; vesica without cornuti (Fig. 15b ). Sternum A8: anterior margin with two indentations; lateroanteriorly on both sides pointed. Lateral sides towards posterior part concave; posterior margin curved. Cerata located in posterior half of sternum A8, directed towards centre (Fig. 15c ).

Female genitalia (Fig. 18 ). Papillae anales short and broad. Apophyses anteriores 2/3 length of apophyses posteriores. Antrum strongly sclerotized. Lamella antevaginalis strongly sclerotized; basal part broad, laterally extended; posteriorly curved, folded, tapered to lateral side. Ductus bursae short, strongly sclerotized. Corpus bursae membranous; signum present as a sclerotized, narrow and dentate ridge.

Diagnosis.

P. wiltshirei cannot be confused with any other Problepsis or Somatina species within this region. In Iran only Problepsis cinerea is known from South Iran and it does not occur within the range of P. wiltshirei comb. nov. Additionally, it cannot be confused with this species, as it differs strongly by wing pattern (see Figs 6-10 ) and by genitalia (Figs 16 , 19 ). Somatina pythiaria nigrimacula Hausmann, 2009; a species distributed in Oman has been shown differing by a greyer suffusion on wing pattern, the different structure of the sternum A8 and molecular data ( Hausmann 2009).

Phenology.

Flying from July to October, possibly in two generations ( Wiltshire 1943). This coincides with the investigated specimens, but can be expanded from April to October.

Biology.

Larva described by Wiltshire (1943) as grayish, intermixed with a complex pattern of grey dots and marks. Pale grey dorsal and ventral lines, the latter rather whitish on somites 4-8. Pupal period lasting 8 to 15 days. The cocoon is woven between leaves and litter ( Wiltshire 1943). Wiltshire (1943) noted Fraxinus sp. ( Oleaceae ) and Acer sp. ( Sapindaceae ) as food plants for P. wiltshirei . As Problepsis species have been observed feeding on Oleaceae species ( Robinson et al. 2002; Stadie and Stadie 2016) Acer sp. is an exceptional food plant, which needs confirmation.

Habitat.

This species occurs in the Middle Heights of the mountains, especially the woodland zone ( Wiltshire 1957) and mountain steppe, at elevations from 1100 m up to 2800 m (Figs 21-25 ). The habitat is covered with different herbaceous plants and shrubs, dominated by Prunus sp. ( Rosaceae ), Artemisia sp. ( Asteraceae ), Astragalus sp. ( Fabaceae ) and Acantholimon sp. ( Plumbaginaceae ).

Distribution.

So far recorded in the Zagros Mountains, from northern Iraq (Kurdistan) into south-western Iran (Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer-Ahmad and across the border to the provinces, Khuzestan, Esfahan and Fars) (Fig. 25 ). Additionally, here we record this species for the first time for the fauna of Turkey (see examined material). The large gap between the populations in northern Iraq, Turkey and central Zagros in Iran is possibly caused by insufficient sampling in these areas.

Figures

Figure 14. Wing venation of male specimens of Problepsis species; A. Problepsis ocellata (type species for the genus) and B. Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov. Note: Problepsis ocellata (A.) with one areole in the forewing and Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov. (B.) with two areoles in the forewing.

Figures 2 - 13. Morphological characters of Iranian Problepsis species and Somatina anthophilata. 2 - 5. SEM photos of Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov.; 2. Part of ciliate-fasciculate antennae of male (Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0762 / 2020 D. Wanke); 3. Detail of filiform antennae of female (Iran, Fars, Mian-Kotal); 4. Male hind tibia with hair pencil (Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0761 / 2020 D. Wanke); 5. Close up on tubular and hollow modified scale of hair pencil (Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0761 / 2020 D. Wanke); 6 - 9. Wing pattern of Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov.; 6. Male paratype (Iraq, Kurdistan, Berserini); 7. Male (Iran, Fars, Strasse Ardekan-Talochosroe, g. prep. 1602 ZSM); 8. Female (Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0712 / 2020 D. Wanke); 9. Male (Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0761 / 2020 D. Wanke); 10. Female of Problepsis cinerea (Iran, Hormozgan, Geno protected area); 11 - 13. Wing pattern of S. anthophilata; 11. Paralectotype (India); 12. Male (Thailand, Lampang, Muban Phichai); 13. Female (Thailand, Lampang, Muban Phichai). a = upperside; b = underside.

Figures 15 - 17. Male genitalia of Iranian Problepsis species and Somatina anthophilata; 15. Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov. (a. Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0762 / 2020 D. Wanke; b, c. Iran, Yasuj, Sisakht, g. prep. 0761 / 2020 D. Wanke; d. Iran, Yasuj, g. prep. 0907 / 2020 D. Wanke); 16. Problepsis cinerea (a-c. Pakistan, Kaghan-Tal, 375 / 2017, S. Feizpour); 17. Somatina anthophilata (a-c. Thailand, Lampang, Chae Hom, g. prep. 1177 / 2021 D. Wanke). a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus; c = sternum A 8; d = genitalia capsule lateral view.

Figures 18 - 20. Female genitalia of Iranian Problepsis species and Somatina anthophilata; 18. Problepsis wiltshirei comb. nov. (Iran, Esfahan, Gandoman, g. prep. 0759 / 2020 D. Wanke); 19. Problepsis cinerea (g. prep. 374 / 2017, S. Feizpour); 20. Somatina anthophilata (Thailand, Lampang, Muban Phichai, g. prep. 1176 / 2021 D. Wanke).

Figures 21 - 25. Habitat in the Zagros Mountains and distribution map of Iranian Problepsis species; 21, 22. Iran, Fars, Dasht-e Arjan at 2158 m altitude; 23, 24. Iran, Kohkiluye va Boyerahmad, Tange-Tamoradi at 2254 m altitude; 25. Distribution pattern of Iranian Problepsis species.