Dasypolia eberti Boursin, 1967

Titov, Sergey V., Matov, Alexey Yu. & Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, On the distribution of Dasypolia eberti Boursin, 1967 in Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Xylenini), Ecologica Montenegrina 67, pp. 77-82 : 80-81

Dasypolia eberti Boursin, 1967

( Figs 1–3 , 6, 8 )

Dasypolia eberti Boursin, 1967 , Entomops , 2 (10): 62, fig. 35 (Type locality: “ Afghanistan central, Hazardjat , Kok i Baba, Shah Fuladi, 3500m ”).

= Dasypolia eberti eucraspeda Boursin, 1967 , Entomops , 2 (10): 63, fig. 35 bis. (Type locality: “ Afghanistan sud-est, Sefid-Kouh (Safed Koh), versant sud, Kotkai, 2350m ”).

Material examined. TAJIKISTAN: 48 specimens of both sexes, Pamir, Khorog, Botanical Garden , 2300m, 26.IV.–24. V .1960, 1–28.IV.1961, 29.IV.1962, 15.VI.1964, 15.IV.1966, 4.V.–25.X.1968, 7–15.IV.1970, 19.IV.1971, 28.IV.1972, 25.Х.1975, 23.IV.1982, 9.V.–2.XI.1983, and 4. V .1984, M.L. Zapryagaev leg., gen. prep. No.: AV7318 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin ) ( ZISP) ; 1 male, Khorog , 3. V .1910, Berezskyi leg. ( ZISP); 1 male, Shugnan Ridge , 2200m, M.L. Zapryagaev leg. ( ZISP) ; KAZAKHSTAN: 1 male, 26.IX.2022, Zhetesu Region, Kerbulak Distr., spurs of Dzhungar Alatau Mts , vic. of Koksu village , gorge of Koksu River , right bank, 1246m, 44°40'23.2''N 78°55'42.8''E, Titov, S. V . leg., gen. prep. No.: AV7319 ♂ (prepared by Volynkin ) ( CAV) ; 1 female, [ Transili Alatau Mts , S from Almaty City] Alma-Ata, Glubokaya Chshel’ [Deep Gap], 8.X.1935, V . Shaydurov ( ZISP) ; 1 female, the same locality and collector, but 22.IV.1936, gen. prep. No. : RL1629 ♀ (prepared by Ronkay ) ( ZISP) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 21–26 mm in both sexes. Dasypolia eberti is the largest and an unmistakable species of the genus Dasypolia in Kazakhstan. Compared to another species of the D. rjabovi species group occurring in Central Asia, D. rjabovi ( Figs 4, 5 ), D. eberti ( Figs 1–3 ) has a substantially smaller size (the forewing length is 33–37 mm in most specimens of D. rjabovi , only in some males it is 25– 27 mm), a more distinct forewing pattern, and a hindwing lacking the yellow suffusion. In the male genital capsule, D. eberti ( Fig. 6 ) differs clearly from the aforementioned congener ( Fig. 7 ) in the proximally broader and distally conical uncus (it is spatulate in D. rjabovi ), the more anteriorly elongate juxta, the more apically rounded vinculum, the distally upcurved valva with a broader cucullus and a proximally broader and apically rounded digitus (it is apically pointed in D. rjabovi ), and the longer proximal section of the harpe making it protruding beyond the dorsal margin of the valva. The phallus of D. eberti is shorter and narrower than in D. rjabovi (in proportion to the tegumen-vinculum complex) and has a longer and narrower carinal plate. The vesica of D. eberti is longer than in D. rjabovi and lacks the medial diverticulum. In the female genitalia, D. eberti ( Fig. 8 ) is distinguished from D. rjabovi ( Fig. 9 ) by the markedly longer and broader ductus bursae, and the considerably shorter corpus bursae (in proportion to the ovipositor).

Distribution and bionomics. The species is currently known from eastern and southeastern Afghanistan ( Boursin 1967), Tajikistan ( Ronkay & Varga 1990; Rajabova & Matov 2020; Benedek et al. 2021), Kyrgyzstan ( Ronkay & Varga 1990; Korb et al. 2017), and southeastern Kazakhstan ( Ronkay & Varga 1990) ( Fig. 10 ). In the western Dzhungar Alatau Mountains, the species was found in a rocky gorge with shrubby steppe vegetation at an altitude of 1246 meters above sea level ( Fig. 11 ).

Figures

Figure 10. Distribution map of Dasypolia eberti.

Figure 11. Southeast Kazakhstan, western Dzhungar Alatau Mts, vicinities of Koksu Village, gorge of Koksu River, habitat of Dasypolia eberti (photo by A. Belousov).

Figures 1–5. Dasypolia spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in CAV; 2–5 in ZISP.

Figures 6–9. Dasypolia spp.: male (6, 7) and female (8, 9) genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 6 in CAV; 7–9 in ZISP.