Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823

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 : 9-11

Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823

Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 , Verzeichnis bekannter Schmetterlinge: 300.

Type species: Phalaena calabra Petagna, 1786.

Pellonia Duponchel, 1829 , in Godart & Duponchel, Histoire naturelle des Lépidoptères ou Papillons de France, 7 (2): 109.

Type species: Phalaena vibicaria Clerck, 1759 .

Delocharis Butler, 1883 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1883: 172.

Type species: Delocharis herbicolens Butler, 1883 .

Apostates Warren, 1897 , Novitates zoologicae, 4: 214.

Type species: Apostates albiclathrata Warren, 1897 .

Leptosidia Hampson, 1903 , Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 14: 653.

Type species: Leptosidia araearia Hampson, 1903 .

Genus characters. Medium-sized to large moths (wingspan 20–40 mm). Antennae quadripectinate with long antennal branches in male ( Fig. 2 ), filiform in female. Proboscis well-developed. Frons, thorax and abdomen usually concolorous with wings. Chaetosemata developed as two well-separated patches. Tibial spur formula: 0–2–3 or 0–2–4. In some species (e.g. in the calabra species-group), hindtibia bearing a “pseudospur”, which is a single, club- or rod-shaped projection, dilated and densely scaled and of unknown function ( Hausmann 2004). Ground colour of wings widely varying, from beige or pale yellow to reddish or brown. Ante- and postmedial lines present in most species, expression of transverse lines often diagnostic. Discal spots usually present, sometimes faint or absent. Venation. Forewing usually with two areoles, with at least one known exception: R. solitaria (Christoph, 1887) ; R1 originating from the 2nd areole; R2–4 stalked, arising from apex of 2nd areole close to the origin of R5. In hind wing, Sc basally curved; Rs and M1 stalked ( Fig. 1 ).

Male genitalia. Uncus elongated, apically broader than at its base, setose and well-characteristic depending on species ( Fig. 3 ). Gnathos well developed, strongly sclerotized, medially elongated. Valva wide and strongly sclerotized, shape of apical and costal parts diagnostic. Saccus reduced to a narrow band. Juxta wide, weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus thin, long and usually curved; vesica usually without any cornuti. Sternum A8 bilobed.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales rounded or ovally elongated. Ratio of apophyses anteriores to apophyses posteriores diagnostic. Ductus bursae well sclerotized, roughly as long as corpus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous, rounded or oval. Size and shape of signum diagnostic, but usually developed as a pair of elongate sclerites.

Diagnosis. Larger sized than most other Sterrhinae. Further external diagnostic characters: quadripectinate male antenna; double areole in forewing; stalked forewing veins R2–4. Male genitalia with long uncus, sclerotized apex of valva often bearing processes and bilobed sternum A8) (see Cui et al. 2019 for more details; for details of higher classification and tribus characters see: Hausmann 2004).

Distribution. Diversity hotspot of the genus are Palearctic and Oriental regions, but three species also recorded from the southern Neotropical region ( Chile).

Classification. Prout (1913) implemented a system for the genus and defined several species-groups based on quantity of spurs and presence/absence of “pseudospur” on the male hindleg, as well as precence of Sc-vein in forewing. This system was modified further by Sterneck (1941) and Hausmann (2004), supplemented by more detailed diagnostic characters and used by other taxonomists (e.g. Cui et al. 2019; Müller et al. 2019). The systematic concept needs to be applied at a global scale ( Cui et al. 2019) and to be tested using genetic data. Here we follow Hausmann (2004) and Müller et al. (2019) to assign the Iranian species to different species-groups without anticipating a more detailed, integrative phylogenetic analysis.

I. The vibicaria species-group

Diagnostic characters (according to Hausmann 2004): Wings sandy colour intermixed with pink scales; termen of hindwing slightly concave at M3; male antennal flagellum ventrally not dentated (in contrast to the calabra species-group); three spurs on hindtibia of male, pseudospur absent. Male genital with wide uncus; valva apically forked, with long ventral process, not spinulose; aedeagus only slightly curved, cornuti absent. Including the western Palaearctic (including Iran) Rhodostrophia vibicaria (Clerck, 1759) , R. acidaria (Staudinger, 1892) in Central Asia and R. stigmatica (Butler, 1889) in Nepal and India ( Hausmann, 2004). The recently described Chinese species R. reisseri Cui, Xue & Jiang, 2019 is also well matching the characteristics of this species-group in habitus and male genitalia, but after Cui et al. (2019: 338) its antennal flagellum is ventrally dentated; therefore reisseri was placed in the calabra species-group by these authors, which we cannot confirm here.

II. The calabra species-group

Diagnostic characters (according to Hausmann 2004): Wings usually with red transverse fasciae; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (i.e. medially keeled); four or three spurs on hindtibia of male (when three, the proximal pair of spurs often modified to a pseudospur). Male genitalia with narrow, long uncus; apical part of valva spinulose, costal part of valva largely curved; aedeagus medially curved, vesica without any cornuti. Including a few species with western Palaearctic distribution patterns. Two species occurring in Iran: Rhodostrophia auctata ( Staudinger, 1879) and R. sieversi ( Christoph, 1882) . More species from China are added to this species-group by Cui et al. (2019).

III. The terrestraria species-group

Diagnostic characters: Wings of sandy to light yellow-brown ground colour, sometimes pale greenish, usually with brown transverse fasciae; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); four spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with narrow, long uncus; apical part of valva spinulose; aedeagus medially curved, vesica with cornuti. Including only one species with Middle East-Central Asian distribution pattern: Rhodostrophia terrestraria ( Lederer, 1869) , which is regarded as a member of the calabra species-group in Hausmann (2004), to be corrected here.

IV. The badiaria species-group

Diagnostic characters (according to Hausmann 2004): Wings greyish-sand coloured and uniform in habitus; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); four spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with narrow uncus; apical part of valva not spinulose or very locally spinulose; aedeagus curved. Including a few species with Middle East-Central Asian distribution patterns. The following species occurring in Iran: Rhodostrophia bahara Brandt, 1938 ; R. iranica Schwingenschuss, 1939 ; R. tumulosa Brandt, 1938 ; R. lenis Wiltshire, 1966 ; R. tabestana Trusch & Hausmann, 2007 . The pontic species R. badiaria (Freyer, 1841) occurs from Turkey to the Caucasus and Transcaucasus and is most probably also present in north-westernmost Iran, but there is no record so far (see Map in Hausmann 2004: 383). Also the Turkmenian species R. vastaria (Christoph, 1877) and the recently described species from Kazakhstan: R. crypta Viidalepp & Kostjuk, 2020 , belong to this species-group. These species may be present in north-eastern Iran, but it was not yet reported from Iran.

V. The nesam species-group

Diagnostic characters: Wings grey to brownish-sand coloured with darker, wavy ante- and postmedial fasciae; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); three spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with rod-shaped uncus; apical and costal parts of valva strongly and characteristically dentated; aedeagus strongly curved (close to 90°), vesica without any cornutus. Including only one species in Iran: Rhodostrophia nesam Brandt, 1938 .

VI. The abscisaria species-group

Diagnostic characters (according to Hausmann 2004): Wings greyish-sand coloured and uniform in habitus; small-sized moths; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); three spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with narrow uncus; apical part of valva spinulose; aedeagus curved, vesica with cornuti. Including one species with Iranian distribution pattern: Rhodostrophia abscisaria Brandt, 1941 .

VII. The phaenicearia species-group

Diagnostic characters: Wings dark cupper to brown with darker medial area and yellow postmedial line; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); three spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with rodshaped uncus, strongly reduced valva, apically dentated; aedeagus curved, vesica with scale-shaped cornutus. Including only one species in Iran: Rhodostrophia phaenicearia (Hampson, 1907) .

VIII. The cuprinaria species-group

Diagnostic characters: Wings pale ochre to pale brown with darker medial area, and paler postmedial line; male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated (medially keeled); three spurs on hindtibia of male. Male genitalia with elongated uncus; valva triangular, narrowing towards apex; aedeagus curved, vesica with a stout cornutus. Including three species with Middle East distribution pattern, all present in Iran: Rhodostrophia cuprinaria ( Christoph, 1876) , R. peripheres Prout, 1938 and R. vahabzadehi sp. n..

Figures

FIGURE 1. Wing venation of Rhodostrophia calabra (PETAGNA, 1787), type species of the genus.

FIGURE 2. Head of male specimen of Rhodostrophia calabra (PETAGNA, 1787). 2a, lateral view of the head, notice the eyes, labial palp and quadripectinate antennae; 2b, ventral view of the antenna; 2c, lateral view of the antenna, antennal flagellum ventrally dentate.

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