Cnephasia razowskii, Alipanah, 2019

Alipanah, Helen, 2019, An overview of the tribe Cnephasiini (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Tortricinae) of Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4661 (3), pp. 501-521 : 514-516

15. Cnephasia razowskii , sp. n.

Material examined. Holotype, ♂, Mâzandarân Prov.: Âmol, Chamestân , 1 km after Jurband Vlg., N 36˚41΄37.2̎, E 050˚50΄20.6̎, 441 m, 28.vi.2007, Âlipanâh leg. ( GS: HA-2395) . Paratypes, 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, same data as the holo- type ( GS: HA-1265, HA-1268, HA-1269) , 1 ♂, Gilân Prov.: Âstârâ- Namin Rd. , 10 km W Âstârâ, N 38˚26΄01.7̎, E 048˚46΄47.3̎, 97 m, 24.vii.2007, Zahiri, Âlipanâh leg. ( GS: HA-1285) . 1 ♀, Mâzandarân Prov.: Râmsar , 6 km to Javâherdeh, N 36˚54΄29.3̎, E 050˚35΄13.2̎, 554 m, 23.vii.2007, Âlipanâh, Zahiri leg. ( GS: HA-2322) , 1 ♂, N Kandovân, Khâkak , 2560 m, 9.vii.1977, Pâzuki, Mortazavihâ leg. ( GS: HA-1375) .

Diagnosis. Cnephasia razowskii is similar to both C. hellenica Obraztsov, 1956 and C. venusta Razowski, 1971 ; however, it is closer to C. hellenica in the male genitalia. In all three species the forewing pattern is mostly ill-defined, and females have more distinct markings than males ( Razowski 1971, 1983, Zlatkov 2013); also, the hindwing of C. razowskii and C. hellenica is brownish-gray in contrast to the cream hindwing of C. venusta with pale creamy-brown on the margins.

The male genitalia of C. razowskii and C. hellenica are similar except for the presence of a thorn-like process near the middle of sacculus in C. hellenica ( Fig. 10I ), which is lacking in C. razowskii ( Figs. 10A, F, G ). Also, inspite of the similar shape of the phallus, with a well developed caulis, the distal ¼ of the phallus in C. razowskii has a pointed dorsal sclerotized process ( Figs. 10A, C, D ) that is lacking in C. hellenica ( Fig. 10I ). The sacculus of C. razowskii is most similar to that of C. venusta ( Figs. 10A, F, G, H ); however, differences in the phallus ( Figs. 10A, D, H ) and smaller size of terminal plate of gnathos in C. razowskii ( Figs 10A, E ) clearly separate these two species. In C. razowskii ( Fig. 10C ), like C. hellenica ( Fig. 10I ), there is a triangular incision dorsally at the end of the phallus.

The female genitalia of C. razowskii are similar to those of both C. venusta and C. hellenica . Cnephasia razowskii and C. venusta are very similar to each other in the shape of the papillae anales, in having an ostial sclerite with triangular lateral sclerotizations, and in the developed signum. The main difference between the two is the different internal sclerotization of the antrum. That of C. razowskii ( Figs. 10 J–L) is nearly identical to that of C. hellenica (see Razowski 1983: 236) with dentate sclerotization inside; in contrast, in C. venusta the sub-median area of the antrum is weakly sclerotized (see Razowski 1971: 546, 547).

Differences between the female genitalia of C. razowskii and C. hellenica are the vestigial signum of C. hellenica compared to the moderate signum in C. razowskii ; presence of an ostial sclerite with triangular lateral sclerotizations in C. razowskii that are missing in C. hellenica ; and the different shape of the anterior parts of the papillae anales (see Razowski 1983: 236; Figs. 10 J–L).

In all the three above mentioned species, the shape of the antrum is different: completely rounded in C. venusta (see Razowski 1971: 546, 547); medially broadened, anteriorly rounded in C. hellenica (see Razowski 1983: 236); and nearly cone-shaped, anteriorly rounded antrum in C. razowskii ( Figs. 10 J–L).

Description. Male ( Figs. 9A, B, E, F ). Head: Slightly erect, creamy-white to yellowish-cream scales admixed with light brown scales; scales on vertex elongate; labial palpus sinuate with third segment pointed anterad, creamywhite admixed with pale brown scales dorso-laterally, except creamy-white first segment, length 1.64–1.94 times the horizontal diameter of compound eye (n = 4), second segment the longest, first and second segments with elongate, erect scales at ventro-basal and dorso-apical parts, respectively ( Fig. 9F ); antennae ringed with cream and pale brown scales, with moderate sensilla (slightly less than the length of segment).

Thorax: Nota smooth scaled, creamy-white admixed with light brown scales dorsally. Forewing ( Figs. 9A, B ) slightly broadened distally, with costa nearly straight except faintly arched base, apex nearly rounded, termen obliquely rounded. Forewing length 5.7 – 9.7 mm (= 8.02 mm ± 1.68, n = 4); upperside creamy-white to dirty cream, pattern more or less faded, with post-basal fascia mostly indistinguishable, median fascia partly distinguishable, and sub-terminal facia somewhat more prominent only in some specimens, with scattered yellowish-cream to light brown dots mostly concentrated at distal area and wing margins, cilia creamy-white with a pale brown dividing transverse line; underside uniformly brown except narrow creamy margins. Hindwing slightly darker than forewing, grayish-light brown, cilia exactly similar to that of forewing; underside paler than upperside.

Abdomen: Creamy-gray, tip with elongate yellowish-cream scales dorsally. Genitalia ( Figs. 10 A–G) with uncus relatively long, narrow, base moderately broadened; socii narrow; gnathos arms narrower than socii, with a moderate nearly trapezoidal terminal plate; transtilla fairly narrow, slightly broadened medially ( Fig. 10E ); width of valva decreasing towards apex, with basally concave and apically straight costal margin, apex rounded; sacculus extended to slightly less than two-thirds length of valva, distal half relatively wide, with a small ventral prominence medially, robust, setaceous free termination; phallus strongly curved ventrally with large caulis, quarter distal with pointed sclerotized dorsal process with length nearly 0.1 times the length of uncus (0.09 – 0.13 mm, n = 3), apex with dorsal triangular incision ( Fig. 10C ), proximal part of phallus with variable width ( Figs. 10A, D ).

Female. Head and Thorax: Essentially as described for male, except antennae with shorter smooth sensilla dorso-laterally and erect ventrally, with a single long erect sensillum mid-ventrally; length of labial palpus 1.94–2.18 times the horizontal diameter of compound eye (n = 4); forewing ( Figs. 9C, D ) length of 6.9 – 8.9 mm (= 8.35 mm ± 0.97, n = 4); termen oblique, post-basal fasciae ill-defined, median fascia more defined, traces of few light brown patches at sub-terminal area.

Abdomen: Essentially as in male. Genitalia ( Figs. 10 J–L) with papillae anales moderate, broad medially, round- ed apically; apophyses posteriores longer than apophyses anteriores, length 0.71–0.79 times length of apophyses anteriores (n = 3), both gradually narrowed anterad; sterigma with broad lateral parts gradually tapering laterally bearing long setae, posterior margin irregularly and weakly crenate near ostium bursae with a small concavity in middle; ostium bursae circular, ostial sclerite with triangular lateral sclerotizations; antrum somewhat cone-shaped, rounded anteriorly, internally covered with numerous small dentate sclerotization/protuberances; ductus bursae moderate long; ductus seminalis emerging from near median part of ductus bursae ( Fig. 10K ); corpus bursae spherical to pear-shaped, signum moderate.

Etymology. The new species is named after Prof. Józef Razowski, distinguished Tortricidae specialist, who encouraged me to work on the Cnephasia species of Iran.

Distribution. Iran (Mazandaran and Gilan provinces).

Remarks. The apparence of the ventral prominence of the sacculus in the male genitalia can varies in shape depending on the pressure applied to the coverslip during preparation; it may appear as an elbow-shaped swelling, as is seen in one of males collected in Amol with the same collecting data as the holotype ( Fig. 10G ). In the holotype and remaining males, the prominence is slightly depressed ( Figs. 10A, F ).

There is also intra-specific variation among males in the width and length of the proximal part of the phallus. The holotype has the widest proximal part ( Fig. 10A ), whereas in another male with the same collecting data as holotype and a male from Kordestan Province, the width of the proximal part is slightly less; and in the male specimen collected in Gilan Province, the proximal part is narrowest ( Fig. 10D ). The same was observed for the length of the proximal part; it is shortest in the holotype and longest in the male from Gilan.

Figures

FIGURE 9. C. razowskii, sp. n. A) Male holotype upperside, B) Male holotype underside, C) Female upperside, D) Female underside, E, F) Head in frontal (E) and lateral (F) views.

FIGURE 10. Genitalia of Cnephasia razowskii, sp. n., C. venusta Razowski, and C. hellenica Obraztsov. A–G) Male genitalia of C. razowskii (A, phallus; B, uncus; C, phallus; D, phallus; E, transtilla; F, valva; G, valva), A, F, G, H) Male genitalia of C. venusta I) Male genitalia of C. hellenica (modified after http://www.lepiforum.de//lepiwiki.pl?Cnephasia_Hellenica), J–L) Female genitalia of C. razowskii.