Syrianarpia elburzalis, Alipanah & Gianti, 2017

Alipanah, Helen & Gianti, Mauro, 2017, A review of the genus Syrianarpia Leraut (Crambidae: Scopariinae) with description of S. elburzalis sp. n. from Iran, Zootaxa 4365 (4), pp. 495-499 : 496-497

Syrianarpia elburzalis sp. n.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, Iran, Māzandarān Prov. : N. Kandovān, Khākak, 2560 m a.s.l., 9.VII.1977, Pāzuki, Mortazavihā leg., deposited at HMIM, IRIPP, Tehran, Iran (GS: HA-2151).

Description. Wingspan 20 mm; forewing length 9.5 mm; forewing ( Fig. 1A ) elongated and relatively narrow, with distinctly contrasted pattern, ground color brownish-grey and darker towards marginal areas of termen, with two white antemedian and postmedian transverse lines, the antemedian line slightly convexed exteriorly with darker margins in this area, postmedian line sinuate and dentate, and outwardly directed in three-fourths its length, the remaining lower one-third nearly straight and parallel to the antemedian line in this area. With two distinct proximal and distal discoidal stigmas which distance between proximal stigma to antemedian line is less than distance between distal one to postmedian line. Postmedian line with dent towards distal stigma, terminal line constitutes an X with postmedian line. Hindwing light brownish-grey. Fringes of both wings dirty-cream with a row of shorter and slightly darker scales, basally.

Head ( Fig. 1B–C ): frons smooth and without any swelling; frons and occipital area covered with brown scales tinged with dirty-cream ones, with some erect scales in occipital area; collar covered with wide uniformly brown scales; labial palpi porrect, its length twice the horizontal diameter of the compound eye, basal segment covered with white scales at the outer side, and the last one with dirty-white to cream scales, while the second one covered with brown scales tinged with few dark brown ones, interior side of the three segments white; 1 st and 2nd segments of maxillary palpi covered with brown scales tinged with dark brown ones outwardly, and the last one with white scales, interior side of the segments white; proboscis covered with dirty-cream scales basally; antennae ringed with dark brown and light brown scales. Length of the antennae nearly half length of the forewing. Thorax and abdomen covered with brown scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 2A–D ). Uncus gradually narrowed posteriorly, then in equal width at distal one-fourth with truncated or smooth apex, bearing elongated hairs laterally; gnathos as an elongated triangle and needle-like at apical one-eighth, its length slightly shorter than the length of uncus; subteguminal plate X-shaped; valve elongated, slightly widened distally with almost straight distal angle which is rounded in lower corner; juxta pitcher-shaped with very narrow neck; saccus rounded; phallus nearly straight, its length slightly less than the length of valve with a narrow, long and nearly S-shaped cornutus at distal half. Length of cornutus slightly less than half length of phallus. Ductus ejaculatorius inserts slightly behind the middle part of the phallus.

Female genitalia: unknown.

Diagnosis. This species is close to S. mendicalis (Staudinger) in appearance, but the forewing discal spot of the new species is more conspicuous than that of S. mendicalis . These two species have some considerable differences in the male genitalia structure. In the male genitalia of S. elburzalis sp. n., tip of the gnathos is very pointed and needle-shaped distally, while in S. mendicalis gnathos has a globular swelling at distal part; distal margin of the valve in S. mendicalis is rounded, but in the examined new species it is distinctly straight. Moreover, in S. elburzalis sp. n. juxta comparing to that of S. mendicalis is larger in the middle and has very narrow neck as in S. kasyii . Additionally, in S. elburzalis sp. n. ductus ejaculatorius inserts slightly behind the middle part of the phallus (as for S. faunieralis and S. kasyii ), while its insertion is much closer to the anterior end in S. mendicalis . The cornutus is much longer (almost half length of the phallus) and S-shaped in S. elburzalis sp. n., whilst it is much shorter (about one-fifth of the length of phallus) and straight in S. mendicalis .

Distribution. Iran: Alborz Province (N. Kandovan).

Etymology. This species is named according to the collecting area of the species in Elburz Mts.

Biology. unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Syrianarpia elburzalis sp. n. adult male.A) holotype. B) head, frontal view.C) head, lateral view.

FIGURE2. Syrianarpiaelburzalis sp. n. male genitalia.A) main armatureand phallus.B) posteriorend.C) Cornutus inside the phallus.D) anterior end.