Metacnephia persica (Rubtsov)

Crosskey, R. W., 2002, A taxonomic account of the black y fauna of Iraq and Iran, including keys for species identi cation (Diptera: Simuliidae), Journal of Natural History 36 (15), pp. 1841-1886 : 1857

1. Metacnephia persica (Rubtsov)

Iran references. Rubtsov (1940, original description, Iran, as Simulium (Astega) ), Smart (1945, Persia, assigned Cnephia ), Rubtsov (1951, 1956, 1961, repeat descriptions), Crosskey (1967, species discussed, syntypes examined), Terteryan (1968, faunal note, Iran and neighbouring areas), Crosskey (1969, assigned Metacnephia ), Rubtsov and Yankovsky (1984, Iran, in Palaearctic generic synopsis), Crosskey (1988, Iran, world checklist entry), Rubtsov and Yankovsky (1988, Iran, regional catalogue entry), Crosskey and Howard (1997, world inventory entry).

Iraq references. None.

Material seen

Iran: LECTOTYPE (slide No. 3155), Tabriz (38ss05¾/46ss18¾), 6 April 1914 (Andrievsky) ( ZISP); 1, 1, paralectotypes (pinned), data as lectotype ( ZISP); 1 paralectotype (pinned, abdomen on celluloid mount), same data ( BMNH, donated Rubtsov). 1 pupal exuviae (damaged), with cocoon, 1 larva (immature), Central State [no other locality data], 1975 (Ardalan).

Remarks

As understood in modern literature Metacnephia persica subsumes as a synonym M. hirta , described by Rubtsov and Terteryan (1954) from Armenia and recorded from Azerbaijan ( Djafarov, 1960). The ZISP collection contains specimens from Turkmenistan (Yankovsky, personal communication). Rubtsov and Shakirzyanova (1976) have recorded the species from Kazakhstan. The species is one of only two species of Simuliidae rst described from Iran (the other Simulium kiritshenkoi ). Rubtsov based the species on 23 males and seven females from Tabriz and referred to ‘Types’ without specifying whether some or all specimens were intended to have type status. One slide-mounted male in ZISP has Rubtsov’s label as ‘Typus’ and Yankovsky (1995) has cited this specimen as ‘holotype’. Strictly, it was a syntype situation but I deem Yankovsky to have xed the primary type under Article 74.5 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999), since he published his statement in the context of a review of all Rubtsov’s nominal taxa and types. Most of the other original specimens (paralectotypes) are in ZISP collection, but one male is in BMNH (listed above).

The pupa is readily recognized by the gill form and the presence on terminal segments 8 and 9 of some tiny biramous anchor-like hooklets. The gill divides from the base in widely spreading and three-dimensional form and has 20–22 laments (gure 51). Only one pupal exuviae has been available from Iran and its gills are damaged, but one was suYciently complete to count 20 laments branching in the manner shown by Terteryan (1968). The larva has a distinctively shaped postgenal cleft in which the sides converge forwards rather regularly towards the base of the hypostomium (gure 11, after Terteryan).