Lithostege obliquata, Urbahn

Sh, Hossein Rajaei, Stüning, Dieter & Viidalepp, Jaan, 2011, A review of the species of Lithostege Hübner, [1825] 1816 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Larentiinae), occurring in Iran and adjacent countries, with description of two new species from Iran and Pakistan, Zootaxa 3105, pp. 1-46 : 8-9

L. obliquata Urbahn

( Figs. 7, 38, 61; Map 2)

Lithostege obliquata Urbahn, 1971: 193 . Syntypes (not traced). Type locality: Repetek.

Lithostege obliquata: Viidalepp, 1996: 47 ; Parsons et al., 1999: 547.

Lithostege repeteki Tsvetajev, 1971: 663 , text-fig. 4; pl. 1, fig. 2. (syn. nov.). Holotype 3, Paratype 3, ZISP (examined) Type locality: Repetek ( Turkmenistan).

Lithostege repeteki: Parsons et al., 1999: 547 .

Material examined. Type material: Holotype 3 of L. repeteki : ‘Repetek, Turkmenia, A. Tsvetajev, 24.III. [1] 965 ’, ‘Gen. Prep. No. 2625 ’, ‘ Holotypus Lithostege repeteki Tsvet. ’; Paratype 3, same data, 2.IV. [1] 965; in ZISP. Additional material: 7 3, 5 Ƥ: 1 Ƥ: Turkmenistan, Kerki, 37.50 N; 65.12 E, 10.- 20.04.1993, ex. Coll. A. Schintlmeister; 2 3, 1 Ƥ: Turkmeni [stan], Karakumi, Repetek, 13.IV. [19] 69, leg. Stschetkin; 2 3, 1 Ƥ: Turkmenien Genalik, leg. Zwetaew, gen. prep. Ƥ, 1616 / 2011 H. R.; all in ZFMK. 1 3: Turkmenistan, 50 km N of Ashkhabad, 100 m, 17.IV. 1993; Ashkhabad, 100 m, 27.III. 1993, No. L 78, 58 ° 33 ’E, 38 ° 22 ’N, leg. M. Hreblay, Gy. Laszlo, A. Podiussany, gen. prep. 1087 / 2010 H. R.; in ZSM. 2 3, 2 Ƥ: „Turkmeenia” [ Turkmenistan], Repetek, 04.04.[19] 80, M. Falkovitsh leg. (gen. prep. 3431, 7645, J.V.) ( IZBE). Preparations of genitalia: 2 3, 2 Ƥ.

Description & Diagnosis. Wingspan 18–19 mm. Forewings with an oblique, ochreous medianband which is bordered by dark brown lines ante- and postmedially, the first rather weak, the second strong and shallowly incurved at anterior half. There is a whitish band outside the postmedial, continued on the hindwings which are otherwise without pattern ( Fig. 7). Male genitalia with elongate, distally rounded valves, with a strong, apically hooked and pointed harpe arising from their base; juxta deeply divided longitudinally; aedeagus with a peculiar distal prong ( Fig. 38), the latter being unique for the whole genus. Female genitalia (here figured for the first time) with broad tubular ductus bursae, longitudinally folded corpus bursae, rugose but without internal spines, with a membranous apex connected to a membranous diverticulum ( Fig. 61). The characteristic small species cannot be confused with any other of the Iranian Lithostege .

Taxonomic note. Type material of L. obliquata Urbahn could not be traced so far, but, the descriptions of this species and of L. repeteki Tsvetajev and the attached illustrations fit perfectly well and without doubt are dealing with the same species. Moreover, the type localities are also the same, and so we treat the two names as synonyms. As page 193 of the Entomologische Zeitschrift was published September 1, 1971, and the third part of vol. 50 of the Entomologitsheskoje Obozrenie later than September 16, 1971 (loc. cit., impressum p. 728) L. obliquata Urbahn must be considered asthe valid name and L. repeteki Tsvetajev as its junior subjective synonym.

Bionomics. Specimens studied are collected in March and April only, at an altitude of 100 m (one record on elevation only).

Additional data on distribution based on literature sources. Falkovitsh (1986): Uzbekistan (as L. repeteki )

Distribution. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (Map 2).

MAP 2. buxtoni species group: L. buxtoni ; L. stadiei , L. obliquata .