Lithostege witzenmanni, Standfuss

Sh, Hossein Rajaei, Stüning, Dieter & Viidalepp, Jaan, 2011, A review of the species of Lithostege Hübner, [1825] 1816 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Larentiinae), occurring in Iran and adjacent countries, with description of two new species from Iran and Pakistan, Zootaxa 3105, pp. 1-46 : 11

L. witzenmanni Standfuss

( Figs. 10 , 41 , 63 ; Map 3).

Lithostege witzenmanni Standfuss, 1892: 668 , pl. 15, fig. 8. Syntypes, 3, not traced. Type locality: Mardin ( Turkey). Lithostege witzenmanni: Prout, 1914: 173 ; Parsons et al., 1999: 547.

Material examined. 9 3: 1 3: Armenien, Ordubad, Belas, 24.V. [19]57; 3 3, 2 Ƥ: Süd-O Türkei, Hakkari, 1700 m, Bagisli, 16.6.1985, leg. P. Kuhna; all in ZFMK. 2 3: W-Iran, 50 km N. v. Hamadan, 1600 m, E. & A. Vartian, 20.v. [19]66, preps 3 1026/2010 and 1037/2010 H. R.; 1 3, 1 Ƥ: [ Azerbaijan, near Khoy] Ghotor, 20.6.[19]70, [leg.] Paz [ouki], gen. prep. 31027/2010 H. R.; all in SMNK. 1 3, 1 Ƥ: [ Iran] W. Azerbaijan, Rezaieh, 1350 m, 1.– 3.6.1975 and 7.6.1975, [leg.] Abai; L.T., preps 3 1080/2010, Ƥ 1081/2010 H. R.; 1 3: [ Azerbaijan, near Khoy] Ghotor, 20.6.[19]70, [leg.] Paz [ouki]; all in HMIM. Preparations of genitalia: 4 3, 1 Ƥ.

Description & Diagnosis. Wingspan 26–29 mm, clearly larger than L. usgentaria . Colour and pattern roughly similar to L. bosporaria ; a white, triangular patch at the apex of the forewing of L. witzenmanni is distinctive. Ground colour much lighter in witzenmanni ; medial area of forewings with an additional, double line; discal dot present, in bosporaria not visible ( Fig. 10 ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 41 ) with distally quadriform valves, similar to those of bosporaria , but more strongly angled; harpes and dorsal processes also similar to bosporaria , but there are no tooth-shaped projections from their basal parts; saccus triangular, distally rounded; aedeagus straight. Females ( Fig. 63 ) with very short apophyses anteriores (apophyses posteriores 5 times longer) and short ductus bursae (especially compared to L. usgentaria ); antrum cylindrical, its posterior margin with a V-shaped notch (U-shaped in L. usgentaria ); ductus bursae quadrate (shorter than in L. usgentaria ); corpus bursae more or less globular, internally spiculate; anterior diverticulum present.

Bionomics. Specimens studied are collected in May and June and these records are from altitudes of 1350– 1700 m.

Additional data on distribution based on literature sources. Prout (1912 –1916): NW Iran; Butler and Hampson (1899): Urmia (Azerbaijan-e Gharbi).

Remarks. Lederer (1871) reported L. usgentaria from Urmia, NW. Iran. This specimen probably should be identified as L. witzenmanni . L. usgentaria is distributed in theTranscaspian countries only ( Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan) and reaches Afghanistan, for the fauna of Iran it is an Eastern species, while L. witzenmanni is a western species.

Distribution. From Mardin ( Turkey) to NW Iran (Map 3).

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 10. Adult moths of Lithostege Hübner (left column, a: upperside, right column, b: underside). 6. L. stadiei (3, type locality, NW Iran); 7. L. obliquata (3, Karakumi, Turkmenistan); 8. L. bosporaria (3, Kirikkale, Central Turkey); 9. L. usgentaria (Ƥ, Herat, W Afghanistan); 10. L. witzenmanni (Ƥ, Ghotor, NW Iran). Scale bar: 10 mm.

FIGURES 39 – 41. Lithostege Hübner: Male genitalia & details of abdominal integument. 39. L. bosporaria (gen. prep. 1088 H. R.; Ankara), a: genital capsule, b: aedeagus, lateral view, vesica everted, c: tympanal organs & anterior sternites; 40. L. usgentaria (gen. prep. 1017 H. R.; N Ashkhabad), a: genital capsule, b: aedeagus, lateral view; 41. L. witzenmanni (gen. prep. 1037 H. R.; Hamadan, W Iran), a: genital capsule, b: aedeagus, lateral view, vesica everted, c: 8 th tergite. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 60 – 65. Lithostege Hübner: Female genitalia. 60. L. excelsata (gen. prep. 7646 J. V.; Repetek, E Turkmenistan); 61. L. obliquata (gen. prep. 7645 J. V.; Repetek, E Turkmenistan); 62. L. usgentaria (gen. prep. 1016 H. R.; Askhabad); 63. L. witzenmanni (gen. prep. 1027 H. R.; Hamadan, W Iran); 64. L. dissocyma (gen. prep. 1074 H. R.; Kazerun, S Iran); 65. L. hreblayi sp. nov. (gen. prep. 1085 H. R.; type locality, N Pakistan). Scale bar: 1 mm.