Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941

Rajaei, Hossein, Hausmann, Axel & Trusch, Robert, 2022, Taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) in Iran, Zootaxa 5118 (1), pp. 1-64 : 34-36

Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941

( Figs 44–47 , 73 , 90 , 102 , Map 11 )

Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941 : Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 31 (3): 866, pl. 28, fig. 4. ( Iran, Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud , 2500 m) (examined).

Lectotype ♂ (examined, in the original description the holotype is not mentioned, but in the type series holotype an paratypes are labeled; lectotype hereby designated in order to stabilize nomenclature): ' Iran Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud (Meched), 2500 m, 21.Aug.1938, Coll. Brandt' , ' Holotype, Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brdt. , Brandt', '46, 60', 'Preparation, WBS.4', '2:75, R.M. prep. 3702' in coll. NHRS. Paralectotypes, 1 ♂ (examined), ' Iran, Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud ( Meched ), 1800 m, 14.Aug.1938, leg. F. Brandt', NHRS-LEPI 000010256, g.p. 10941 H. Rajaei ; 2 ♀ [one of them labeled as Allotype Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brdt. , ' Iran, Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud ( Meched ), 2500 m, 14.Aug.1938, leg. F. Brandt', NHRS-LEPI 000010257, g.p. 10942 H. Rajaei; all ex coll. Brandt, all in NHRS. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, ‘ Iran Khorassan Kouh i Binaloud , 2500 m, 25.viii.1938 Brandt’, ex coll. Cl. Hörhammer, in ZSM.

Rhodostrophia abscisaria chlorotica Wiltshire, 1967 : Beiträge zur naturkundlichen Forschung in Südwestdeutschland, 26 (3): 148, pl. 5, fig. 62 & pl. 10, fig. 33. ([ Afghanistan], Hindu Kush, Ejan, Salang valley), Holotype ♂ (examined): ‘J. Klapperich, Ejan, 2050 m, Salangtal, 11.10.52. Hindukush, O-Afghanistan’, ‘preparation EP Wiltshire 952’, ‘ Rhodostrophia chlorotica holotype’ in SMNK. A worn specimen of the second generation of R. abscisaria Brdt. , the genitalia preparation of no. 952 Wiltshire is missing in SMNK, but figured well pl.10, fig. 33. Even Wiltshire, 1967: 148 stated that it is identical with the nominate form of R. abscisaria , which was dissected by him. Therefore here we conclude that this subspecies is not valid, syn. nov.

Records in literature. Rhodostrophia abscisaria: Viidalepp (1988: 58) ; Viidalepp (1996: 57) [erroneously misspelled to abcisaria); Scoble (1999: 821); Scoble & Hausmann (2007).

Additional material examined. 17 ♂, 26 ♀, Iran NE, Kopet Dagh, Prov. Khorasan, ca. 50 km N Bojnurd, S Izmansufla , N 37°44’20’’, E 057°25’53’’, 1240 m, 17.v.2005, leg. R. Trusch, G. Petschenka & B. Müller, g.p. (1 ♂) 589/2005 R. Trusch, (3 ♀) 587, 588, 607/2005 R. Trusch ; barcode: BC ZSM 33875, 33874 , 33876 ; 1 ♂, 12 ♀, id., 18.v.2005; 29 ♂, 60 ♀, id., 8.v.2008, leg. R. Trusch, M. Falkenberg & B. Müller, g.p. (♀) 2372/2020 H. Rajaei ; 4 ♂, 11 ♀, id., 10, 11.v.2008, g.p. 0516/2020 D. Wanke; 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran NE, Kopet Dagh, Prov. Khorasan, Kopet Dagh , NW Mashad, N Tschenaran [Chenaran], N Radkan, Dolmeh Olia , N 36°55’56.6’’, E 059°02’18.6’’, 8.–9.v.2008, 1560 mNN, lux, leg. R. Trusch, M. Falkenberg & B. Müller, g.p. (1 ♂) 2371/2020 H. Rajaei ; 1 ♀, Iran NE, Kopet Dagh, Prov. Khorasan, E Torbat-e Heidarye , S Fariman , Zharf vic., N 35°24’25.1’’, E 059°56’08.2’’, 6.v.2008, 2160 mNN, lux, leg. R. Trusch, M. Falkenberg & B. Müller; all in SMNK . 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Iran NE, Kopet Dagh, Prov. Khorasan, ca. 50 km N Bojnurd, S Izmansufla , N 37°44’20’’, E 057°25’53’’, 1240 m, 11.v.2005, leg. R. Trusch, G. Petschenka & B. Müller ; 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Khorasan Shomali, IsmanSufla , 18.v.2015, leg. Sh. Feizpour, g.p. 0721/2020 D. Wanke ; 1 ♀, Iran, Shahrud, Shahkouh, Tash , Ayoub Hosseini Region , 2588 m, 36°37'18"N, 54°33'42.6"E, 11.07.2016, leg. Sh. Feizpour ; 1 ♀, Iran, Khorasan-e Shomali prov., N Qochan, Emam Gholi to Kabkan road, After Agh-Mazar , Allah-o Akbar Mt. , Alt. 1763 m, N 37°19'27.2'', E 058°43'26.1'', 18.06.2013, leg. H. Rajaei; J.-U. Meineke; B. Hafezi ; 1 ♀, Iran, Khorasan-e Shomali prov., Bajgiran, Bardar to Namanlu road, Alt. 1922 m, N 37°38'52.7'', E 058°15'41.7'', 19.06.2013, leg. H. Rajaei; J.-U. Meineke; B. Hafezi; in SMNS . 4 ♂, 5 ♀, Iran, Khorasan, Kopet Dagh, 1200m, Robat , 20 km SW Izman Olia, 25.– 26.5.2008, J.-U. Meineke, W. Kramer, g.p. 2370/2020 H. Rajaei; in coll. PCJM ; 1 ♀, Iran, Prov. Golestan, Elburs-mts., Maghazy val., 1630 m, 36,649 23 N, 54,207 01 E, 11.vi.2007 ; 4 ♂, 7 ♀, id.; 1730 m, 36,658 05 N, 54,224 22 E, 13.vi.2007; all leg. N. Pöll; in PCNP .

Specimens studied total: 67 ♂, 132 ♀.

Differential diagnosis. ( Figs 44–47 ). Wingspan 23–31 mm, one of the smallest Rhodostrophia species in Iran. Forewing with pointed apex and straight termen. Wings and body concolorous with light yellow-white colour. Forewing with brown antemedial, postmedial and subterminal lines; hindwing with brown postmedial and subterminal lines; all lines are thin and strongly dentated. Discal spot well visible on forewing, reduced or sometimes absent on hindwing. Underside of wings slightly darker than upperside, glossy; subterminal line on both fore- and hindwing visible. Male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated. Male hindtibia with three spurs. This species may be superficially confused with species of the badiaria species-group (especially with R. bahara and R. iranica ), but it is significantly smaller and the male hindtibia has three spurs (four spurs in the badiaria species-group). Another externally similar species to R. abscisaria is R. vastaria ( Christoph, 1876) . The latter species shows also four spurs on the hindtibia and has different male genitalia (illustrated in Hausmann 2004: 521). The examination of the genitalia enables a confident determination in any case, as well as the consideration of the restricted occurrence only in the north-east of Iran.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 73 ) with approximately digitiform uncus ( Fig. 3 ); valva apically bilobed, spinulose; costal part of the valva with medial extension (diagnostic from all other Iranian Rhodostrophia species; Fig. 73a ); sacculus curved interiorly. Juxta wide, elongated dorso-ventrally. Aedeagus subapically slightly curved; vesica membranous bearing a dentated plate. Male sternite A8 bilobed ( Fig. 73c ), with small octavals.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 90 ) with a membranous, oval corpus bursae, signa developed as a pair of stripes, partially connected to each other on the anterior part of the corpus bursae ( Figs 90 b, c ). Ductus bursae funnel-shaped, short (half length of corpus bursae), strongly sclerotized. Posterior apophyses three times length of anterior apophyses.

Genetic data. Genetically heterogeneous with two BINs (BOLD:AAE7809; BOLD:ACF5327) at a distance of 1.5% from each other, and a third BIN (BOLD:AAX9132), retrieved from a specimen from Khorasan (Kueh-e Sorkh, N Torbat-e Heydariyeh, Turusen) at a large distance of 5.4%. Genetic variation possibly pointing to cryptic diversity and requiring further integrative study. Nearest species: R. praecisaria from central Asian mountains (7.8%) ( Fig. 119 , Table 1).

Distribution ( Map 11 ). This is a Central Asian species, distributed in Tadjikistan (Hissaro-Darwaz), western Pamir, Afghanistan and north-eastern Iran (Binaloud and Kopet-Dagh Mts into eastern Elborz Mts.). Most probably, it can be found also in the northern parts of the Kopet-Dagh in Turkmenistan.

Life history and habitat ( Fig. 116 ). The species seems to be bivoltine, recorded from early April to late August, collected by Fred Brandt in Binaloud Mt. as late as 21.viii.1938, apparently belonging to a second generation.

According to examined material here, it flies at middle altitudes from 1200 m up to 2200 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Schematic comparison of the uncus of Iranian Rhodostrophia species.

MAP 11. Distribution of Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941 in Iran.

FIGURE 119. Neighbour joining tree (COI, 5’; Kimura 2) showing the relationships between different species and subspecies of Iranian Rhodostrophia, including non-Iranian nearest neighboring species R. calabra, R. cinerascens, R. jacularia, R. praecisaria, R. staudingeri and R. skulei added for comparison. Width of triangles refer to sample size, depth of triangles to genetic variation, distance from common nodes to the genetic distance to a hypothetical common ancestor (as inferred by the algorithm); scale bar = 1%.

FIGURES 44-62. Wing coloration and pattern of Rhodostrophia species. Figs 44-47: R. abscisaria (both from Iran, 44 & 45. prov. Khorasan-e Razav, Bilanoud Mt., 44 (holotype), 45 (paratype); 46 & 47. Khorasan-e Shomali, Kopet Dagh); Figs 48- 51: R. phaenicearia (all from Iran, 48.-49. prov. Tehran, South Tehran; 50. Prov. Semnan, Damghan; 51. prov. Tehran, Kamard, West Terhran); Figs 52-56: R. cuprinaria (all from Iran, 52-53. Prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, Kopet Dagh; 54. prov. Sistan-o- Baluchistan, Taftan Mt.; 55. Khorasan-e Jonubi, Kuh-e Mirza Arab; 56. „R. nubifera“ (syn. nov.) from prov. Khoarsan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt.); Figs 57-59: R. peripheres (both from Iran, 57. prov. Mazandaran, Hashtar, Demavand, Lectotype; 58 & 59. Kohgiluye-va Boyerahmad, Yassuj, Sisakht); Figs 60-62: R. vahabzadehi sp. nov. (all paratypes and from Iran, prov. Kerman, 60 & 61. NW Jiroft, Gardaneh Sarbishan; 62. Baft).

FIGURES 70-74. Male genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 70. R. tabestana (Iran, prov. Esfahan, Feridun-Shahr, g.p. 583 R. Trusch); Fig. 71. R. lenis (Afghanistan, prov. Kabul, Khurd-Kabul, g.p. WW195 E.P. Wiltshire, Holotype); Fig. 72. R. nesam (Iran, prov. Fars, Kazeroun-Bouchir, Tchouroum, g.p. RMS 5765, G. Ebert, Lectotype); Fig. 73. R. abscisaria (Iran, prov. Khorassan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 10941 H. Rajaei); Fig. 74. R. phaenicearia (Iran, prov. Semnan, Cheschme Ali, g.p. 601 R. Trusch). Abbreviations: a. genitalia capsule; b. aedeagus; c. sternite-8; d. cornti on vesical; e. details of the valva.

FIGURES 86-90. Female genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 86. R. tumulosa (Iran, prov. Esfahan, Semirom vic., Pashme Kuh, 632 R. Trusch; 86b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa); Fig. 87. R. tabestana (Iran, prov. Chaharmahal-o Bakhtiari, Zard Kuh, 622 R. Trusch; 87b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa); Fig. 88. R. lenis (Iran, prov. Khorasan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 2364 H. Rajaei); Fig. 89. R. nesam (89.1. Iran, prov. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Yasudj, Sisakht, g.p. 687 R. Trusch; 89.2. & 89.3. same locality as latter, g.p. 2365 H. Rajaei); Fig. 90. R. abscisaria (90a. Iran, prov. Khorassan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 10942 H. Rajaei, Paralectotype, 90b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa; 90c. corpus bursae, from: Iran, prov. Esfahan, Kashan-Meymeh, Qorud g.p. 2375 H. Rajaei).

FIGURES 95-106. Live Rhodostrophia-imagines in nature at light trapping in Iran. Fig. 95 R. auctata, prov. Lorestan, Noorabad-Nahawand road, 25 km to Nahawand, Gardane-Garrin, 2135 mNN, N 34°02'48", E 48°20'31". Fig. 96. R. terrestraria terrestraria, Elburz mts., S Shah Kuh-e Pain, 2750 m, N 36°33'; E 054°26', 17.vii.2003. Fig. 97. R. terrestraria farsi ssp. nov., prov.Khorasan,Kuh-e Sorkh,N Rivas vic.Akbarabad,2000–2100m, 12.vi.2000.Fig.98. R.tumulosa, prov.Fars,Shiraz-Kazerun road, 5 km before Dasht-e Arjan, N 29°40'34"; E 52°02'18", 2158 m, 23.v.2009. Fig. 99. R. tabestana, prov. Isfahan, rocky steppe near Kelichad, N32.352459°, E51.043501°, 2.135-2.235 m, 29.iv.2018. Fig. 100-101. R. nesam, prov. Esfahan, Natanz- Kashan road, Abiyaneh village, 2300 mNN, N 33°35'55", E 051°35'51", 26.v.2009. Fig. 102. R. abscisaria, prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, N Qochan, Emam Gholi to Kabkan road, After Agh-Mazar, Allah-o Akbar Mt., 1763 m, N37°19'27.2'', E058°43'26.1'', 18.vi.2013. Fig. 103. R. phaenicearia, prov. Kerman, 5 km to Dehbakri from Bamm, near Kuh-e Shir, N29°4'1", E57°28'03", 2158 m, 18.–19.v.2009. Fig. 104. R. cuprinaria, prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, N Qochan, Emam Gholi to Kabkan road, After Agh-Mazar, Allah-o Akbar Mt., 1763 m, N37°19'27.2'', E058°43'26.1'', 18.vi.2013. Fig. 105. R. cuprinaria, prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, 50 km north of Bojnurd, Izmansufla, N 37°44'20'', E 057°25'53'', 1240 m, 17.v.2005. Fig. 106. R. peripheres, prov. Chahar Mahal, Zagros mts., Samsami, 2800 m, N 32°09', E 050°11', 13.vii.2003. (Photos 95, 97-98, 100-104 H. Rajaei, 96 G. Ebert, 99 E. Weigand, 105-106 R. Trusch).

FIGURES 111-118. Habitats of Rhodostrophia-species in Iran. Fig. 111. Shah-Kuh-mountain range in the eastern Alborz, view from the habitat of the nominotypical subspecies of R. terrestraria at an altitude of approx. 2,900 m to the west (prov. Golestan, above Shah-Kuh-e Pa’in, also known as Shahkuh-e Sofla, 18.vii.2003), where the moth likes to hide in bushes of Astragalus spp. (Fabaceae); note the impressive cushion plants of Acantholimon spp. (Plumbaginaceae). The region is also known as the type locality of the two high-mountain burnet moths Zygaena cacuminum Christoph, 1877 and Z. ecki Christoph, 1882 (Zygaenidae). Fig. 112. Stipa-steppe habitat of R. terrestraria at Shah-Kuh-e Bala, where the species on 19.7.2003 was attracted to artificial light at night together with Zygaena turkmenica Reiss, 1933 (det. A. Hofmann). Fig. 113. Artemisia-steppe at an altitude of 2450 m near Qorud (prov. Esfahan, vic. Kashan-Meymeh), where R. bahara occurred on the 11.v.2005 in high abundance together with the rarely found Dyscia negrama Wehrli, 1953 (Geometridae); in the centre of the photo (from left to right): Georg Petschenka, Bernd Müller and Hossein Rajaei. Fig. 114. In the vicinity of mount Tochal at the altitude of 3,700 m the moths of R. iranica could be observed resting on rocks and flying off from them in case of disturbance (prov. Tehran, 18.7.2006). This area is inhabited by Zygaena cacuminum Christoph, 1877 (Zygaenidae) too. Fig. 115. The Kamaran valley (prov. Esfahan, Fereydun Shahr S., Kamaran vic., 2650 m) is inhabited by R. tabestana and R. terrestraria; other remarkable species observed during 11.-12.vii.2003 were Zygaena haematina Kollar, 1849 and Z. nocturna Ebert, 1974 (Zygaenidae). Fig. 116. The habitat of R. terrestraria pellonaria, R. abscisaria and R. lenis at an altitude of 1240 m south of Izman-e Pa'in (also known as Izman-e Sofla, north of Bojnurd, prov. Khorasan, 19.v.2005) is characterized by mugwort steppe (Artemisia spp., Asteraceae) and the occurrence of further typical geometrid-moth-steppe species such as Dyscia malatyana Wehrli, 1934 and the nominate subspecies of D. innocentaria (Christoph, 1885). Fig. 117. Habitat of the two species R. cuprinaria and R. phaenicearia at an altitude of 1560 m in the vicinity of Astane (Cheshme Ali, prov. Semnan, northwest of Damghan,) is an Artemisia-steppe too. The two species used to be confused in the literature, here both occurring syntopic, observed by us 23.-24.v.2005. Fig. 118. Strongly overgrazed desertic mountain steppe landscape at an altitude of 3200 m at Gardaneh-ye Cheri (prov. Çaharmahal-va- Bakhtiyari, Zardkuh-region, vicinity of Samsami) is the habitat of R. peripheries (observed here 13.vii.2003) and numerous burnets as Zygaena cambysea Lederer, 1870, Z. fredi Reiss, 1938, Z. seitzi Reiss, 1938, Z. naumanni Hille & Keil, 1999 and the unilocal endemic Z. bakhtiyari Hofmann & Tremewan, 2005 (Hofmann & Tremewan 2020).—Photos 111-114, 116-118: R. Trusch, photo 115: G. Ebert.