Xenophysa agnostica Varga, 1989

Varga, Zoltán, 2011, Revision of the genus Xenophysa Boursin, 1969 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Zootaxa 3094, pp. 1-29 : 10-11

Xenophysa agnostica Varga, 1989

Xenophysa agnostica Varga, 1989 , Zeitschrift der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer Entomologen 41 (1–2): 6.

Type material. Holotype: female, “Samarkand, O.Herz 1892” (white label with black margin), “19/22-7”, “Kol[lekcija] V[elikogo] K[njaza] N[ikolaia] M[ichailovicha] [Romanova]” (white label with Cyrillian letters), “ junctimacula Chr. ”, “Ƥ Gen. prep. No. 1295, Ronkay” (coll. NWMB), see: Varga 1989, Fig. 13. Paratypes: 2 3 1 Ƥ, Samarkand (probably from the same series as the Holotype); 2 3, Transalai; 1 Ƥ, Margelan (coll. ZMHU); 1 3, “Tura, 16. VII. 1983, Samml. Daumüller”, „ Estimata junctimacula Chr. Boursin det.”, “Préparation MM359”, “ Paratypus X. agnostica V”(red); 1 3 2 Ƥ, NO-Afghanistan, Anjuman-Paß, 12. VII. 1963, leg. Omoto; 1 Ƥ Hindukush, Anjuman Pass 4200 m, 18. u 19. 07. 1961, leg Ebert; 1 Ƥ, Afgh. centr., Koh-i-Baba, Shah Fuladi, 3–6.VII. 1961, leg.Ebert; 1 Ƥ, NO Hindukush, Nuksan Pass N Seite, Alpenwiesenzone, 3500–4000 m, Mitte Juli, leg. H. & E. Kotsch, “Samml. Hörhammer”, Ƥ”,” Paratypus X. agnostica V” (red); 1 3 “J. Klapperich Sarakanda 4200 m 31.7.53, Gebirge, Badakhshan” ZSM 2993 1 Ƥ, “ Estimata junctimacula Christ. ” (hand writing of Ch. Boursin), “ Paratypus X. agnostica V” (red); 4 Ƥ, „J. Klapperich Sarakanda 3600 and 4200 m, 23– 31.7.53, Gebirge, Badakhshan”; “ Paratypus X. agnostica V”; 1 3, 1 Ƥ [ Tadjikistan, Pamirs] “Jug. Vantsch, Ljangar, 3500 m, 26. VII. 1962, leg. Tsvetajev”, N2990, “ Paratypus X. agnostica V” (red); 1 3, 4 Ƥ [ Tadjikistan], Hissar Mts. Anzob Pass 3200 m, 3. VIII. 1962. Tsvetajev leg. (all in ZSM); 3 Ƥ, NO-Afghanistan, Prov. Badakhshan, Wakhan-valley, Langar, 3500 m, 22. VII. 1971., leg. Ebert & Naumann (coll. Naumann, Bonn, now LMK); 1 Ƥ, from the same region, Sargaz, 2950 m, 11. VIII. 1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann (coll. LNK); l 3 1 Ƥ, Afghanistan, Prov. Badakhshan, Wakhan-valley, Darrah-e-Toz, 3400 m, 31. VII. 1972, leg. Brade & Naumann (coll. Naumann, Bonn, now LMK); 14 3 and 7 Ƥ, SU, Zaalajskij Chr[ebet] (= Transalai-Kette), ur. Aram-Kungej, 3400–4100 m, 26.VII. 1951, leg.Tsvetaev; 18 3, 7 Ƥ, Gissarskij Chr. (= Hissar-Geb.), per. (= Pass) Anzob, 3400 m, 27. VII. 1953, leg. Tsvetaev; 7 3 12 Ƥ, Vantschsk. Chr[ebet], ur. Ljangar, 4000 m, 28. VII. 1962, leg. Tsvetaev (all in ZMUM, coll. Tsvetaev); 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Kitschi-Alai, coll. Vel[ikogo]. Kn[yaza]. N[ikolaya]. M[ichaylovicha]; 1 3, 3 Ƥ, Samarkand (probably from the same series as the Holotype!); 1 Ƥ, Verchova Karasu, 3000 m (coll. ZMRA). Further specimens from the paratype series but not labelled as Paratypes: 17 3, 83 Ƥ “J. Klapperich, Sarakanda 3600 and 4200 m 23.7. and 1.8.53, Gebirge, Badakhshan” (coll. ZSM); about 40 specimens, both 3 and Ƥ, NO-Afghanistan, Prov.Badakshan, reg. Darwaz, vic. Kwahan, 3200 m, 12.–13.VII.1972 (coll. Nr. 327, 329, coll.Naumann, Bonn, now LMK). Genital slides: Ƥ Ronkay 1295, Holotype; Boursin ZSM 2993; Varga 3652, 4732, 4733; 3 Boursin N457, MM1069, N1169, Varga 3350, 3350, 3461, 3462, 3509, 3510, 4504, 4565, 4566, 4568, 4572, 4573 7764, 7918, 7518, 7764, Ronkay 9805, 9808.

Redescription. A female specimen was selected as the holotype of X. agnostica because this species was often misinterpreted as X. junctimacula (see above the labels on several museum specimens) and the holotype of the latter species (which is the typical species of the genus) is also a female. This species is represented in most large collections by numerous specimens, and it can be easily recognised by the following characteristics. Sexes similar, expanse 31–36.5 mm. Head dark greyish brown, palpi somewhat lighter. Antennae very long, reaching about 4/5 length of forewings; shortly bipectinate and ciliated (male) or filiform, finely ciliated (female). Thorax dark greyish brown, collar and tegulae blackish brown with light ochreous grey margin. Abdomen light greyish brown. Forewings elongate triangular, acute apically, with dark greyish-brown colouration and with a short blackish stripe basally, with whitish-grey irroration along the costa, at the basal and marginal field. Maculation whitish-grey, reniform spot with greyish filling and connected with the orbicular spot by a double whitish line. Orbicular spot oblique, small, quadrangular; claviform short. Intermaculation blackish-brown. Transversal lines obsolete, submarginal line whitish grey with faint dark brown arrowheads on the inner side. Light brown cilia subdivided with a dark brown line. Hindwing fuscous grey, lighter basally, with whitish-fuscous cilia (Plate 5, Figs 25–26). Male genitalia: Uncus strong, anchor-shaped with bilateral hooks terminally and cross-like extensions basally. Lateral lobes of tegumen large, elliptical, spinulose. Juxta broad, pentagonal. Valva with strongly dentate costal extension and elliptical digitus. Aedeagus relatively short and thick, with a characteristic knot on ventral side. Vesica with a subbasal bladder and huge, recurved subbasal diverticulum (Plate 10, Figs 46a, b; 47a, b). Female genitalia: Papillae anales triangular, weakly sclerotised. Antrum with broad U-shaped incision and with relatively short, nearly symmetric lateral arms, ductus bursae short. Bursa short, globular, without signa, appendix recurved, relatively narrow and short (Plate 14, Figs 62–63, 65).

Taxonomic notes. Xenophysa agnostica is most closely related to the next species, X. naumanni Varga, 1989 . The most important differences are given in the redescription of the latter species.

Biological notes. Xenophysa agnostica seems to be the second most widely distributed species in the genus. We have many records from the high mountains of Central Asia, mostly from the Tien-Shan range, but also from the Alai and Transalai mountains, on both the Tadjik and Afghanian sides of the Hissaro-Darwaz system (see: Anzob-Pass and env. Kwahan), the Pamirs (Vanchsky and Shugnan ranges, Wakhan valley), and Badakhshan (“Sarakanda-Gebirge” = Koh-e-Shakaraw, see Bender & Naumann 1980); there are no records from the Hindukush range where it seems to be replaced by the next species.