Dichagyris forficula pseudoturana, Tang & Zhang & Guo & Luo & Jiang & Pan, 2023

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 : 280-281

Dichagyris forficula pseudoturana ssp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ C8B7BF79-EAB5-4F74-AB63-20CB9E56311F ( Figs 17–20 , 49 , 72, 73 )

Holotype: male, “ 4.VII.1969 | O-Afghanistan, Paghman 30 km NW Kabul, 2500 m. | leg. Vartian ” ( NHMW).

Paratypes. Afghanistan. 4 females, with same data as holotype; 2 males, 14 females, 10 km NW from Kabul, 1900 m, 1. VI.1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian; 2 females, from the same locality, 25. VI.1965; 1 female, from the same locality, 5. VI.1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian; 1 female, Paghman, 30 km N of Kabul, 2500 m, leg. Vartian; 14 males, 16 females: Khurd Kabul, SO v. Kabul, 1900 m, 20.V.1965, 23.V.1965, 26.V.1965 and 18.VI.1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian ”; 1 female, 40 km SW of Kabul, 2300 m, 17. VI.1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian; 1 male, 2 females, Tang-i-Gharu , 1400 m, 30. V.1975, leg. W. Thomas; 1 female, Band-i-Amir , 2800 m, 9-12. VII.1975, leg. W. Thomas; 1 female, SE Afghanistan, Safed Koh, Kotkai, 2350 m, 21.VI.-1. VII.1969, leg. Vartian. MHNG ENTO numbers: 21041, 21043, 21044, 21046, 21048, 21103, 21104, 21286, 21287; slide Nos PL 631m, VZ 10134m, VZ 10197m, VZ 10312m, VZ 11134m, VZ 11652m, VZ11653 f, VZ11654 f, VZ11655 f (coll. NHMW and MHNG). 1 male, Prov. Bamian, Sabzil, 2900 m, 19-20.VII.2013, leg. I. Plyushch, O. Pak & Yu. Skrylnik, slide No. VZ 11986m (coll. OP) . Pakistan. 2 females, 150 km SW Quetta, 900 m, 13. V.1965, leg. Kasy & Vartian, MHNG ENTO 21270 , 21297 (coll. MHNG); 1 male, Baluchistan, Quetta prov., Ziarat , 2500 m, 67°45’E, 30°11’N, 14-19. VI.1992, leg. Z. Weidenhoffer (coll. PG). Slide Nos VZ 9097m, VZ 10999m, VZ 11027m . Tajikistan. 4 males, 7 females, 15 km SE Shaartuz, betw. Dzharkurgan and Kurdzhahot, 300 m, 23.04.2010, leg. Pak (coll. OP), 11 males, 20 females, Babatag Mts. , 50 km W Kurgan Tjube , 1200 m, 5. V. 1994, leg. Lukhtanov (coll. PG). Slide Nos GYP 5314, VZ 11985m, VZ11991 f .

Diagnosis. The new subspecies of D. forficula can be easily distinguished both from the typical subspecies and from D. forficula devota by the larger expanse and much more elongate shape of forewings. Head, collar, thorax and forewings are fairly concolourous greyish ochreous or ochreous grey, according to the locality of specimens. The light ochreous colouration of the forewings is finely scattered by darker scales, the maculation is light ochreous, faintly defined, the crosslines are darker ochreous-brown, the antemedial line is dentate, the postmediane finely crenulate. Females are similar to the males, their measures are on average slightly larger only (36–40 mm vs. 38–42 mm).

The male genitalia ( Fig. 49 ) are similar to those of D. forficula , the valvae are, however, slightly more elongate and tapering distally. Vesica helicoidally recurved, with small rounded subbasal diverticulum armed by a short, fine, needle-shaped cornutus.

The female genitalia ( Figs 72, 73 ) display nearly the same traits as in D. forficula , papillae of the ovipositor are weakly sclerotised, densely covered by fine, short setae; ductus bursae membranous, antrum with small semilunar sclerotisation, appendix bursae is only slightly shorter and more saccate than corpus bursae.

Distribution. This subspecies has a wide range in the lower and middle altitudes of eastern Afghanistan and north-western Pakistan, reaching to the southernmost part of Tajikistan, and mostly occurs in semi-desert habitats.

Etymology. The name refers to the necessity of the distinction from the taxon turana .

Figures

Figs 17–24. Dichagyris forficula sspp. 17–20 = D. forficula pseudoturana ssp. n.: 17–18 = paratype, females, Afghanistan, Paghman Mts; 19 = paratype, male, Pakistan, Quetta; 20 = paratype, female, Pakistan Quetta. 21–24 = D. forficula chitralensis ssp. n., paratypes, Pakistan: 21–22 = males, 23–24 = females

Figs 47–49. Male genitalia of Dichagyris forficula sspp. 47–48 = D. forficula devota (Christoph, 1884): 47 = Turkmenistan, Kopet-Dagh, slide No.: VZ9961m; 48 = Iran, Prov. Khorassan, slide No.: VZ11518m. 49 = D. forficula pseudoturana ssp. n., paratype, Afghanistan, Paghman Mts, slide No.: VZ10134m

Figs 71–73. Female genitalia of Dichagyris forficula sspp. 71 = D. forficula devota (Christoph,