Malacosoma parallela iranica Zolotuhin & Zahiri

Zolotuhin, Vadim V. & Zahiri, Reza, 2008, The Lasiocampidae of Iran (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 1791, pp. 1-52 : 20-22

Malacosoma parallela iranica Zolotuhin & Zahiri , ssp. nov.

Fig. 9 , holotype male; Fig. 10 , female paratype.

Holotype: [ HMIM]: 1ɗ Semnan: Shahrud, Shahkuh, 2150 m, 15.VI.1974, leg. Radjabi & Pazuki.

Paratypes: [ HMIM]: East Azerbaijan: 1ɗ Vayeghan, Kaleybar, 1440 m, 5–6.VIII.1992, leg. Parchami & Badii. Ardebil: 1ɗ Khalkhal, 62 km, 1500 m, 29.VII.1976, leg. Pazuki & Borumand. Guilan: 1Ψ Fandogh Poshteh, Astara, 726 m, 18.VI.2001, leg. Ghayourfar R. Mazandaran: 2Ψ Polemun, 20.VII.1971, leg. Hashemi & Zairi; 1ɗ Yush, Baladeh, Nur, 1920–2100 m, 26.VI.1998, leg. Mofidi M.; 2Ψ Sari, 0 m, 28.IX.1975, leg. Abai M.; 1Ψ Tchalous, 5.VI.1973, leg. Termeh; 1ɗ Kendevan [Kandovan] pass N, Elburz, 2600–2700 m, 3–4.VII.1995, leg. Sarafrazi, Linnavuori & Badii. Golestan: 1Ψ Tang-e-Gol, Park-e-Melli Golestan, 930 m, 7.V.2000, leg. Moghaddam, Badii, Mofidi & Ebrahimi; 8ɗ Dasht-e-Shad, Park-e-Melli Golestan, 1400 m, 9.V.2000, leg. Badii, Ebrahimi, Moghaddam & Mofidi; 7ɗ Gonbad Qabus (Kavous), 0 m, 21.VI.1974, leg. Pazuki & Rajabi; 20ɗ1Ψ Dasht-e-Shad, Park-e-Melli Golestan, 1400 m, 9.VI.2000, leg. Moghaddam, Badii, Mofidi & Ebrahimi; 1ɗ Koylar, Park-e-Melli-Golestan, 1250 m, 16.VI.2000, leg. Badii, Ebrahimi, Moghaddam & Mofidi Khorasan: 1ɗ Assadly, Bojnurd, 30 km S, 1970 m, 17.VI.1977, leg. Pazuki & Abai; 4ɗ Dasht, Park-e-Melli Golestan, 950 m, 18.VI.1977, leg. Pazuki & Abai; 2ɗ Allahakbar Mts., Kopehdagh Mts., 2950 m, 15.VI.1974, leg. Rajabi & Pazuki; 4ɗ Almeh, Park-e-Melli-Golestan, 1630 m, 12.VI.2000, leg. Moghaddam, Ebrahimi, Badii & Mofidi;;2ɗ Almeh, 1650 m, 17–18.VII.1996, leg. Ebrahimi & Nazari V. Semnan: 1ɗ Shahkuh-e-Pain, Shahrud, 2700 m, 18.VII.2003, leg. Ebrahimi & Alipanah; 20ɗ1Ψ Shahrud, Shahkuh, 2150 m, 15.VI.1974, leg. Radjabi & Pazuki. Tehran: 1ɗ Garmsar, 25.VI.1971, leg. Pazuki A.; 1ɗ Cheshmeh Kil Kola (Sharestanak), 2400 m, 20.VII.1988, leg. Mirzayans & Badii; Polur, 1Ψ Nava Mts., Elburs Mts., 1600 m, 13.VII.1976, leg. Zairi & Lavali; 7Ψ Lavasan, 10.VI.1973, leg. Sabzevari; 3ɗ Azadbar, Gachsar, Karaj, 2350– 2400 m, 7–9.V.1995, leg. Sarafrazi, Badii & Linnavuori; 1ɗ Damavand Mnt., S slope, 2720 m, 23.VII.1988, leg. Mirzayans & Badii; 3ɗ3Ψ Assara, Karaj, 1850 m, 27.VI.1971, leg. S.B.K.GH. (Gh. Kalali); 1ɗ Damavand, 1900 m, 8.VIII.1967, leg. Sabzevari; 1Ψ Shemshak, 1700 m, 27.VI.1969, leg. Mirzayans & Abai; Karaj, 1400 m,.; 1ɗ Evin, Tehran, 1600 m, 18.VI.1973, Light trap; 1ɗ Ab-ask, 2500 m, 19.VIII.1981, leg. Hashemi; 1ɗ Garmabdar, Rudbar-e-Ghasran, 2370 m, 28–29.V.1991, leg. Ebrahimi E. & Badii M.; 4ɗ Damavand, 1900–1910 m, 21–27.VI.1976, leg. Rajabi; 1ɗ Sarchal, Kandovan, Karaj, 2800 m, 4–8.VII.1977, leg. Pazuki & Mortazaviha; 3ɗ Azadbar, Karaj, 2400 m, 7–9.V.1995, Sarafrazi, Badii & Linna.; 1Ψ Karaj. Qazvin: 5ɗ2Ψ Kalanak, Taleghan, 1800 m, 26.VI.1991, leg. Ebrahimi E. & Badii M.; 5ɗ Parachan, Taleghan, 2200 m, 27.VI.1991, leg. Ebrahimi E. & Badii M.; 7ɗ Taleghan, 2200 m, 31.VII.1971, leg. Abai M. Hormozgan: 2ɗ Issin, 130–150 m, 6.III.1985, leg. Borumand & Hashemi; 1 ɗ, Iran, Elburs Geb., S. side, Shimschak, 2300 m, 50 km N Tehran, 1–22.VII 1970, leg. Vartian ( SMK); 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, Iran, Ostan Mazandaran, Kuh-e-Sovar, Knosh Yeilaq, 1900–2100 m, 1–4.VII 1978, leg. W. Blom ( SMK); 1 ɗ, Iran, Elburs,Ψ Ditzin, ca 2000 m, VII 1976, leg. Weiss ( SMK); 10 ɗ, N. Iran, Elburz mts., Masandaran, Polur, Damavand, 2200 m, 11.VII 1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner ( SMK). 5 ɗ, Schahkuh ( ZISP); 8 ɗ, 28 Ψ, Iran, Elburs-Geb., Suedseite, Shimshak, 2300 m, 50 km noerdl. Teheran, 1–22.VII 1970, leg. Vartian ( NHMW); 2 ɗ, Iran, Kendevan, 2300–2800 m, 8–15.VIII 1978, leg. W. Thomas (MWM); 1 ɗ, Iran, Demavend, Pr. Mazandaran, Polur, 2600 m, 14–16.VII 2005, leg. Hacz, Juhasz, Petranyi (MWM); 1 ɗ, Persia s., Elburs mts. c., Ort Demavend, Tar Tal, 22–2500 m, 13–17.VII 1936, E. Pfeiffer (MWM); 2 Ψ, Iran, Elburs Geb., S. side, Shimschak, 2300 m, 50 km N Tehran, 1–22.VII 1970, leg. Vartian (MWM); 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, Iran, S-Elburs, Dizin, 2600 m, 5–9.VII 1976, leg. J.C.Weiss (MWM); 1 ɗ, Iran, Demavend, Pr. Mazandaran, Polur, 2600 m, 14–16.VII 2005, leg. Hacz, Juhasz & Petranyi (MWM).

Diagnosis: Male: expanse 21–23 mm, wing length 11–13 mm; fore wings dark reddish-brown with narrow yellowish concave medial fasciae; cilia with whitish and reddish-brown spots; discal spot sometimes visible as a vague darker point; hind wings monotonous dark reddish-brown with unicoloured dark cilia; genitalia similar to those of nominate subspecies. Female: expanse 24–28 mm, wing length 14–16 mm; fore wings light rosy-cream with yellowish fields, basal part yellowish, medial field slightly rosy darkened; discal always distinct in spite is tender pointed out; both medial fasciae developed, curved, darker than the ground colour; cilia with yellowish and reddish-brown spotsl hind wings cream-rosy, often with whitish transversal band; cilia whitish distally and creamy-rosy proximally; genitalia similar to those of nominate subspecies. The new subspecies differs from the nominate one by darker coloration (brighter reddish-brown in ssp. parallela ) and smaller size (in ssp. parallela , expanse 24–26 mm in males and 30–33 mm in females, with wing length 13– 14 mm in males and 17–18 in females), especially in females.

References: Barou 1967: 54 (M. neustria paralella ); Rajabi 1986: 164–168 ( M. neustria paralella ); Daricheva & Dubatolov 1990: 27 ( M. parallela ); Modarres Awal 1994 & 1997: 209 ( M. neustria paralella ). Distribution (Map 14): Kopet-Dagh Mts. in Turkmenistan, eastern Turkey, Transcaucasia (at least Armenia; status of Georgian populations requires study). - In Iran: East Azerbaijan, Ardebil, Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Qazvin and Homozgan provinces.

MAP 14. Malacosoma parallela iranica Zolotuhin & Zahiri, 2007 (circles) and Malacosoma parallela parallela Staudinger, 1887 (squares).

Bionomics. The biology of this smaller and darker coloured subspecies is unknown. It occurs from 130–3000 m, mostly above 1600–1800 m, and is on the wing from May to late July depending on altitude. Supposedly food plants and biology would be similar to those of ssp. parallela : Amygdalus , Malus , Prunus , Pyrus , Cerasus , Rosa , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cydonia, Chaemomeles, Padus, Ribes , Hippophae , Berberis, Juglans , Populus , Salix , Quercus , Atraphaxis , Myricaria, Fraxinus, Lonicera, Vitis . Barou (1967), Rajabi (1986), and Modarres Awal (1994 & 1997) list for the Iranian subspecies apple ( Malus sp.), pear, quince ( Cydonia oblonga : Rosaceae ), plum, apricot, Cerasus , white-thorn, maple ( Acer sp.), buckthorn ( Rhamnus sp.: Rhamnaceae ), willow ( Salix sp.), alder ( Alnus sp.: Betulaceae ), horn beam ( Carpinus betulus : Betulaceae ), birch, beech ( Fagus orientalis : Fagaceae ), poplar ( Populus sp.), oak ( Quercus sp.), roses ( Rosa sp.), sloe-tree ( Prunus spinosa : Rosaceae ), barberry ( Berberis vulgaris : Berberidaceae ), Hippophae rhamnoides L.; Betula pendula Roth. ; Carpinus sp.; Sorbus . Eggs hibernate. Caterpillars live in common web.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Malacosoma parallela iranica Zolotuhin & Zahiri, ssp. nov. holotype male.

FIGURE 10. Malacosoma parallela iranica Zolotuhin & Zahiri, ssp. nov. paratype female.