Rhodostrophia sieversi ( Christoph, 1882 )

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 : 16-18

Rhodostrophia sieversi ( Christoph, 1882)

( Figs 11–12 , 65 , 82 , Map 3 )

Aspilates sieversi Christoph, 1882 : Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 17(1/2): 115. ( Armenia, Ordubad), Described by monotypy. Holotype ♀ (examined). ‘Ordubad.’ [printed small black randed label], ‘Koll. Vel. Knjasja Nikolaja Michailowitscha.’ [in kyrillic letters], ‘ex mater. Mus. Acad. Petrop.’, ‘N. Filipiev det.’, ‘ Holotypus Aspilatea sieversi Christoph, 1882 ♀ det. V. Mironov’, in ZIN.

Records in the literature. Rhodostrophia sieversi: Romanoff (1885: 93) , Staudinger (1901: 278); Prout (1913: 39); Viidalepp (1996: 58); Scoble (1999: 824); Hausmann (2004: 373); Scoble & Hausmann (2007); Beljaev & Mironov (2019: 276); Müller et al. (2019: 844).

Additional material examined. 1 ♂, ‘ ♂ Ordubad. ’, ‘16 4 5 89 Chr’ [back side of this label], ‘ Koll. Vel. Knjasja Nikolaja Michailowitscha. ’ [in kyrillic letters], ‘ex mater. Mus. Acad. Petrop. ’, ‘ N. Filipiev det.’, ‘ Aspilatea sieversi Christoph, 1882 ♂ det. V. Mironov’, in ZIN. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, Azarbaygan-e Garbi , 62 km N Orumiyeh, S Salmas, 1700–1800 m, 19.v.2008, leg. W. ten Hagen ; 1 ♀, Iran Azarbaygan-e Sharqi, N Ahar, W vic. Kaleybar , 1750 m, 24.vi.2006, leg. ten Hagen ; 1 ♀, Iran, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, NW Kaleybar, 1400–1700 m, 15.vii.2007, leg. ten Hagen ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, NW-Iran, Rezaieh , 12 km westl., 1350 m, 30.v.1975, leg. Amsel ; 1 ♀, NW Iran, 100 km Strasse Mahabad-Sardascht, 1300 m, Quercetum , 13.vi.1975, leg. Amsel ; 1 ♀, NW Iran, 50 km Strasse Piranshar-Sardascht, 1400 m, Quercetum , 14.vi.1975, leg. Amsel ; 8 ♂, 4 ♀, Iran, Prov. Zanjan, 2350 m, W-Alborz range, Tarom vic., 20 km NE of Zanjan, 13.–14.vi.2005, leg. P. Gyulai & A. Garai ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Iran, Qazvin, ca. 37 km N Qazvin, Sutehkesh, (Pass, Nordseite ), 2100 m, 3.vi.2005, leg. ten Hagen ; 4 ♂, Iran, Qazvin, ca. 30 km N Qazvin, Sutehkesh, (Pass, Nordseite ), 2200 m, 3.vi.2005, leg. ten Hagen ; 1 ♂, Iran, Kordestan, Pass W Sanandaj, 1850 m, 3.vi.2005, leg. W. ten Hagen ; 2 ♀, Iran, Elburz-Geb. , 12 km v. Keredj, 1650 m, 27.v.1969, leg. Ebert ; 34 ♂, 88 ♀, N-Iran, Elburs mts., Prov. Teheran, Arangeh , 25 km N Karaj, 1550 m, 1.–6.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner , g.p. (♂) 605/2005 R. Trusch, (♀) 606/2005 R. Trusch, 2414/2021 H. Rajaei; 1 ♀, same data, collected on 24.vi.1972 ; 3 ♀, same data, 4.vi.1972 ; all in SMNK. 3 ♂, 3 ♀, N-Iran, Elburs mts., Prov. Teheran, Arangeh , 25 km N Karaj, 1550 m, 1.–6.vi.1972, leg. Ebert & Falkner , in SMNS. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, [ Iran] W Azarbeyjan, Sardasht , 14.vi.1975, leg. Abai ; 1 ♀, [ Iran] E Azarbaijan, Kaleibar, Vayeghan , 1440 m, 5.–6.viii.1992, leg. Parch. & Badii ; 1 ♂, [ Iran] Tehran-Karaj, Arangueh , 1550 m, 2.vi.1972, leg. Ebert ; all in HMIM.

Specimen studied total: 55 ♂, 112 ♀.

Differential diagnosis. ( Figs 11–12 ) Wingspan 29–39 mm. Forewing termen slightly convex ( R. auctata differing in straight or slightly concave termen). Upper- and underside of wings yellow-orange with a dominant pink postmedial band on all wings, subterminal area suffused with pink scales; antemedial line hardly visible; discal spots pink, round, large (this colour combination is unique and does not allow confusion with any other Iranian Rhodostrophia ). Male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated. Male hindtibia with three spurs, pseudospur absent.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 65 ) with a long uncus (but much shorter and thicker than that in R. auctata , Fig. 3 ); apical part of uncus fusiform (in contrast to all other Rhodostrophia species in Iran, see genitalia plates); valva apically clefted, tongue-shaped elongated, subapically spinulose; sacculus part of valva folded ventrad over the valva. Male sternum A8 bilobed (octavals much larger than those in R. auctata ).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 82 ) with an oval, membranous, corpus bursae (twice as large as in R. auctata ); ductus bursae chitinized, funnel-shaped towards ovipositor (its anterior part much narrower than that in R. auctata , see Fig. 81 ).

Genetic data. Two BINs: BOLD:AAC9459 ( Turkey) and BOLD: ABZ7093 ( Iran), diverging by 2.0% from each other. Nearest species: R. calabra (6.5%) and R. auctata (7.6%) ( Fig. 119 & Table 1).

Distribution ( Map 3 ). East Mediterranean species, distributed mainly in Turkey, northern Iraq, Transcaucasus and Caucasus into north-western and northern Iran (provinces Azarbaygan-e Garbi, Azarbaygan-e Sharqi, Ardabil, Zanjan, Qazvin, Kordestan, Teheran; eastwards not exceeding the central Alborz).

Life history and habitat. Biology and larval stages unknown, according to examined material, Amsel collected this species in oak forest (Quercetum). Univoltine, in Iran from early May to mid-July. In eastern Europe ( Croatia) recorded from sea-level, in Turkey and Transcaucasus up to 1400 m ( Hausmann 2004). In Iran, the specimens were collected from 1300 m up to 2350 m.

Figures

MAP 3. Distribution of Rhodostrophia sieversi (CHRISTOPH, 1882) in Iran.

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

FIGURE 119. Neighbour joining tree (COI, 5’; Kimura 2) showing the relationships between different species and subspecies of Iranian Rhodostrophia, including non-Iranian nearest neighboring species R. calabra, R. cinerascens, R. jacularia, R. praecisaria, R. staudingeri and R. skulei added for comparison. Width of triangles refer to sample size, depth of triangles to genetic variation, distance from common nodes to the genetic distance to a hypothetical common ancestor (as inferred by the algorithm); scale bar = 1%.

FIGURES 4-22. Wing coloration and pattern of Rhodostrophia species. Figs 4-8: R. vibicaria (4 & 5. from Iran, prov. Golestan, Maghazy Valley; 6 & 7. from Iran, between prov. Ardabil & Gilan, Astara); Figs 9-10: R. auctata (both from Iran, 9. prov. Kordestan, Baneh; 10. prov. Lorestan, Aligudarz); Figs 11-12: R. sieversi (both from Iran, Tehran, Arangeh); Figs 13-14: R. terrestraria terrestraria (both from Iran, 13. prov. Semnan, Shahkuh; 14. prov.Azarbaijan-e Sharghi, Kandovan); Figs 15-17: R. terrestraria furialis syn. nov. (18. Lectotype, 19. Paralectotype of R. furialis, both from Iran, Khorasan-e Razavi, Bilanoud Mt.; 20. From Iran, prov. Esfahan, Sibak); Figs 18-20: R. terrestraria farsi ssp. nov. (all from Iran, prov. Fars, Abadeh); Figs 21- 22: R. terrestraria pellonaria (both from Iran, 21. Prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, Kopet-Dagh; 22. Khorasan-e Razavi, Alladagh).

FIGURES 63-65. Male genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 63. R. vibicaria (Iran, prov. Golestan, g.p. 668 R. Trusch); Fig. 64. R. auctata (Iran, prov. Fars, Tang-e Surkh, g.p. 656 R. Trusch); Fig. 65. R. sieversi (Iran, prov. Tehran, Arange, g.p. 605 R. Trusch). Abbreviations: a. genitalia capsule; b. aedeagus; c. sternite-8.

FIGURES 80-85. Female genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 80. R. vibicaria (Iran, prov. Ardabil/Gilan, Pass Ardabil- Astara, g.p. 2363 H. Rajaei; 80b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa; 80c. sternite-8); Fig. 81. R. auctata (Iran, prov. Fars, Tange Surkh, g.p. 655 R. Trusch; 81b. corpus bursae, g.p. 2412 H. Rajaei, from prov. Kordestan, 53 km South Zandjan); Fig. 82. R. sieversi (prov. Teheran, Arangeh, 25 km N Karaj, g.p. 2414 H. Rajaei); Fig. 83. R. terrestraria farsi ssp. nov. (Iran, prov. Kerman, Gardaneh Sarbishan, Shingara vic., g.p. 653 R. Trusch); Fig. 84. R. bahara (prov. Tehran, Arange; g.p. 666 R. Trusch; 84b. details of antrum, g.p. 2374 H. Rajaei, from Iran, prov. Fars, Fort Sine-Sefid); Fig. 85. R. iranica (Prov. Tehran, 3 km NW Shemshak, g.p. 646 R. Trusch; 85b & 85c. details of signum and its digital drawing, g.p. 2373 H. Rajaei, from prov. Tehran, Shemshak).