Hissarica, Viidalepp, 1988

Viidalepp, Jaan & Kostjuk, Igor, 2021, Taxonomic notes on two endemic geometrine genera from Middle Asia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae), Zootaxa 5052 (1), pp. 137-144 : 140

Hissarica and “ Hierochthonia ” Prout, 1912

The features of southern Central Asian Hierochthonia species ( H. pulverata Warren, 1901 ) ( Fig. 22 ) and H. semitaria (Püngeler, 1902)) stressed by Hausmann (1996) are missing in Middle Asian species “ H.” alexandraria , e.g. the long postvaginal sclerite in the female genitalia, or the spoon-shaped aedeagus with a complex apical ornamentation in the male (compare Figs 22 and 23 ). The characteristics of Hierochthonia alexandraria are reviewed below.

The plate-shaped medial harpe ( Fig. 14 ) and the signum with a long filiform ridge in Hissarica ( Fig. 15 ) do not have morphological equivalents in southern species. Again, the long lamella postvaginalis and roundish dilations lateral to it figured by Hausmann (1996, Figs 144, 145) for southern Hierochthonia spp. are absent in Middle Asian species ( Figs 24, 25 ).

Figures

FIGURES 22–26. Genitalia structures of Hierochthonia, Ratsa, gen. nov. and Xenochlorodes. 22: Hierochthonia pulverata: 22a—male armature, 22b—aedeagus, 22c—VIII sternite, 22d—lateral view; 23–24: Ratsa alexandraria: 23a—male armature, 23b—aedeagus, 23c—VIII sternite, 23d—lateral view, 24a—female genitalia, lateral view, 24b—female genitalia, ventral view; 25—female genitalia of Ratsa? petitaria; 26—female genitalia of Xenochlorodes albicostaria. Scale bar, 1 mm.

FIGURES 14–16. Genitalia structures of Hissarica and Hierochthonia. 14–15: Hissarica postalbida. 14a—male armature with aedeagus, 14b—VIII sternite of male; 15—female genitalia (15a–part of bursa with signum enlarged); 16: Xenochlorodes olympiaria: 16a—male armature, 16b—aedeagus, 16c—VIII sternite of male. Scale bar, 1 mm.