Hydia schachti, Stadie & Fiebig & Rajaei, 2022

Stadie, Dirk, Fiebig, Ralf & Rajaei, Hossein, 2022, Taxonomic review of the genus Hydria H, 1822 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae) in the Middle East, with description of three new species and one new subspecies, Zootaxa 5092 (5), pp. 501-530 : 511-512

Hydia schachti sp. n.

( Figs 13–15 , 29 , 43 , Map 1 )

Holotype. ♂ NE-Türkei, Provinz Erzurum, Mescit daglari, 1450 m, ca. 3 km südlich Maden Köprübasi bei Ispir , [N40°27‘30“, E40°51‘02“], 23.IV.2001, leg. J. Gelbrecht, S. Beshkov & Ahmet Kazanci, coll. PCDS.

Paratypes.

Turkey: 2 ♂, Türkei, Prov. Erzurum, 17.IV.[20]02, 1350m, 5km W [estlich] Ispir (am Coru Neri), leg. Bernd Schacht, gen. preps DS 113 / 2012, DS 112 /2012, coll. PCBS, coll ZMHU; 1 ♂, 2 ♀ NE-Türkei, Province Erzurum, Karadeniz Daglari: Korga dari Köprüköy bei Ispir , [N40°25‘17“, E40° 57‘57“], 1600m, 24.IV.2001, leg. J . Gelbrecht , S . Beshkov & Ahmet Kazanci, BC ZSM Lep 08928 ; 2 ♀ NE-Türkei, Provinz Erzurum, Mescit daglari, 1450m; ca. 3km südlich Maden Köprübasi bei Ispir, [N40°27‘30“, E40°51‘02“], 23.IV.2001, leg. J . Gelbrecht , S . Beshkov & Ahmet Kazanci, all in coll. PCJG .

Georgia: 2 ♀ Transcaucasia [Georgia], Achaltzych [Akhalts`ikhe], [N41°38‘20“, E42°58‘57“], 1885 [1,328m], M. Korb leg. , Sammlung Osthelder , LL 38 / 2011, LL39 /2011, coll. ZSM.

Description. ( Figs 13–15 ) Wingspan 30–36 mm. Apex of forewing pointed. Ground colour of forewing ochrebrown to grey-brown, with dark grey-brown ante- and postmedian fascia. Tiny discal spot, hardly visible from upper side, but well distinct on underside, blackish brown in colour. Terminal area towards postmedian with a well contrasting cream-white to light ochre-brown fascia. Subterminal line whitish, irregularly waved, with whitish brindled projections along the veins towards wing base. Terminal line well developed, dark brown. Hindwing ochreto grey-brown, darkened towards termen; rather distinct transverse lines present. Discal spot very small, hardly visible. Termen strongly undulating. Subterminal line partly present towards anal margin; terminal line dark brown, consisting of angulated streaks between the veins. Wing underside ochre-brown; basal area up to the postmedian fascia slightly darker. Postmedian fascia well-developed, becoming more intense towards costa of forewing. Discal spots in males small and dot-shaped on both wings; in females larger, streak-shaped on forewing, round on hindwing. Fringes slightly darker than the ground colour. The patch of androconial, hairy scales on hindwing underside comparable small, light ochre.

Male genitalia. ( Fig. 29 ) Uncus triangular, slender and tapering. Valva membranous, lobe-like, apically rounded. Sacculus projection digitiform, medially curved dorsad, reaching half of the length of valva, its apex pointed. Juxta trapezoid, distally with two lateral horn-like processes and a shallow medial forked. Labides well developed, reaching to the mid of uncus, apically clubbed and covered with hairs. Saccus broadly rounded, rather narrow. Aedeagus cylindric, slightly bent. Vesica with only two needle-shaped, stout cornuti.

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 43 ) Ovipositor large, broad. Posterior apophyses twice times longer than anterior apophyses. Antrum and lamella antevaginalis membranouse. Ductus bursae wide. Corpus bursae largely oval, with two distinguishable parts: posteriorly well sclerotized with lateral lobe partially ornamented with a patch of tiny spines; anteriorly membranous with a semi-circular comb-shaped signum covered with long spinules.

Diagnosis. The new species could be easily diagnosed from H. gernoti (see the Diagnose part of the latter species) and H. (cf.) sp. n., (see the Diagnose part of the next species). Very similar to H. cervinalis especially to its ssp. taurica . Hydria schachti has tiny discal spots on forewing (discal spot nearly three times larges in H. cervinalis tauric a). Male specimens of H. schachti with light ochre andoconial hairscales on dorsum of hindwing (always rusty red-brown to medium-brown in H. cervinalis taurica ). For confidential identification, characters of the male genitalia are necessary. In Hydria schachti uncus is long and narrow at base (shorter and broader at the base in Hydria cervinalis taurica ). Digitiform sacculus projection is shoter, stronger at base, less arched in H. schachti (longer and well-curved in H. cervinalis taurica , H. gernoti and H. (cf.) sp. n.). Juxta slender than H. cervinalis , H. gernoti and H. (cf.) sp. n.). Aedeagus with only two cornuti in H. schachti (same condition in H. (cf.) sp. n.; more than two cornuti in H. cervinalis and H. gernoti ). Female genitalia of H. schachti with a lateral lobe on posterior part of corpus bursae (same in H. cervinalis ; lateral lobe of corpus bursae is absent in H. gernoti and H. (cf.) sp. n.).

Genetic data. Show barcode sharing with H. (cf.) sp. n., possibly a case of genetic introgression between these two morphologically diagnosable species (see discussion section). Genetically next species is H. gernoti sp. n., shows relatively low genetic distance (1.8%). Remark. Records from NE Turkey in Hausmann & Viidalepp (2012: 395) should refer to H. schachti .

Phenology. The species is so far known only from mid to end of April.

Distribution. Caucasian-Transcaucasian.So far known from the North-east of Turkey and Georgia (Akhalts`ikhe). Probably also present in Armenia, but probably has been overlooked due to its early spring flight period.

Habitat. Warm sub-continental broad-leaved open forests, forest clearings and humid rocky river-valleys and along small creeks with occurrence of the Berberis species , the suggested hostplants.

Biology. Montane species. Univoltine. Life cycle and behaviour of the larva very similar to the closely congeners species. The adults were observed nectar feeding on flowers of planted cherry trees (Drechsel pers. comm.).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to bERnD ScHacHT (1961–2020), Dahlewitz, Germany for his merits in investigation of the Macro-Heterocera fauna of Turkey and of the Altai Mountains in Russia.

Remarks. The status of the populations from the western part of the Great Caucasus in Georgia and Russia (Aragvi river, Karbadino-Balkariya, Tscherkessia) is unclear, because only females could be traced. However, the barcodes clearly indicate that these populations do not belong to H. cervinalis . Further investigations are required.

Figures

MAP 1. Distribution map of the genus Hydria in the Middle East: H. cervinalis taurica ssp. n.; H. gernoti sp. n.; H. schachti sp. n. and H. (cf.) sp. n.

FIGURES 3–15. Wing pattern. Figs 3–8: Hydria cervinalis cervinalis: Fig. 3, ♂, Germany, Sachsen-Anhalt, Mansfeld; Fig. 4, ♂, Ungarn, prov. Vesprérn, Zsofiapuszta; Fig. 5, ♂, Germany, Ug. Freyburg Zscheiplitz, Schafberg; Fig. 6, ♂, Germany, Umg. Jena; Figs 7 and 8, ♂, Germany, Sachsen-Anhalt, Mansfeld; Figs 9–10: H. cervinalis taurica ssp. n., Turkey, prov. Antalya, Civizli W Seydisehir, Fig. 9, Holotype ♂, (g. prep. DS-120/2012); Fig. 10, Paratype ♀, (g. prep. DS-121/2012); Figs 11–12: H. gernoti sp. n., Turkey, prov. Nigde, Ala Dagi: Fig. 11, Holotype ♂; Fig. 12, Paratype ♀; Figs 13–15: H. schachti sp. n.: Fig. 13, Holotype ♂, Turkey, prov. Erzurum, Meschit Daglari; Fig. 14, Paratype ♀, Turkey, prov. Erzurum, Meschit Daglari; Fig. 15, Paratype ♂, Turkey, prov. Erzurum, Karadeniz Daglari, Korga Dari. a = upperside; b = underside.

FIGURES 26–30. Male genitalia. Fig. 26: Hydria cervinalis cervinalis (Germany, Kaiserstuhl, Badberg, g. prep. 2326/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 27: Hydria cervinalis taurica subsp. n., Paratype, (Turkey, prov. Antalya, Civizli W Seydisehir, g. prep. DS- 122/2012); Fig. 28: Hydria gernoti sp. n., Paratype, (Turkey, Nigde, Ala Dagi, g. prep. DS 99/2012); Fig. 29: Hydria schachti sp. n. Paratype (Turkey, Ispir, g. prep. DS-112/2012); Fig. 30, Hydria (cf.) sp. n., paratype (Azerbaijan, Talysh, Zuvand, g. prep. DS-05/2012); a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus.

FIGURES 40–47. Female genitalia. Fig. 40: Hydria cervinalis cervinalis (Germany, Kaiserstuhl, Badberg, g. prep. 2327/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 41: Hydria cervinalis taurica subsp. n., Paratype, (Turkey, prov. Antalya, Civizli W Seydisehir, g. prep. DS- 121/2012); Fig. 42: Hydria gernoti sp. n., Paratype, (Turkey, prov. Nigde, Ala Dagi, g. prep. 2317/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 43: Hydria schachti sp. n. Paratype (Georgia, Achaltzych, g. prep. LL 38/2011); Fig. 44. Hydria gaudarica (Spain, Albarracin, g. prep. DS-107/2012); Fig. 45: Hydria hyrcana, syntype (Iran, Hajiabad, g. prep. 1555 H. Rajaei); Fig. 46: Hydria montivagata montivagata (Switzerland, Zermatt, g. prep. 2329/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 47, Hydria loebeli sp. n., Patatype (Turkey, prov. Nigde, Aladag, g. prep. DS-175/2012).