Hydria loebeli, 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 : 517-527

Hydria loebeli sp. n.

( Figs 22–23 , 34 , 39 , 47 , Map 2 )

Holotype.

♀, Türkei, prov. Erzurum, Umg. Ispir Köprükoy, 2000m, 02.08.2001, LF, leg. Dirk Stadie & Hans Löbel (reared), gen. preps (♀) DS 93-2019, BC ZSM Lep 104656, coll. PCDS later ZSM;

Paratypes. Turkey: 1 ♀, Kleinasien, prov. Ankara, vic. Kizilcahamam, Soguksu, 1000m, 3.8.[19]86, leg. de Freina, gen. prep. 2173/2018 H. Rajaei; 1 ♂, Kleinasien, prov. Kayseri, Bakir Daglari, 22km SES Bakir-dagi, Gezbeli-Pass W-Seite, 1700m, 29.7.[19]89, leg. de Freina, gen. prep. 2302/2020 H. Rajaei; 1 ♂, Kleinasien, prov. Tokat-Sivas, 1700m, Camlibel-Pass, 01.7.-10.7.[19]78, leg. de Freina, gen. prep. 2303/2020 H. Rajaei; 1 ♀, Türkei, Anatolien, 25km südl. Sivas, 1500m, 24. + 26.vii.1978, leg. W. Thomas, gen. prep. 2305/2020 H. Rajaei; 1 ♀, Türkei, Kankiri, 7km E Ismet pass, 1060m, 28.7.[19]96], leg. H., Kautt, gen. prep. 2306/2020 H. Rajaei; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Türkei, prov. Erzurum, Umg. Ispir Köprükoy, 2000m, 02.08.2001, LF, leg. Dirk Stadie & Hans Löbel, gen. preps (♂) 2321, (♀) 2322/2020 H. Rajaei; all in SMNS; 1 ♂, 4 ♀ Türkei, Prov. Erzurum, Umg. Ispir Köprükoy, 2000m, 02.08.2001, LF, leg. Dirk Stadie & Hans Löbel (reared), gen. preps (♂) DS 101-2019, (♀) DS 180-2019; 1 ♀, Türkei, Prov. Malatya, Nemrut dagi, 2000m, 23.05.2009 LF, leg. D. Stadie & H. Löbel; ge. prep. DS 181-2019, all in coll. PCDS; 4 ♂, 2 ♀, Türkei centr., prov. Nigde, Aladag West, 5 km SSO von Sulucaova, N 37°58‘13“, O 35°09‘58“, 2200–2500m ü.NN, 10.07.2011 LF, leg. R. Fiebig & S. Rothe, gen. preps (♂) 2319, (♀) 2320/2020 H. Rajaei, (♂) DS 178-2019, (♂) DS 171-2019, (♀) DS 175-2019; 1 ♂, Türkei centr[al], Provinz Nevsehir, Kappadokien, Aktepe 1km SSO, N 38°40‘43“, O 34°52‘25“, 1070m ü. NN, 14.– 17.08.2009 LF, leg. R. & S. Fiebig, DS 84-2019; 2 ♂, Türkei centr[al], Provinz Sivas, Mazikaran gecidi 1560m ü.NN, Gürün 8,8km westlich, N 38°42‘39“, O 37°10‘33“, 07.07.2011 LF, leg. R. Fiebig & S. Rothe, gen. prep DS 170-2019, BMB Lep 00378; 1 ♀, Türkei centr[al], Provinz Sivas, Gökpinar, 1,5km westlich, 1800m ü. NN, N 38°39‘21“, O 37°17‘19“, 18.08.2009 LF, leg. R. & S. Fiebig, gen. Prep DS 176-2019, coll. PCRF. 1 ♂, Türkei, Prov. Erzurum, Umg. Ispir Köprükoy, 2000m, 02.08.2001, LF, leg. Dirk Stadie & Hans Löbel; 1 ♂, Province Erzurum, Ovit dagh Pass, 27.VII. 2001, leg. Hans Löbel; 1♀, Province Erzurum, Ovit dagh Pass, 5. VIII. 2001, leg. Hans Löbel; 1 ♂, Türkei, Pontisches Gebirge, Ilgaz Daglari, Ilgaz, ca. 800m, 27.VII.1992; 2 ♂, 3 ♀, Türkei, Nevsehir, Umg. Göreme, 30. V.-2. VI.2000, leg. Hans Löbel; all in coll. PCHL; 10 ♂, 1 ♀ Zentral-Türkei, Kappadokien, Prov. Nevsehir, Ürgyp Umg[ebung], 1400m, Weibchen, 13. V.1999 (reared), e.o.: 18.IX.1999 F1, leg. J. Gelbrecht, S. Beshkov, T. Drechsel & E. Schwabe, gen. Prep. DS 166-2029; 1 ♂, Zentral-Türkei, Kappadokien, Prov. Nevsehir, Ürgyp Umg[ebung], 1400m, Weibchen, 13. V.1999 (reared), e.o.: 7.VII-11.VIII.1999, leg. J. Gelbrecht, S. Beshkov, T. Drechsel & E. Schwabe, gen. Prep. DS 163-2019; 1 ♀ Zentral- Türkei, Kappadokien, Prov. Nevsehir, Ürgyp Umg[ebung], 1400m, 13. V.1999, leg. J. Gelbrecht, S. Beshkov, T. Drechsel & E. Schwabe, Barcode: BMB Lep 000794; 1 ♂, Zentral-Türkei, Kappadokien, Prov. Nevsehir, Ürgyp Umg[ebung], 1400m, Weibchen, 13. V.1999 (reared), leg. J. Gelbrecht, S. Beshkov, T. Drechsel & E. Schwabe, Barcode: BMB Lep 00793; 1 ♂, Türkei, Pontisches Gebirge, Ilgaz Daglari, Ilgaz, ca. 800m, 6.VII.1990, leg. J. Gelbrecht & E. Schwabe, DS 168-2019, BMB Lep 00795, all in coll. PCJG;

Description. ( Figs 22–23 ) Wingspan 27–37 mm. Apex of forewing pointed. Ground colour of the wings warm ochre-brown to light ochre (Cappadocia), wavy transverse line darker; the area between postmedial line and subterminal line light-brown. Hindwings light ochre to light ochre-brown; transverse lines indistinct, invisible towards the wing base. Wing surface with a strong lustre. Termen undulating; subterminal line present; terminal line continuously medium brown. Wing underside uniform light brown, on forewing postmedial line only present at the upper two third, absent or very weak towards inner margin. On hindwing underside the postmedial line being usually weaker, sometimes absent. Discal spot hardly visible on forewing, weak or absent on hindwing. Terminal line very thin on both wings. Fringes slightly darker than the ground colour. In male, the patch of androconial hairscales on underside of hindwing dorsum grey-brown, more concentrated towards tornus. High variable in all pattern.

Male genitalia. ( Figs 34 , 39 ) Uncus triangular, apically rounded. Valva membranous, lobe-like, apically rounded. Sacculus projection digitiform, more or less straight, reaching to half of the length of valva, its apex rounded. Juxta trapezoid, distally with two lateral fine projections and an elongated medial bifurcated lobe. Labides well developed, reaching to the mid of uncus, apically thin, clubbed and covered with hairs. Saccus broadly rounded. Aedeagus cylindrical, straight. Vesica covered with tiny dotted microcornuti, apically with a pair of long needleshaped, stout cornuti (sometimes only a single cornutus), basally with a patch of short cornuti.

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 47 ) Ovipositor large, wide. Posterior apophyses three times longer than anterior apophyses. Antrum and lamella antevaginalis membranouse. Ductus bursae wide, short. Corpus bursae largely elongated, with two distinguishable parts: posteriorly well sclerotized, covered with a ridge of tiny spines along the corpus bursae and small patch of spines close to membranous part; anteriorly membranous without any spine.

Diagnosis. Based on its size and wing pattern the new species could be confused only with H. montivagata . The background of wings of H. loebeli have a warm-brown to light orange hue (grey-brown to grey ochre in H. montivagata ). The andoconial hairscales on dorsum hindwing of male in H. loebeli are grey ochre elongated from basal to tornus of hindwing (dark brown with more concentration towards tornus in H. montivagata ). On the male genitalia, H. loebeli has an uncus with clearly long apical part, apically rounded; juxta short, its apical lobe triangular; vesica with one or two long needle-shaped cornuti at its apical part and a patch of tiny spines an its basal part in H. loebeli (uncus short, trapezoid; juxta long, its apical lobe elongated and shallowly bifurcated; the patch of tiny spines at basal part of vesica is absent in H. montivagata ). In H. loebeli the sacculus part of valva clearly longer than in H. montivagata (this character is only visible in natural position and will be changed in embedded structure; see Figs 38–39 ). In female genitalia, H. loebeli has a less sclerotized ductus bursae; posterior apophyses three times longer than anterior apophyses (ductus bursae strongly sclerotized; posterior apophyses twice longer than anterior apophyses in montivagata ).

Genetics. Show barcode sharing with both H. hyrcana and H. montivagata , all three species could be diagnosed based on male and female genitalia (see discussion section).

Distribution. So far only known from Asia Minor ( Turkey). Occurrence in Armenia and western parts of Azerbaijan is most likely by zoogeographic reasons.

Habitat. The species inhabits a wide range of habitats. H. loebeli was recorded in dry xeromontane high mountain steppes, in warm and herb-rich steppes of Inner Anatolia (Cappadocia) and edges and clearings of broadleaved forest of north-east Turkey (prov. Erzurum) as well ( Fig. 76, 77 ). The hostplant seems to be facilitated by grazing of human livestock.

Phenology. According to the data the imaginal period lasts from mid-May to the end of August. The very early records from mid-May from the Nemrut Dagh (worn specimen!) and Cappadocia indicate the presence of two regular generations in sites with favourable climate, whereas a single brood occurs in cold, high montane and northern areas. This hypothesis could be confirmed by rearing experiments under laboratory conditions (J. Gelbrecht, pers. communication).

Biology. Life cycle like in the genus description. Hostplants are probably local Berberis species.

Immature stages. Not examined.

Figures

MAP 2. Distribution map of the genus Hydria in the Middle East: H. hyrcana and H. loebeli sp. n.

FIGURES 16–25. Wing pattern. Fig. 16: Hydria (cf.) sp. n., ♂, Azerbaijan, Talysh, Zuvand (g. prep. DS-05/2012); Fig. 17, H. gudarica, ♀, Spain, Andalusia, Sierra Nevada; Figs 18–19: H. hyrcana bona sp., stat. n.: Fig. 18, ♂, Iran, Schakuh, (g. prep. 1556 H. Rajaei); Fig. 19, syntype ♀, Iran, Hadschiabad [Hajiabad], (g. prep. 1555 H. Rajaei); Fig. 20, H. montivagata montivagata, ♂, Switzerland, Zermatt (g. prep.2328/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 21, H. montivagata andalusica, ♀, Spain, prov. Cuenca, M. Universales (g. prep.1459 H. Rajaei); Figs 22–23: H. loebeli sp. n.: Fig. 22, ♂, Turkey, prov. Nigde, Aladag West (g. prep. DS-171/2019); Fig. 23, ♀, Turkey, prov. Malatya, Nemrut dagi (g. prep. DS-181/2019); Figs 24–25, H. relicta comb. n. (Kenya, Mt. Kenya), Fig. 24, ♂; Fig. 25, ♀. a = upperside; b = underside.

FIGURES 31–34. Male genitalia. Fig. 31: Hydria gaudarica (Spain, Albarracin, g. prep. DS-108/2012); Fig. 32: Hydria hyrcana (Iran, Schakuh, g. prep. 1556 H. Rajaei); Fig. 33: Hydria montivagata montivagata (Switzerland, Zermatt, g. prep. 2328/2020 H. Rajaei); Fig. 34, Hydria loebeli sp. n., Patatype (Turkey, prov. Erzurum, Umg. Ispir, g. prep. 2321/2020 H. Rajaei). a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus; c = juxta.

FIGURES 35–39. Sacculus projection in its natural position. Fig. 35: Hydria cervinalis cervinalis; Fig. 36: Hydria gernoti sp. n.; Fig. 37: Hydria hyrcana; Fig. 38: Hydria montivagata montivagata; Fig. 39, Hydria loebeli sp. n.

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).

FIGURES 71–77. Photos of habitat and adult specimens. Fig. 71. Col Du Zad, province Khenifra, Morocco. The locality is a habitat of Hydria gudarica (DUFaY, 1983) at 2,135m. The habitat is an open Cedar forest mixed with dry, species-rich meadows (photo. noRbERT PöLL); Fig. 72. Turkey, Middle Taurus, Civizli, type locality of Hydria cervinalis taurica ssp. n. during the flight period of the adults in mid-May. The forests in the background are dominated by Quercus cerris and Juniperus excelsa. At forest clearings Berberis species and wild Pyrus trees are present (photo DIRK STaDIE); Fig. 73. Hydria gernoti sp.n. male PT, Turkey, Province Nigde, Als dagi, Sulucaova vic., 2,100m, ex ovo (photo DIRK STaDIE); Figs 74–75. Type locality of Hydria gernoti sp. n. in the Ala dagi mountains at 2,300m in mid-May. In foreground right some leafless bushes of Berberis (photo DIRK STaDIE, RaLF FIEbIG); Figs 76–77. Habitat of Hydria loebeli sp. n. and H. gernoti sp. n., small river valley near Göreme, Central Turkey (photo DIRK STaDIE, RaLF FIEbIG).