Dichagyris contermina contermina ( Corti, 1929 )

Tang, Jin, Zhang, Gongaote, Guo, Junqi, Luo, Lingxuan, Jiang, Jiamei & Pan, Hongbo, 2023, Contributions To The Taxonomy And Biogeography Of The Genus Dichagyris (Subg. Dichagyris) Lederer, 1867 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae) Ii. The Review Of The D. Forficula Species Group, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 69 (3), pp. 265-301 : 292

Dichagyris contermina contermina ( Corti, 1929)

( Figs 36–38 , 66, 67 , 78 )

Lycophotia renigera var. contermina Corti, 1929: 169 , pl. 5. Type locality: Syria, Aleppo.

The species was described based on a male and female, collected by Tischendorff at Aleppo. It was compared with D. renigera and diagnosed by the concolorous light arenaceous yellow colouration of the head, thorax, forewings and hind wings, with some rosaceous shine mostly on the females. The males are more unicolorous with obsolescent transversal lines and subterminal shadow, faint maculation, and with more expressed quadrangular spot between the reniform and orbicular maculae. Females show a much more contrasty pattern, the transversal lines consist of more or less scattered darker spots, hind wings are densely covered with darker brown scales. Males larger than females (on average 35 vs 31 mm).

This species is widely distributed also in the south-southeastern part of Turkey with considerable colour variation according to the substrate, from whitish-reddish ochreous with faded pattern to reddish-brown colouration with more contrasting brown pattern. Subsequently, it was repeatedly described by HACKER as Dichagyris wolfi (1985, Neue Entomologische Nachrichten 15: 8) with type locality Mardin ( Fig. 36 ) and mentioning as main diagnostic traits the pale reddish-brown colouration, the faded brown “noctuid” maculation and the somewhat more expressed transverse pattern .

The male genitalia ( Figs 64 , 65 ) were compared with those of D. forficula , any diagnostic characters were given, however. Therefore we summarise here the main traits. The valvae are proportionally shorter than in D. forficula , slightly tapering below the cucullus and corona, terminally obliquely obtuse. Claspers are proportionally longer, acute and curved. Vesica is projecting ventrally, completely recurved helicoidally, similarly as in D. forficula , but is relatively shorter and more saccate distally.

In the female genitalia, the papillae of the ovipositor are weakly sclerotis- ed, short and covered by fine setae. Ductus bursae is membraneous with weakly sclerotised antrum. Appendix bursae is about 1/3 shorter than ductus bursae.

The range of D. contermina is much less extended than the area of D. forficula , however they are sympatric over a large part of eastern Asia Minor (e.g. the provinces Mardin, Sivas, Elazig and Bitlis), Levant and Iran, and co-occur in several localities in considerable individual numbers without any morphological transition. However, the West Iranian populations show several constant differences, described below.

Figures

Figs 33–40. Dichagyris spp. 33–35 =D. furiosa kugitanga ssp. n., Turkmenistan, Kugitang Tau: 33 = holotype, male; 34–35 = paratype, males. 36–38 = D. contermina (Corti, 1929): 36 = holotype of Dichagyris wolfi Hacker, 1986, male, Turkey, Prov. Mardin; 37 = male, Turkey, Prov. Urfa, Halfeti; 38 = female, Turkey, Prov. Urfa, Halfeti. 39–40 = Dichagyris contermina melanographa ssp. n., Iran, Zagros Mts, Kasri-Shirin: 39 = holotype, male; 40 = paratype, female

Figs 65–67. Male genitalia of Dichagyris spp. 65 = D. furiosa kugitanga ssp. n., paratype, male, Turkmenistan, Kugitang-Tau Mts, slide No.: VZ11504m. 66–67 = D. contermina contermina (Corti, 1929), Turkey, Prov. Urfa, Halfeti: 66 = slide No.: VZ11488m, 67 = slide No.: VZ11503m

Figs 77–79. Female genitalia of Dichagyris spp. 77 = D. furiosa griseoerythra ssp. n., paratype, Kirghisia, Susamyr Mts, slide No.: VZ9939f. 78 = D. contermina contermina (Corti, 1929), Turkey, Prov. Urfa, Halfeti, slide No.: VZ11520f. 79 = D. erubescens (Staudinger, 1892), Iran, Zagros Mts, Kasri-Shirin, slide No.: VZ9776f

Figs 62–64. Male genitalia of Dichagyris furiosa sspp. 62–63 = D. furiosa griseoerythra ssp. n., paratypes: 62 = Tadjikistan, Turkestanskiy Mts, slide No.: VZ11505m; 63 = Kirghisia, Susamyr Mts, slide No.: VZ9932m. 64 = D. furiosa kugitanga ssp. n., paratype, male, Turk-