Sitochroa urmiensis Alipanah, 2020
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/nl.43.49128 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AFE0F1E9-9E4B-4E55-9A64-73FA955F1895 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/55E14266-F078-455C-9CDC-1041F696AE45 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:55E14266-F078-455C-9CDC-1041F696AE45 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Sitochroa urmiensis Alipanah |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Sitochroa urmiensis Alipanah sp. nov. Figs 1A, B View Figure 1 , 2A-C View Figure 2 , 3A, C View Figure 3
Material examined.
Holotype, ♂, Iran, West Āzarbāijān Prov[ince]: Orumiyeh, Ghāsemlu, 10.vi.1975, Abāi leg. (genitalia preparation No. HA-2457, HMIM).
Diagnosis.
In external appearance, especially in wing pattern, S. urmiensis is close to S. palealis (in populations with weakly expressed wing patterns) and less so to S. straminealis . However, the medial line of the hindwing is more visible in S. urmiensis sp. nov. compared with S. palealis (Figs 1A-F View Figure 1 , 8C, D View Figure 8 ). There is no noticeable difference among the three above mentioned species in the shape of the head and the labial palpi (Figs 3A-D View Figure 3 , 5A-D View Figure 5 ).
Based on the male genitalia, the new species is more similar to S. straminealis than to any other known species of the genus (Fig. 2A-F View Figure 2 ). These two species resemble each other mainly in the shape of the distal half of the valvae; the width of the uncus in relation to the width of the valvae; the rounded sinus between the prongs of the clasper; the presence of an inwardly pointed trapezoidal blade-like structure above the clasper; and a thorn-like or needle-shaped distal process in the phallus. Furthermore, in both species the cornuti consist of a bundle of elongate thorns and a finger-shaped process that is wavy in S. urmiensis sp. nov. whereas it is straight in S. straminealis (Fig. 2A, C, D, F View Figure 2 ).
However, the male genitalia of these two species differ as follows: the tip of the uncus is semi-triangular in S. urmiensis sp. nov. and dome-shaped in S. straminealis (Fig. 2A, D View Figure 2 ); the clasper prongs in S. urmiensis sp. nov. are longer than those of S. straminealis (Fig. 2A, B, D, E View Figure 2 ); the internal prong of the clasper in S. straminealis is clearly curved inward while it is straight in the new species (Fig. 2A, B, D, E View Figure 2 ); the medially directed process at the internal base of the clasper is dagger-shaped and long in S. straminealis , but is a pointed triangular, deeply serrate and relatively short structure in S. urmiensis sp. nov. (Fig. 2A, B, D, E View Figure 2 ); the juxtal arms in the new species are slightly longer and narrower than in S. straminealis ; the saccus in S. urmiensis sp. nov. is slightly narrower than that of S. straminealis and the anterior tip is nearly pointed (Fig. 2A, D View Figure 2 ).
Description of male.
Head (Fig. 3A, C View Figure 3 ). Frons conical, covered with pale brown scales, white laterally just next to compound eyes (most of the frontal scales removed); vertex erected, with pale yellowish-cream scales (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ); labial palpus porrect, 1.80 times horizontal diameter of compound eye, first segment covered with cream scales, second and third segments covered with cream scales ventrally, brown dorsally, apical segment as second except for brown scales dorso-laterally and slightly hanging; maxillary palpus slender, porrect and covered with brown scales; proboscis covered with dark brown scales, paler basally; antennae covered with cream scales dorsally, with a single considerably long seta present on dorsal surface of basal segment; collar yellowish-cream; thorax and tegula yellowish-cream; abdomen cream (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ).
Forewing (Fig. 1A, B View Figure 1 ). Forewing length 15 mm; costa straight, slightly convex towards apex, rounded apically, termen obliquely convex. Ground colour glossy yellowish-cream with pale green tint, with veins and terminal line suffused pale-brownish, a hardly visible pale brown patch near apex, an obscure discoidal spot, and a hardly visible sinuate postmedial line fading away towards dorsum. Underside pale greyish-yellow, with brown costal margin, brown veins and terminal line, a brown sinuate postmedial line thickened towards costa and fading away towards dorsum, an oval pale brown spot near apex, a brown discoidal spot, and a short brown antemedial spot.
Hindwing (Fig. 1A, B View Figure 1 ). Greyish-yellow, paler than forewing, veins and terminal line with pale-brownish suffusion, a relatively wide medial line extending to two-thirds of the wing, and an obscure oval pale brown spot just next to apex. Underside ground colour as that of forewing, veins and terminal line brown, pale brown medial line narrowing and fading away towards dorsum, with small discoidal spot. Fringes of both fore- and hindwings glossy yellowish-cream with very fine light brown medial line.
Male genitalia (Fig. 2A-C View Figure 2 ). Uncus relatively wide, rounded apically, with some relatively long apical hairs dorso-laterally; tegumen stout, scobinate dorsally; valva broad, rounded apically, with large, arched, clasper adorned with two ventrally directed thorn-like processes, external process serrate ventrally, sinus between prongs of clasper rounded, with deeply serrate, pointed, triangular and relatively large process at internal base of clasper directed medially, and a trapezoidal blade-like structure above clasper pointed internally; juxta deeply V-shaped; saccus elongated triangular (Fig. 2A, B View Figure 2 ); phallus with ventral thorn-like, straight and relatively long sclerotized process distally, cornuti comprising a bundle of elongate, heavily sclerotized spines and a finger-shaped and wavy sclerotized process (Fig. 2A, C View Figure 2 ).
Female. Unknown.
Distribution.
Iran: West Azarbaijan Province (Orumiyeh or Urmia).
Etymology.
The new species is named from the type locality, Urmia.
Biology.
Unknown.
Remarks.
The studied male of S. urmiensis was collected in 1975. Although several collecting trips have been made by the first author and her colleagues in HMIM to Urmia and Ghasemlu since then, no Sitochroa specimens have been collected again from that locality till now. In spite of the superficial similarities among the single examined S. urmiensis and some other Sitochroa species, the differences in the male genitalia are considerable and the species can easily be distinguished.
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