Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1966

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 : 30-31

Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1966

( Figs 35–37 , 71 , 88 , Map 9 )

Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1966 : Zeitschrift der Wiener Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 51 (9–11): 134. ( Afghanistan, Khurd-Kabul SO, v. Kabul, 1900m), Holotype ♂ (examined), ‘Afgh[anistan], Khurd-Kabul SO, v. Kabul, 1900m, 18.VI.1965, Kasy & Vartian’, ‘Mus. Vind. Gen. Präp. 15.941 ♂ ’, ‘Preparation WW. 195’, ‘ Rhodostrophia lenis Wilts. ♂, Holotypus’. Paratypes (6♂, 1♀ examined): 1 ♀, ‘Afgh[anistan], Khurd-Kabul SO, v. Kabul, 1900m, 18.VI.1965, Kasy & Vartian’, ‘ Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltsh. ♀, Allotypus’, ‘ Paratype, Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, det. H. R., 2009’, ‘prep. 1532/2011 H. R.’; 4 ♂, same locality, ‘Paratypoid Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, det. H. R., 2009’; 1 ♂, same locality, ‘Paratypoid, Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, det. H. R., 2009’, ‘prep. 1534/2011 H. R.’; 1 ♂, ‘ 40 km SW, v. Kabul 2300m, Afghan[istan], 17.6.1965, Kasy & Vartian’, ‘Paratypoid Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire det. H. R., 2009’; all in NHMW.

Records in literature. Rhodostrophia lenis: Scoble (1999: 823) ; Scoble & Hausmann (2007).

Previous records from Iran. Iran-Khorasan National Park Golestan-Almeh Tal , 1541 m, 23.– 24.5.2001 ; Iran, Khorasan, Kuh-e Sorkh , Pass NE Rivash, [N Kashmar 58°27'E, 35°28'N] 2100 m, 19.V.2007 ; Iran, Khorasan, Kopet Dagh, Quchan-Dargaz (SW Passhöhe), 55–56 km N Quchan, 1900–2100m, 15.VI.2006 ; Iran , Khorassan, Kopedagh-Allahakbar, 1950m, 16.6.1974 (all reported by Rajaei & Trusch 2011).

Additional material examined. 2 ♀, Iran, Khorasan-e Razavi, Mashhad, Binaloud [Mt.], 1679 m, 36°13'12,3"N, 59°20'50.2"E, 18.05.2016, leg. Sh. Feizpur , g.p. 2364/2020 H. Rajaei; 1 ♀, Iran, Khorasan-e Shomali prov., Gifan to Izman road, between Ghale Mohammadi and Izman-e Sufla , Alt. 1823 m, N37°51'31.9'', E057°32'27.2'', 20.vi.2013, leg. H. Rajaei, J.-U. Meineke, B. Hafezi ; 1 ♂, Iran, prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, N Qochan, Emam Gholi to Kabkan road, After Agh-Mazar, Allah-o Akbar Mt. , Alt. 1763 m, N37°19'27.2'', E058°43'26.1'', 18.vi.2013, leg. H. Rajaei, J.-U. Meineke, B. Hafezi; all in SMNS.

Specimens studied total: 8 ♂, 4 ♀.

Differential diagnosis. ( Figs 35–37 ). Wingspan 26–30 mm. Forewing triangular, apex pointed, termen straight. Wings in both sexes uniformly brown-ochre, getting darker towards the apex of the forewing and the termen in both wings. Discal spots hardly visible. The underside is slightly brighter than the upperside. The species cannot be confused with any other Iranian Rhodostrophia species. Externally, it resembles to some Lithostege species in Iran and R. vartianae Wiltshire, 1966 , known from Afghanistan (see Rajaei & Trusch 2011 for more details).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 71 ) with elongated uncus, apically clubbed, cleft at tip ( Fig. 3 ). Valva broad, subapical part and sacculus curved interiorly; apex not spinulose ( Fig. 71a ). Juxta wide, rhomboid. Aedeagus medially curved; vesica membranous. Male sternite A8 slightly notched, but octavals not developed.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 88 ) with an oval corpus bursae, completely membranous, without signa; ductus bursae tubular and broad, roughly of same size as corpus bursae, strongly sclerotized. Posterior apophyses twice length of anterior apophyses.

Genetic data. No data available yet.

Distribution ( Map 9 ). Up to now the species is recorded only from Afghanistan (south-east of Kabul) and Iran (Golestan National Park and northern Khorassan, Kopet-Dagh Mts.).

Life history and habitat ( Fig 116 ). Biology and larval stages are unknown. Most probably, this species is diurnal (Rajaei & Trusch 2011) and seems to be univoltine, recorded from mid-May to mid-June. According to the material examined here, it flies at altitudes from 1500 m up to 2300 m. The species is sympatric with R. abscisaria , flying in the same habitats (see Fig. 116 ).

Figures

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

MAP 9. Distribution of Rhodostrophia lenis WILTSHIRE, 1966 in Iran.

FIGURES 23-43. Wing coloration and pattern of Rhodostrophia species. Figs 23-24: R. bahara (both from Iran, prov. Fars, 23. Shiraz, Lectotype; 24. Sine-Sefid, Paralectotype); Figs 25-28: R. iranica (all from Iran, 25-26. prov. Tehran, Shemshak; 27. prov. Qazvin, Gardaneh Alamut; 28. prov. Alborz, Gatchsar); Figs 29-30: R. tumulosa (both from Iran, prov. Kohgiluyeva Boyerahmad, Yasuj, Sisakht); Figs 31-34: R. tabestana (all from Iran, 31-32. prov. Fars, Mian Kotal, (31) Holotype; 32 (Paratype); 33-34. prov. Fars, Tange Surkh (both paratype)); Figs 35-37: R. lenis (35.-36. From Afghanistan, Khurd-Kabul, SE Kabul; 37. Iran, prov. Khorasan-e Razavi, Kuhe Surkh); Figs 38-40: R. nesam (38-39. prov. Fars, Tale-Khosrow, both paratypes; 40. prov. Kohgiluye-va Boyerahmad, Sisakht); Figs 41-43: R. nesam syn. fusca (41-42. prov. Sistan-o-Baluchistan, Takhte Malek, both Paratypes; prov. Kerman, Baft).

FIGURES 70-74. Male genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 70. R. tabestana (Iran, prov. Esfahan, Feridun-Shahr, g.p. 583 R. Trusch); Fig. 71. R. lenis (Afghanistan, prov. Kabul, Khurd-Kabul, g.p. WW195 E.P. Wiltshire, Holotype); Fig. 72. R. nesam (Iran, prov. Fars, Kazeroun-Bouchir, Tchouroum, g.p. RMS 5765, G. Ebert, Lectotype); Fig. 73. R. abscisaria (Iran, prov. Khorassan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 10941 H. Rajaei); Fig. 74. R. phaenicearia (Iran, prov. Semnan, Cheschme Ali, g.p. 601 R. Trusch). Abbreviations: a. genitalia capsule; b. aedeagus; c. sternite-8; d. cornti on vesical; e. details of the valva.

FIGURES 86-90. Female genitalia of Rhodostrophia species. Fig. 86. R. tumulosa (Iran, prov. Esfahan, Semirom vic., Pashme Kuh, 632 R. Trusch; 86b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa); Fig. 87. R. tabestana (Iran, prov. Chaharmahal-o Bakhtiari, Zard Kuh, 622 R. Trusch; 87b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa); Fig. 88. R. lenis (Iran, prov. Khorasan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 2364 H. Rajaei); Fig. 89. R. nesam (89.1. Iran, prov. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Yasudj, Sisakht, g.p. 687 R. Trusch; 89.2. & 89.3. same locality as latter, g.p. 2365 H. Rajaei); Fig. 90. R. abscisaria (90a. Iran, prov. Khorassan-e Razavi, Binaloud Mt., g.p. 10942 H. Rajaei, Paralectotype, 90b. digital drawing of corpus bursae for visualization of the signa; 90c. corpus bursae, from: Iran, prov. Esfahan, Kashan-Meymeh, Qorud g.p. 2375 H. Rajaei).

FIGURES 111-118. Habitats of Rhodostrophia-species in Iran. Fig. 111. Shah-Kuh-mountain range in the eastern Alborz, view from the habitat of the nominotypical subspecies of R. terrestraria at an altitude of approx. 2,900 m to the west (prov. Golestan, above Shah-Kuh-e Pa’in, also known as Shahkuh-e Sofla, 18.vii.2003), where the moth likes to hide in bushes of Astragalus spp. (Fabaceae); note the impressive cushion plants of Acantholimon spp. (Plumbaginaceae). The region is also known as the type locality of the two high-mountain burnet moths Zygaena cacuminum Christoph, 1877 and Z. ecki Christoph, 1882 (Zygaenidae). Fig. 112. Stipa-steppe habitat of R. terrestraria at Shah-Kuh-e Bala, where the species on 19.7.2003 was attracted to artificial light at night together with Zygaena turkmenica Reiss, 1933 (det. A. Hofmann). Fig. 113. Artemisia-steppe at an altitude of 2450 m near Qorud (prov. Esfahan, vic. Kashan-Meymeh), where R. bahara occurred on the 11.v.2005 in high abundance together with the rarely found Dyscia negrama Wehrli, 1953 (Geometridae); in the centre of the photo (from left to right): Georg Petschenka, Bernd Müller and Hossein Rajaei. Fig. 114. In the vicinity of mount Tochal at the altitude of 3,700 m the moths of R. iranica could be observed resting on rocks and flying off from them in case of disturbance (prov. Tehran, 18.7.2006). This area is inhabited by Zygaena cacuminum Christoph, 1877 (Zygaenidae) too. Fig. 115. The Kamaran valley (prov. Esfahan, Fereydun Shahr S., Kamaran vic., 2650 m) is inhabited by R. tabestana and R. terrestraria; other remarkable species observed during 11.-12.vii.2003 were Zygaena haematina Kollar, 1849 and Z. nocturna Ebert, 1974 (Zygaenidae). Fig. 116. The habitat of R. terrestraria pellonaria, R. abscisaria and R. lenis at an altitude of 1240 m south of Izman-e Pa'in (also known as Izman-e Sofla, north of Bojnurd, prov. Khorasan, 19.v.2005) is characterized by mugwort steppe (Artemisia spp., Asteraceae) and the occurrence of further typical geometrid-moth-steppe species such as Dyscia malatyana Wehrli, 1934 and the nominate subspecies of D. innocentaria (Christoph, 1885). Fig. 117. Habitat of the two species R. cuprinaria and R. phaenicearia at an altitude of 1560 m in the vicinity of Astane (Cheshme Ali, prov. Semnan, northwest of Damghan,) is an Artemisia-steppe too. The two species used to be confused in the literature, here both occurring syntopic, observed by us 23.-24.v.2005. Fig. 118. Strongly overgrazed desertic mountain steppe landscape at an altitude of 3200 m at Gardaneh-ye Cheri (prov. Çaharmahal-va- Bakhtiyari, Zardkuh-region, vicinity of Samsami) is the habitat of R. peripheries (observed here 13.vii.2003) and numerous burnets as Zygaena cambysea Lederer, 1870, Z. fredi Reiss, 1938, Z. seitzi Reiss, 1938, Z. naumanni Hille & Keil, 1999 and the unilocal endemic Z. bakhtiyari Hofmann & Tremewan, 2005 (Hofmann & Tremewan 2020).—Photos 111-114, 116-118: R. Trusch, photo 115: G. Ebert.