Phthorarcha Meyrick, 1892

Kostjuk, Igor, Mironov, Vladimir G. & Viidalepp, Jaan, 2020, Review of the Central Asian species of Phthorarcha Meyrick (Geometridae Alsophilinae) with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4861 (2), pp. 232-240 : 234-235

Genus Phthorarcha Meyrick, 1892

Phthorarcha Meyrick, 1892: 80 ; Phthorarcha primigena: Staudinger, 1895: 291 ; Prout 1910: 18, pl. 2, 9; 1912: 3, pl. 1b; Inoue, 1944: 40; Degtjareva, 1973; Viidalepp, 1986: 62; 1987: 72; 1988: 30; Scoble, 1999: 752.

Type species: Anisopteryx primigena Staudinger 1895: 291–292 , TL: [ Uzbekistan] “ Samarkand ” .

Differential diagnosis: The species are similar to Alsophila aescularia (Denis & Schiffermüller) in their wing markings but larger (wingspan 30–41 mm, Figs 1–12 ). Hind tibia without medial spurs or with one short spur present (two medial spurs present in Alsophila Hübner and Inurois Butler ). Tympanalia small in both sexes, haustellum absent. Females apterous ( Figs 13–15 ). Male antennae dentate ventrally, with lateral tufts of straight or slightly curved bristles ( Figs 20–24 ) (longer than curled bristles in Alsophiloides and Alsophila ). Wings slenderer, hindwing veins R and M1 on a longer stalk than in Alsophila . See also Table 1 for differences against Alsophiloides and Chimaphila . The new species was delimited visually by the markedly curved postmedial fascia on the forewings, the presence of discal spots on hind wings which are slightly angulated at the middle of their distal margins.

Description: The uncus is cupola shaped triangular, longer than wide at base, with distal tip. The ring of the ninth segment is relatively stout, the gnathos and transtilla are lacking. Valvae are flat plates without a sclerite of costa and without any ornamentation except two or three processes on the dorsal edge. The juxta is small and leaf- or Y shaped, connected to basal dorsal or saccular corners of valvae. Hair pencil on the hind tibia and androconial hair tufts are missing.

Distribution. Tian Shan Mts. in Kazakhstan and Kirghizstan, Zeravshan and Ferghana valley in Uzbekistan, Hissar Mts. in Tadjikistan, Nanshan Mts. in China.

Remark. Meyrick (1892) published a morphological description for the genus Phthorarcha , mentioning primigena Staudinger as the type species. We accept the first revisor ( Prout, 1910) attributing the genus description to Edward Meyrick and the subsequent species description to Staudinger’s publication (1895). Fletcher (1979) stated: “ Phthorarcha was nomenclaturally available from 1892, but the sole species included by Meyrick was a nomen nudum until described by Staudinger in 1895”.

Figures

FIGURES 1–15. Phthorarcha moths of Central Asia: 1–12, males, 13–15, females. 1, P. primigena, Lectotype, Prov. Samarkand; 2, P. primigena, Paralectotype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 3, P. primigena, Paralectotype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 4, Phthorarcha haberhaueri, sp. n., Holotype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 5, Phthorarcha haberhaueri, sp. n., Paratype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 6, Phthorarcha haberhaueri, sp. n., Paratype [Prov. Samarkand]; 7, P. ishkovi, Holotype, Novonikolajevka; 8, P. ishkovi, Paratype, Novonikolajevka; 9, P. ishkovi, Alma–Ata; 10, P. ishkovi, Chichkan; 11, P. ishkovi, Sosnovka; 12, P. chaoticaria, Holotype, Nian Schian; 13, P. primigena, Paralectotype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 14, P. primigena, Paralectotype, [Prov. Samarkand]; 15, P. ishkovi, Novonikolajevka. Scale bar 10 mm.

FIGURES 20–24. Male antennae. 20, P. primigena; 21, P. haberhaueri; 22, P. ishkovi; 23, Alsophiloides acroama; 24, Chimaphila zabolne