Cryphia Hübner, 1818

Korb, Stanislav K., 2020, A review of genera Cryphia Hübner, 1818 and Bryophila Treitschke, 1825 within the mountainous Central Asia: a case of too many poorly described species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Zootaxa 4859 (4), pp. 545-595 : 585-591

Genus Cryphia Hübner, 1818

Cryphia distincta (Christoph, 1887)

(pl. 19, figs 1–13; pl. 20; pl. 22, fig. 4)

Christoph 1887: 62–63; Taf. 3, Fig. 9 ( Bryophila Distincta ). PL. 20. Cryphia distincta (Christoph, 1887) , genitalia. 1: 8.08.201 4, Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek environs, Kok-Jar, 800 m (Korb). 2, 6: 13.07.201 5, Fergansky Mts., S shore of Toktogul reservoir, 1768 m, N41° 43.223’ E72° 57.165’ (Korb). 3: 27- 28.07.2019, Talas Mts., Kara-Buura river, 31 km S of Kluchevka, 1707 m, N 42.337 976, E 71.607 27 (Korb). 4, 5, 7 – 9: 27- 28.07.2019, Talas Mts., Kara-Buura river, 31 km S of Kluchevka, 1707 m, N 42.337 976, E 71.607 27 (Korb). 1 – 3: female genitalia; 4 – 9: male genitalia (4, 5: frontal view; 6 – 9: aedeagus, vesica everted). Slides and samples: 1: SK0315 ; 2: SK0314 ; 3: SK0296 ( MT 293779 ) ; 4, 9: SK0027 ; 5, 8: SK0028 ; 6: SK0314 ; 7: SK0301 .

PL. 21. C. receptricula (Hübner, [1803]) , genitalia. 21.07.201 4, Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek env., Sarban, 1200 m (Korb). 1: SK0367. 2, 8: SK0368. 3: SK0370. 4: SK0376. 5: SK0375. 6: SK0374. 7: SK0372. 9: SK0369. 1, 2, 5 – 9: male genitalia (1, 2, 9: frontal view; 5 – 8: aedeagus, vesica everted), 3, 4: female genitalia.

Type locality: “auf dem Kopetdagh, bei Askhabad” (by original description).

Type material: holotype (by monotypy), ZISP, examined by photograph (pl. 14, figs 2, 3). A specimen labelled: “1.” (white paper, handwritten); “Briophila | Distincta Chr.” (white paper, handwritten); “Askh.” (green paper, handwritten); “Кол. Вел. Кн. | НиколаЯ | Михайловича” <Collection of Grand Duke | Nikolai | Mikhailovich> (white paper, printed).

Redescription (pl. 19, figs 1–13). Forewing length 9–15 mm. Wings grey, forewing darker than hindwing. Hindwing with no pattern, a thin slightly darker discal stroke can be present; external side of hindwing is little bit darker than internal. Forewing pattern consists of middle belt (cone-shaped, narrow side directed to the anal border), limited from both sides by thin light (white or whitish) lines. Small light and dark spots are located on the whole wing surface; it makes illusion of a ‘marble’ wing surface. Discal spot on the forewing is obscured, poorly visible, kidney-shaped. Discoidal spot can be visible near the internal border of the middle belt in about 20% of specimens. Fringes two-colored: same as ground color near the margin and two – three tones lighter away from the margin.

Male genitalia (pl. 20, figs 4–9). Tegumen almost triangle, uncus thin, cylindrical, its apex rounded, its length is about 80% of tegumen. Juxta trapezoid, wider in its basal part. Valva long, in a form of a long parallelepiped, folded in its medium part. Harpa reduced to thin sclerotized fold. On the apex of valva a well-developed thick bunch of long bristles is present. Aedeagus length is about a half of valva . Aedaeagus straight, cylindrical. Everted vesica bag-shaped, long (2 times longer than aedeagus), apical diverticulum long and thin. In the middle part of the everted vesica located a long (20–25% of the vesica length) cornutus.

Female genitalia (pl. 20, figs 1–3). Uniform in its structure, variability is present in the bursa copulatrix size. Papillae analesrelatively long, longer than its width. Apophyses anterioris and posterioris are thin, almost same in size, two times longer than papilla analis. Postvaginal plate medium-sclerotized, small, oval or rounded. Antrum long and thin, with sclerotized plate on the antrum basal part. Ductus bursae long-oval, not sclerotized.

Subspecies and variability. The specimens from the type locality and its neighboring area are lighter than the specimens from the other parts of mountainous Central Asia and, possibly, form the separate subspecies. This assumption must be checked by DNA sampling of the specimens from Kopet-Dagh, Iran and Afghanistan. Wing pattern variability is quite wide and presented in the following features: forewing middle belt size and configuration, white borders of the middle belt shape and richness, dark and light spots amount, configuration and position.

Material examined. Kazakhstan. 1 ♂, 16.08.201 9, 32 km NW of Bakanas, N44° 53.940’ E75° 53.479’, 377 m (Korb) ( SK); 2 ♂, 20.06.201 7, Boro-Khoro Mts., Usek river valley, N44° 28.082’ E79° 49.760’, 1260 m (Korb) ( SK); 3 ♂, 3 ♀, 7.07.201 5, Boguty Mts. , Chingelsu valley , N43° 34.825’ E78° 39.847’, 851 m (Korb) ( SK); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 30.06.201 5, Transili Alatau Mts. , near Koram , N43° 29.358’ E78° 10.242’, 787 m (Korb) ( SK). Kyrgyzstan. 121 ♂, 98 ♀, 8- 12.08.2014, Bishkek environs, Kok-Jar , 800 m, N 42° 49.629’ E 74° 41.116’ (Korb) ( SK); 4 ♂, 9 ♀, 26.07.201 9, Talassky Mts. , 5,44 km NWW of Cheleke vill., 1926 m, N 42.413 146, E 72.860 289 (Korb) ( SK); 23 ♂, 16 ♀, 27- 28.07.2019, Talas Mts. , Kara-Buura river , 31 km S of Kluchevka, 1707 m, N 42.337 976, E 71.607 27 (Korb) ( SK). Turkmenistan. Holotype ♂, ZISP.

Distribution. Widely distributed in the lowlands and middle mountains in Dzhungarian Alatau, Syugaty Mts., Boguty Mts., North Tian-Shan, West Tian-Shan, some parts of Inner Tian-Shan (mountain ridges Moldo-Too, Suusamyrtoo, Dzhumgaltoo), West Alai, Gissar, Kopet-Dagh, North Iran and Afghanistan. It was recorded from the European part of West Kazakhstan ( Fibiger et al. 2009), but this record must be checked because its location is too far away from any mountains and from the main species area.

Ecology. Inhabit dry lowland and middle mountainous habitats: semideserts, steppes, stony slopes (pl. 23, figs 1, 4, 6). Vertical zone from 800 to 1800 m.

Cryphia receptricula (Hübner, [1803])

(pl. 19, figs 14 – 24; pl. 21; pl. 22, fig. 5)

Hübner, [1803]: pl. 6, fig. 27 ([ Noctua ] Receptricula).

Type locality: “ Oesterreich ” (by original description).

Type material: lost.

Redescription (pl. 19, figs 14–24). Forewing length 11–16 mm. Wings grey, forewing is a bit darker than hindwing. Hindwing with no pattern, a thin slightly darker discal spot can be present; external side of hindwing is darker than internal. Forewing pattern consists of medial field (cone-shaped, narrow side directed to the anal border), with black suffusion on its anal and basal area, limited from both sides by thin dark (black or dark-grey) lines. A row of small greenish-brown spots located externally from the external border of the middle belt is present. Discal spot on the forewing is unclear, faint, kidney-shaped. Discoidal spot is not present. Fringes two-colored: same as ground color near the margin and two – three tones lighter away from the margin.

Male genitalia (pl. 21, figs 1, 2, 5–9). Tegumen triangular with pointed apex, uncus long (about same length as the tegumen), thin, cylindrical, with sharp apex. Juxta thin, arch-shaped. Valva long, trapezoid, with the following processes: thin and less sclerotized harpa, hairy caudal extension and not hairy apical one. The apex of valva covered by long (almost same length as valva ) chetae. Aedeagus long, weakly sclerotized, cylindrical, about 60% of the valva length. The vesica everted has no cornutus or other sclerotized parts, triangular with long apical diverticulum.

PL. 22. Some Cryphia and Bryophila in nature. 1, 7: B. plumbeola milthophaea ( Hampson, 1908) , Kyrgyzstan, Suusamyrtoo Mts., Kekemeren river valley, 12 km S of Kojomkul, 42.046 225 N,74.154575 E, 1874 m. 2: An agglomeration of Cryphia sucking on the “drunk tree” (a tree with damaged bark so the tree juice is coming out); there are B. plumbeola vilis ( Hampson, 1908) (most of the specimens) and B. istaravshana Pekarsky, 2020 . 3, 6: B. raptricula ([Denis et Schiffermüller], 1775), Kyrgyzstan, Suusamyrtoo Mts., Kekemeren river valley, 12 km S of Kojomkul, 42.046 225 N,74.154575 E, 1874 m. 4: C. distincta (Christoph, 1887) , Talas Mts., Kara-Buura river, 31 km S of Kluchevka, 1707 m, N 42.337 976, E 71.607 27. 5: C. receptricula (Hübner, 1803) , Fergansky Mts. near Urum-Bash, 1655 m, N41° 11.121’ E73° 22.812’.

PL. 23. Habitats of Cryphia and Bryophila in Central Asia. 1: Kyrgyzstan, Talas Mts., Kara-Buura river valley, 1500–1900 m; typical biotope of B. plumbeola vilis , B. istaravshana Pekarsky, 2020 , C. distincta . 2: Kyrgyzstan, Kyzyl-Eshme valley, 2800 m; typical biotope of B. plumbeola hampsoni . 3: Kyrgyzstan, Dzhumgaltoo Mts., 2 km N of Kojomkul, 2050–2200 m; typical biotope of B. plumbeola miltophaea . 4: Kyrgyzstan, Moldo-Too Mts., Koro-Goo Pass, 2000–2500 m; typical biotope of B. plumbeola miltophaea , B. raptricula . 5: Tajikistan, West Pamir, 38 km SE of Khorog, 2800–3200 m; typical biotope of B. subliterata . 6: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek environs, Arashan, 1500–1700 m; typical biotope of B. raptricula , C. receptricula . 7: Kyrgyzstan, Moldo-Too Mts., near Koro-Goo Pass, 1700–1900 m; typical biotope of B. plumbeola miltophaea , B. raptricula , C. distincta . 8: Kazakhstan, Ili river coast near Koktal, 600 m; typical biotope of B. raptricula .

PL. 24. Cladogram of Cryphia and Bryophila of the mountainous Central Asia and neighboring area. ML, Kimura-2, 10000 bootstrap-replications.

Female genitalia (pl. 21, figs 3, 4). Papillae analesrelatively long, longer than its width. Apophyses anterioris and posterioris are thin, anteriores are longer than posteriors in about 20–30%, much longer than papilla analis. Postvaginal plate medium-sclerotized, small, oval. Antrum long and thin, with sclerotized plate on the antrum basal part; the sclerotized plate folded in its caudal part. Ductus bursae long-oval, not sclerotized.

Subspecies and variability. The species is quite variable in all its area. The most variable features are: forewing middle belt shape and coloration, middle belt limit lines shape and coloration, size of adult, hindwing discal spot coloration intensity, etc. In Europe separated two subspecies: nominate in the main species area and the subspecies C. receptricula nesiota Steiner, Ronkay et Fibiger, 2009 from Greece ( Fibiger et al. 2009). The material from Central Asia does not have stable differences from the European specimens; I do not think the separate subspecies is present on this territory.

Material examined. Kazakhstan. 1 ♂, 9.08.201 9, Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve, Baschi , N44° 09.368’ E78° 45.149’, 965 m (Korb) ( SK) ; 1 ♂, 4.08.201 9, Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve, Ak-Tau Mts. , N43° 59.125’ E79° 13.490’, 554 m (Korb) ( SK) . Kyrgyzstan. 32 ♂, 2 ♀, 21.07.201 4, Bishkek env., Sarban, 900 m (Korb) ( SK) ; 21 ♂, 10 ♀, 8- 12.08.2014, Bishkek environs, Kok-Jar , 800 m, N 42° 49.629’ E 74° 41.116’ (Korb) ( SK) ; 6 ♂, 6 ♀, 26.07.201 9, Talassky Mts. , 5,44 km NWW of Cheleke vill., 1926 m, N 42.413 146, E 72.860 289 (Korb) ( SK) ; 11 ♂, 10 ♀, 27- 28.07.201 9, Talas Mts., Kara-Buura river , 31 km S of Kluchevka, 1707 m, N 42.337 976, E 71.607 27 (Korb) ( SK) ; 12 ♂, 8 ♀, 17.07.201 6, Fergansky Mts. near Urum-Bash , 1655 m, N41° 11.121’ E73° 22.812’ (Korb) ( SK) .

Distribution. South Europe, Asia Minor, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. The range in Central Asia: North Tian-Shan, West Tian-Shan, West Alai, Gissar, Darvaz. No records confirmed in Inner Tian-Shan, East and Central Alai and Darvaz, all checked specimens determined before as C. receptricula from these territories belong to C. distincta , which can look sometimes very close to C. receptricula but differs very well by the genitalia.

Ecology. Prefer dry flat places: old gardens or fruit and walnut forests, mountainous steppes, valleys etc (pl. 23, figs 1, 6). Vertical zone: 500–2000 m.

PL. 25. Haplotypes network of Cryphia and Bryophila of the mountainous Central Asia and neighboring area, median joining.