Nychiodes mirzayansi, Wanke & Hausmann & Krogmann & Petrányi & Rajaei, 2020

Wanke, Dominic, Hausmann, Axel, Krogmann, Lars, Petrányi, Gergely & Rajaei, Hossein, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the genus Nychiodes Lederer, 1853 (Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini) with description of three new species-an integrative approach, Zootaxa 4812 (1), pp. 1-61 : 37-41

Nychiodes mirzayansi sp. nov. Wanke, Hausmann & Rajaei

( figs 86, 87, 125, 126 , 144 ; map 2)

Material examined. Holotype, ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700-2900 m, 3./ 4. vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al.; in SMNK.

Paratypes, 5 ♂, same as before, g.preps 0314, 0315, 0320/2019 D. Wanke; 1 ♀, Iran, Kerman, Bam SW, Deh Bakri , 2000-2200 m, 18.-21.v.2004, leg. A. Hofmann, J.-U. Meineke, G. Tremewan, g.prep. 0420/2019 D. Wanke ; 1 ♀, Iran, Prov. Kerman, Baft N, Kherin N, 2600-2700 m, 12.vi.1998, leg. A. Hofmann, J.-U. Meineke, B. Mol- let, g.prep. 0316/2019 D. Wanke ; 1 ♀, [ Iran, Kerman prov.], Djebal-Barez, Abtorsch , 12.vi.1971, leg. Neim. [i], Hasch. [emi], g.prep. 0186/2018 D. Wanke ; 1 ♂, same data, 12.vi.1971; all in SMNK . 1 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700-2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al.; in HMIM (Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum, Tehran) . 3 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700-2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al .; 1 ♀, Iran, Kerman, Bam SW, Deh Bakri , 2000-2200 m, 18.-21.v.2004, leg. A. Hofmann, J.-U. Meineke, G. Tremewan, g.prep. 2252/2019 H. Rajaei; all in PCJG . 1 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700-2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.- U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al.; in PCPS . 2 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700–2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al., g.preps 0222, 0419/2019 D. Wanke ; 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Kerman, 5 km to Dehbakri from Bam, near Kuh-e Shir , N 29°04’01’’ E057°28’03’’, Alt. 1940 m, 18.–19.v.2009, Amygdalus community, leg. Hossein Rajaei, g.prep 0304/2019 D. Wanke; all in SMNS . 1 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh, Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700–2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann, A. Kallies et al.; in ZSM .

Description. Wingspan ♂ 34–39 mm, ♀ 37–40 mm (forewing length ♂ 17–20 mm, ♀ 19–21 mm) ( figs 86, 87). Antennae bipectinate in both male and female. Frons rather flat, projecting about one quarter diameter of eye, smoothly scaled. Chaetosemata present as two small spots. Labial palpi very short, not exceeding frons. Proboscis absent. Ground colour of wings beige, olive-grey intermixed with dark brown scales. Terminal line black, discontinuous at veins, its margin yellow highlighted. Antemedial line of forewing characteristically curved outwards twice. Postmedial line nearly parallel to termen, curved inwards at vein M1. Hindwing slightly lighter than forewing, only postmedial line visible, subcostally curved outwards, at costa curved inwards. Underside of wings lighter than upperside, without clear pattern, only postmedial line on hindwing partially visible. Terminal line uninterrupted. Discal spots present on the hindwings.

Male genitalia ( figs 125, 126 ). Genital capsule small. Uncus broad, slightly constricted at centre, apex bent and tapered. Gnathos well developed, medially tongue-shaped. Saccus broad. Costa of valva sclerotized, narrow, not humped at centre, apically merged with apex of valva, poorly sclerotized. Ampulla superior short, twice as broad as ampulla inferior, spinose over the whole length; length of ampulla inferior similar to that of ampulla superior, apically spinose. Sacculus dilated. Juxta anchor-shaped, stalk very thin and short, basal part large and extremely wide. Aedeagus short, straight, apically tapered; cornutus weakly sclerotized, one third length of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( fig. 144 ). Generally short in size, with broad ovipositor. Length of apophyses anteriores almost reaching length of apophyses posteriores (diagnostic within the genus Nychiodes ). Lamella postvaginalis without strong sclerotization and extension. Ductus bursae narrow, posteriorly sclerotized. Corpus bursae small, membranous, signum absent.

Diagnosis. Endemic species in southern Iran with very characteristic wing colour and pattern, confusion with any other Nychiodes species excluded (see figs 86, 87).

N. mirzayansi sp. nov. is co-distributed with N. subvirida and N. divergaria . Ground colour and wing pattern of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. diagnostic, beige or olive grey intermixed with dark brown scales (wing pattern yellowbrown sprinkled, postmedial line yellow in N. subvirida ; wing pattern highly variable in N. divergaria ) (see figs 47–72). In male genitalia of N. mirzayansi sp. nov., apex of uncus short and tapered in lateral view (apex long and curved in N. subvirida and N. divergaria ) (see figs 112 , 116 , 126 ). In N. mirzayansi sp. nov. costa of valva medially not humped, apically merged with apex of valva (costa of valva medially humped, apex tapered in N. subvirida ; costa of valva wide, medially not humped, not exceeding apex of valva in N. divergaria ) (see figs 110, 111, 113– 119 , 125 ). Both ampullae of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. broad, short and strongly spinose; basal part of juxta large and broad (both ampullae straight, slightly spinose; basal part of juxta very thin in N. subvirida ; ampulla superior long, broad, usually tubular, ampulla inferior highly variable, basal part of juxta not wide in N. divergaria ) (see figs 110, 111, 113–119 , 125 ).

The female genitalia of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. cannot be confused with any other Nychiodes species, because the apophyses anteriores have (almost) the same length as apophyses posteriores; lamella postvaginalis without strong sclerotization and extension (apophyses anteriores strongly reduced; lamella postvaginalis antero-posteriorly extended in N. subvirida and N. divergaria ) (see figs 138–142, 144 ).

Phenology. Flying in May, June.

Biology. Unknown.

Habitat. In altitudes from 2000 up to 2900m

Distribution. Endemic species in Kerman (map 2).

DNA barcoding. Slightly diverging by 1.6% from the ‘ divergaria - subvirida -complex’ (see above), but showing strong morphological differences from both species ( fig. 145 ).

Etymology. The name of this species is dedicated to Hayk Mirzayans (1920–1999), well-known Iranian entomologist, founder of Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum, (Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Tehran) and founding member of the Entomological Society of Iran. He was a communicative researcher, who was open-minded to cooperate with any enthusiastic entomologist around the world. During his life, he collected intensively in all corners of Iran and extensively improved the quantity and quality of the collection. Hayk Mirzayans was a close friend of Günter Ebert, to whom another new species is dedicated in this paper.

Figures

FIGURE 145. Un-rooted neighbour joining tree (Saitou & Nei 1987) based on 20 species of the genus Nychiodes (calculated using K2P model: Kimura 1980 with MEGA X (Kumar et al. 2018).

FIGURES 120-126. 120: Paratype of N. eberti sp. nov. (Turkey, g.prep 0464/2019 D. Wanke); 121: Uncus, lateral view, N. eberti sp. nov. (Turkey, Sulucaova, g.prep 0396/2019 D. Wanke); 122: Paratype of N. eberti sp. nov. (Turkey, Kötek, g.prep 0264/2019 D. Wanke); 123: Holotype of N. convergata sp. nov. (Israel, Mt. Hermon, g.prep. 463/2019 D. Wanke); 124: Uncus, lateral view, N. convergata sp. nov. (Israel, Mt. Hermon, g.prep. 463/2019 D. Wanke); 125: Paratype of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. (a: Iran, Kerman, g.prep. 0222/2019 D. Wanke; b: Iran, Kerman, 0315/2019 D. Wanke); 126: Uncus, lateral view, N. mirzayansi sp. nov. (Iran, Kerman, g.prep. 0419/2019 D. Wanke). a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus. Scale-bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 135-144. Female genitalia of Nychiodes species. 135: Paratype of N. admirabila (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10921); 136: Paratype of N. subfusca (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10933); 137: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. leviata (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10927); 138: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10935); 139: N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 0169/2018 D. Wanke); 140: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. agatcha syn. nov. of N. subvirida (Iran, Laristan, g.prep. 10923); 141: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. variabila syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10931; according to morphological examination this specimen belongs to N. divergaria); 142: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. variabila opulenta syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Baloutchistan, g.prep. 10929), 143: Paratype of N. eberti sp. nov. (Turkey, Ascale, g.prep. 0263/2019 D. Wanke); 144: Paratype of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. (Iran, Kerman, a: whole genitalia; b: close up; g.prep. 2252/2019 H. Rajaei). Scale-bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 108-114. Male genitalia of Nychiodes species. 108: Paratype of N. leviata (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10926); 109: Uncus, lateral view, N. leviata (Iran, Isfahan, 0417/2019 D. Wanke); 110: N. agatcha syn. nov. of N. subvirida (Iran, Laristan, g.prep. 10922); 111: Paratype of N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10934); 112: Uncus, lateral view, N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 0415/2019 D. Wanke); 113: Holotype of N. variabila opulenta syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Baloutchistan, g.prep. 10928); 114: Holotype of N. variabila syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10930); a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus. Scalebar 1 mm.

FIGURES 115-118. Male genitalia of Nychiodes species. 115: Syntype of N. divergaria achtyca syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Dagestan, Ackty, g.prep. 7272); 116: Uncus, lateral view, N. divergaria (Turkey, Hakkari, g.prep. 0395/2019 D. Wanke); 117: Lectotype (herewith designated) of N. divergaria (Turkey, Mardin, g.prep. 2106/2017 H. Rajaei); 118: Paralectotype (herewith designated) of N. divergaria (Turkey, Egin, g.prep. 2107/2017 H. Rajaei); a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus. Scale-bar 1 mm.