Problepsis cinerea (Butler, 1886)

Wanke, Dominic, Hausmann, Axel, Lee, Kyung Min, Murillo-Ramos, Leidys, Sihvonen, Pasi & Rajaei, Hossein, 2023, Systematics and integrative taxonomic revision of the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 in Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Sterrhinae), Zootaxa 5359 (1), pp. 1-96 : 9

Problepsis cinerea (Butler, 1886)

Argyria cinerea Butler, 1886 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 3, 387. Syntype (s) ([ Pakistan], Campbellpore [near Rawal Pindee]) (in NHMUK).

Diagnosis. This species can be differentiated from P. wiltshirei by the large, prominent, rounded ocellus in the median area, which is small and light in P. wiltshirei (for further details see Wanke et al. 2021b).

Biology & Habitat. Most Problepsis species are known to feed on Oleaceae species (Stadie & Stadie 2016). Feizpour et al. (2018) suggested Olea europaea cuspidata as a potential natural host plant in southern Iran, as it is the only wild olive species found there. This species inhabits dry southern coastal plains and mountainous regions with higher humidity ( Feizpour et al. 2018).

Distribution. This species is distributed from northern Oman and southern Iran in the west to eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan ( Feizpour et al. 2018). In Iran it has only been recorded from one locality in Hormozgan province by Feizpour et al. (2018).

DNA-barcoding. Nearest species: P. ocellata , with a genetic distance of 1.8% ( Wanke et al. 2021b).