Phaselia smettboi Werner, Wanke & Rajaei, 2023

Werner, Maria Johanna, Hausmann, Axel, Kostjuk, Igor, Wanke, Dominic & Rajaei, Hossein, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the genus Phaselia Guenée, [1858] (Geometridae: Ennominae) in the Middle East and Central Asia, Zootaxa 5326 (1), pp. 1-66 : 15-16

Phaselia smettboi Werner, Wanke & Rajaei sp. nov.

( Figs 27–32, 80–85 , 125–127 , 144 , 145 ).

Type material examined.

Holotype, ♁, “[ Turkey] Kleinasien , Prov. Amasya, vic. Amasya, 400–1100 m, 13.vi–27.vi.[19]78, leg. de Freina ”, g. prep. (♁) 0020/2021 M. Werner (in SMNS).

Paratypes, (55 ♁♁, 15 ♀♀): 2 ♁♁, same data as Holotype, “4.vi–6.vi.[19]78”, g. prep. (♁) 0021/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, same data as Holotype, “4–10.vi.[19]78, leg. de Freina”, g. prep. (♁) 0022/2021 M. Werner; 2 ♁♁, same data as Holotype, “4.vi–6.vi.[19]78”; 8 ♁♁, 1 ♀, “[ Turkey] Kleinasien, Prov. Kars vic. Kaǧizman Kötek, 1550 m, 23– 24.vi.[19]81, leg. de Freina”, g. preps (♁) 0024, 0025/2021 M. Werner, (♀) 0023/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, same data as before, “13–14.vi.[19]82”; 4 ♁♁, “[ Turkey] Amasia ”; 1 ♁/ ♀?, “[ Turkey] Kleinasien, Prov. Amasya vic. Amasya, 400–1100 m, 13–27.vi.[19]78 (19.vi.), leg. de Freina”, g. prep. 1061 B. Müller; 1 ♀, “Sarepta, [leg] S. Rüssl”; 3 ♁♁, 1 ♀ “ Turkey, prov. Ankara, Sereflicochisar Tuz Gölü, 1000 m, 5/ 5.v.1999, leg. L. Rakosy”; 1 ♁ same data as bevore, “5/ 6.v.1999 ”; 1 ♀, “ Turkey, prov. Ankara, Dutözü, Köyu, 1000 m, 2/ 3.v.1999, leg. L. Rakosy”; (in SMNS). 1 ♁, „n. östl. [NE] Kl. Asien [ Turkey]”; 1 ♁, “[ Kazakhstan], ex. Salzsee-Ural [Inderskische Salzsee = salt lake Inder], [leg. M. Bartel]”, g. prep (♁) 729 I. Kostjuk; 1 ♀, “[ Kazakhstan], Inderskische Salzsee [= salt lake Inder], 17.vi.[19]07, [leg.] M. Bartel”, g. prep. (♀) 730 I. Kostjuk; 1 ♁, “[ Turkey], Amasia ”, g. prep (♁) 1200/2021 D. Wanke; 3 ♁♁, “ Turkey, Agri, 45 km W Kagizman, 1450 m, 24.vii.1989, leg. Fibiger & Esser”, g. prep. (♁) 0065/2021 M. Werner; 4 ♁♁, 1 ♀, “ Turkey, Agri, 16 km SE Kagizman, 1575 m, 23.vii.1989, leg. Fibiger & Esser”, g. preps (♁) 920 I. Kostjuk, (♀) 0064/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, 2 ♀♀, [ Turkey, Amasia]; 1 ♁, 1 ♀, “[ Turkey], Amasia [19]88”, g. prep. G109; 1 ♀, [ Turkey, Amasia]; 1 ♀, “[ Turkey], Ankara, 1.vi.1934, leg. H. Noack”, g. prep. (♀) 931 I. Kostjuk; 2 ♁♁, same data as before, “ 10.vi.1934 ”, g. prep. (♁) 918 I. Kostjuk; 1 ♁, “[ Turkey, Amasia], [19]74”; 1 ♁, “ Turkey, Kars, 3 km E Karakurt, 1450 m, 12.ix.1993, leg. M. Fibiger”; (in SMNK). 2 ♁♁, “ Russia, South Ural, Orenburg Province, Kuvandyksky Distr., Kuvandyk suburbs, 23.v.2014, [leg] Dimitry Goshko”, g. prep. (♁) 0085/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, “ Russia, Orenburg, South Ural Mountains, Kuvandyksky District, Kuvandyk town suburbs., 8.v.2012, ex. Leg. Dimitry Goshko”, g. prep. (♁) 0095/2021 M. Werner; 3 ♀♀, “[ Turkey] Asia Min, Kirikkale, 65 km E Ankara 29.v.1964, J. Klimesch”, g. preps (♀) 0091, 0092/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, “Sarepta”, g. prep. (♁) 1059 B. Müller (in MFN). 3 ♁♁, “ Turkey. Prov. Bilecik. 3 km E of Vezirhan N40°15', E30°04', 150 m, 7.vi. 1994, Leg. M. Hreblay & G. Kovács”; 3 ♁♁, 1 ♀, “[ Turkey] Asia min., Ankara-Barrage, 13–17.vi.[19]66, Friedel leg.”, g. prep. (♁) 0154/2021 M. Werner; (in PCMS). 1 ♁, “ Turkey, Agri, 16 km SE Kagizman, 1575 m, 23.vii.1989, leg. Fibiger & Esser”, g. prep. (♁) 0103/2021 M. Werner; 2 ♁♁, “ Russia, Orenburg, South Ural Mountains, Kuvandyksky District, Kuvandyk town suburbs., 12.v.2012, V. Zurilina leg.”, g. preps (♁) 0131/2021, 0132/2021 M. Werner; 1 ♁, “ Russia, S-Ural Orenburg district Pokrovka village 20 km S Schibendy valley, 21.vi.1999, T&K. Nupponen leg.” g. prep. (♁) 1060 B. Müller (in PCPS). 1 ♁, “[ Turkey], Amasia, 1898, [leg.] Funke”, g. prep. (♁) 840 I. Kostjuk; 1 ♁, “[ Turkey], Amasia, 1894, [leg.] Funke”, g. prep. (♁) 868 I. Kostjuk (in ZMKU).

Taxonomic remark. The populations here regarded as new species of Phaselia smettboi sp. nov., were treated as P. serrularia in the past, mainly due to misinterpretation of the latter species (see the taxonomic remark related to P. serrularia in this paper).

Description. Wingspan. Males: 29–36.5 mm (average 33.6 mm, n = 12), females: 32–35 mm (average 33.5 mm, n = 9).

Forewing. Ground colour warm white speckled with tiny light to dark grey-brown dots; basal area and postmedial area darker than medial area; antemedial line darker than basal area, clearly zigzagged with rounded tips, all three teeth are of similar length; medial line present as a diffuse darker brown shadow close to postmedial line; postmedial line thin, dark brown, slightly curved inwards on costal area; subterminal line dark brown, serrate with well-pronounced triangular spikes, distally accompanied by a white shadow, terminal line dark brown, wavy.

Hindwing. Ground colour white, speckled with brown towards terminal area; postmedial line brown, medially projected outwards; sometimes interrupted or even invisible; subterminal line barely visible as a light shadow.

Discal spots usually visible as brown, short streaks or tiny dots on all wings, sometimes faded. Fringes in all wings white and brown, dark at the end of the veins. Ventral side generally paler than dorsal side, pattern of upper side shines through the wings, visible as a shadow (figs 27–32).

Male genitalia. Uncus triangular, tip incurved; gnathos well-sclerotized, medially not fused; valva trapezoidal; costa slightly sclerotized, distally finger-shaped, extended over the apex of valvula; sacculus large, oval, with a high number of equally distributed strong spines, especially along the lower margin of sacculus; juxta wide, roughly triangular with a diffuse, distally decreasingly sclerotized edge; saccus wide, triangular, terminally curved.Aedeagus short, straight, or strongly curved, often tapered proximally; vesica usually with two separate, sclerotized cornuti; a short and less bent, often slightly reduced claw-like curved cornutus, and a barely or well-twisted, spinose, plate-like cornutus, the latter usually short or reduced, rarely absent (figs 80–85).

Female genitalia. Ovipositor large; last abdominal segment trapezoidal, basally broadened;apophyses posteriores up to three times longer than apophyses anteriores; lamella antevaginalis narrow, more sclerotized laterally; ductus bursae inconspicuous and narrow; corpus bursae membranous, ornamented with a small but well-sclerotized, round, stellate signum (figs 125–127).

Diagnosis. Phaselia smettboi sp. nov. can be confused with P. pithana bona sp., P. phaeoleucaria stat. rev., P. deliciosaria and P. joestleinae . Confusion with P. serrularia , as which P. smettboi sp. nov. have been misidentified by numerous authors, can be clearly ruled out based on morphological and distribution data.

For differentiation of P. smettboi sp. nov. from P. serrularia , P. pithana bona sp., and P. phaeoleucaria stat. rev. see the diagnosis of the respective species above. Characters of the compared species are given in parentheses.

Figures

FIGURE 144: Distribution pattern of Phaselia species in Middle East and Central Asia.

FIGURE 145: Maximum likelihood analysis of 70 species of the genus Phaselia, based on COI 5’ sequences (built with MEGA X; Kimura 2-parameter model; bootstrap method, 1000 replications using MEGA X (Kumar et al., 2018)).

FIGURES 80–85: Variation of the male genitalia of Phaselia smettboi sp. nov. 80: Holotype, from Turkey, Amasya (g. prep. 0020/2021 M. Werner); 81: Paratype, from: Turkey, Kaǧizman Kötek (g. prep. 0025/2021 M. Werner); 82: Paratype, from: Russia, Kuvandyk (g. prep. 0131/2021 M. Werner); 83: Paratype, from: Russia, Kuvandyk (g. prep. 0095/2021 M. Werner); 84: Paratype, from: Russia, Kuvandyk (g. prep. 0085/2021 M. Werner); 85: Paratype, from: Turkey, Kaǧizman Kötek (g. prep. 0024/2021 M. Werner). a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus. Scalebar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 125–127: Female genitalia of Phaselia smettboi sp. nov. 125: Paratype, from: Turkey, Amasya (g. prep. 0021/2021 M. Werner); 126: Paratype, from: Turkey, Ankara (g. prep. 0092/2021 M. Werner); 127: Paratype, from: Turkey, Ankara (g. prep. 0091/2021 M. Werner). Scalebar = 1 mm.