Synclera interruptalis (Amsel, 1950)

Alipanah, Helen & Slamka, František, 2023, A revision of the subfamily Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) in Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 5248 (1), pp. 1-70 : 31-32

Synclera interruptalis (Amsel, 1950)

( Figs 14C, D , 15F‒H , 16B, E, F )

Material examined. 1 Ô 1 ♀: HMIM : 1 Ô, Iran, Hormozgân Prov.: Sirik , 100 m, 30.iv.1996, Badii, Ardeh, V. Nazari leg. (gen. prep. HA-2813, HMIM) .

NHRS: Paratype, 1 ♀, Iran, Baluchestan (= Sistân and Baluchestân Prov.) , Bender Tchahbahar (= Châbahâr), 6.ii.1938, Amsel leg. coll. Brandt (gen. prep. NHRS-TOBI 000005233).

Remarks. This species was temporarily placed by Amsel (1950) in the genus Synclera based on the similarity of its genital structure to that of S. bleusei . However, its systematic position remained to be clarified. In this study we had a single male of S. interruptalis as well as four males and 11 females of S. bleusei . Additional information about S. interruptalis female genitalia was obtained after examining the genitalia of paratype of the species which is deposited in NHRS. The results showed that these two species are very similar to each other externally, except the smaller size of S. interruptalis (forewing length of male: 6.8 mm, n = 1) compared with S. bleusei (forewing length of male: 8.5‒9 mm (x = 8.75 mm ± 0.35, n = 2); female: 8.6‒9.9 mm (x = 9.15 mm ± 0.46, n = 11), and different markings of the marginal areas of their fore- and hindwings ( Fig. 14A‒D ). Their male genitalia is very similar to each other ( Fig. 15A‒H ), and partly different from some of the remaining Synclera species in the shape of uncus, valva, fibula, and vinculum. More or less the same results were obtained while examining their female genitalia ( Fig. 16C‒F ). It is most probable that upon further studies and examining the type material of the species belonging to both Synclera and Glyphodes , some changes, or taxon replacements, may be required at the species level. For example, probable exclusion of Synclera traducalis (Zeller) from the genus Synclera and its inclusion in the genus Glyphodes .

According to the results of this study, the differences of male genitalia of S. bleusei and S. interruptalis are as follows:

1) In S. bleusei cornuti consist of 6–8 small spindle-shaped ( Fig. 15A, C, D ) and sometimes hardly visible ( Fig. 15E ) sclerotized structures having no bases, as well as narrow sclerotized plates proximally with a small distance from them ( Fig. 15A, C‒E ); while in S. interruptalis they consist of two large spindle-shaped sclerotized structures having relatively equal-sized bases. The proximal narrow sclerotized plates are placed at the basal part of the spindles bases ( Fig. 15F, H ).

2) The fibula of S. interruptalis is relatively narrower than in S. bleusei and almost narrowed towards the apex gradually ( Fig. 15F, G ). In S. bleusei , fibula narrows with a lower slope towards the apex and sometimes looks finger-shaped ( Fig. 15A, B ).

3) The structure of the chaetose hair pencil articulating with the anterior edge of the vinculum-tegumen connection in these two species is slightly different ( Fig. 15A, F ).

4) Pseudognathos in S. bleusei is relatively narrower and slightly longer than in S. interruptalis ( Fig. 15A, F ).

5) The sacculus of S. bleusei is stouter than in S. interruptalis with more curvature basally ( Fig. 15A, F ).

6) The sclerotized plates of the eighth abdominal tergite and sternite of the two species have different structures, especially in the width of both anterior and posterior ends of tergum, and distal one-thirds of sternum which has a curvature in S. bleusei compared with that of S. interruptalis ( Fig. 16A, B ).

The female genitalia of these two species are very similar and only differ in a few characters ( Fig. 16C‒F ):

1) Shape of the signum in both species is quite similar, but their placement is different. In S. bleusei it is placed slightly beyond the middle part of bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 16C, D ); while in S. interruptalis it is placed at the posterior end ( Fig. 16E, F ).

2) Length of the membranous part between colliculum and antrum in S. bleusei ( Fig. 16C ) is distinctly longer and wider than that of S. interruptalis ( Fig. 16E ).

Distribution. Iran: Sistan and Baluchestan Province (Chabahar; type locality) (Amsel 1950, 1961).

Figures

FIGURE 14. A, B) Synclera bleusei Obertḩr, female, Kerman, Sargaz (A), and female, Kerman, Kahnuj (B). C, D) S. in- terruptalis (Amsel), male (C), female (paratype), Sistan and Baluchestan, Chabahar (D). E) S. traducalis (Zeller), female. F) Maruca vitrata (Fabricius), male (scale bar = 10.0 mm).

FIGURE 15. Male genitalia of Synclera bleusei Oberthür (A‒E) (genitalia slides HA-2811, HA-2816, HA-2826, HMIM) and S. interruptalis (Amsel) (F‒H) (genitalia slide HA-2813, HMIM). A, F) Main body and phallus in ventral and lateral views, respectively. B, G) Fibula. C‒E, H) Cornuti.

FIGURE 16. The eighth abdominal tergite and sternite (A, B), and female genitalia (C‒F) of Synclera bleusei Obertḩr (A, C, D) (genitalia slide, HA-2815, HA-2826, HMIM), and S. interruptalis (Amsel) (B, E, F) (genitalia slides HA-2813, HMIM and NHRS-TOBI 000005233). The arrows in the figures A and B indicate the differences between the eighth abdominal tergites and sternites of the two species.