Cryptoholcocerus daghestanica Yakovlev, Poltavsky & Ilyina

Yakovlev, Roman V., Poltavsky, Alexander N., Ilyina, Elena V., Shchurov, Valeriy I. & Witt, Thomas J., 2015, Cossidae (Lepidoptera) of the Russian Caucasus with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4044 (2), pp. 270-288 : 279-281

Cryptoholcocerus daghestanica Yakovlev, Poltavsky & Ilyina sp. nov.

(figs 2–7)

Type material. Holotype: male, Tsudakhar, 16.07.2014; paratype: 4 males, Agvali 10.07.2005; paratype: male, Agrakhan Bay, 20.06.1999. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in ZISP.

Description. Antennae simple, tape-like. Patagya light brown, abdomen from above light brown with spots of dark hairs from above on the basal segments. Length of a forewing 29 mm. Forewing rather wide, light brown with a golden dusting, with thin grid drawing and two thin black bands with discal and postdiscal areas. Poorly outlined dark brown spots between bands in a cubital area. Fringe motley, light brown between veins and dark brown at veins. Forewing underside light brown with black fields in postdiscal and submarginal areas. Hindwings brown, practically without color pattern, with a black hairs field in basal and anal parts of wing. Fringe light-brown. On hindwings underside with black fields in discal area.

Uncus with a beaklike pointed top, tegumen midsize, gnathos branch rather thick and long, gnathos midsize and covered with small spikes, valva lanceolate and gradually narrowed to their tops with almost smooth costal edge and a poorly revealed crest on internal surface of valva on the border between basal sclerotized part and distal membranous part, transtilla’s ledges are short with slightly bent spiky tops, juxta saddle-like with the short lateral ledges divorced by an angle 180o, saccus semicircular, small aedeagus thick on one third and shorter than valva, the opening of vesica holds dorso-apical position and equal to half of aedeagus length, vesica without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the genus Cryptoholcocerus Yakovlev, 2006 (type species: Cossus mongolicus Erschoff in Alpheraky, 1882), which was thus far considered monotypical. Cryptoholcocerus mongolicus (Erschoff in Alpheraky, 1882) is widespread in SE Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, N. Pakistan and NE China ( Yakovlev 2006). The new species differs from C. mongolicus in a number of features:

- light brown coloring of the background of wings, - less developed spotty markings on forewings, - more pointed thin transtilla’s ledges,

- the lateral ledges of juxta separated at an 180o angle.

Ecology. Tsudakhar (central mountainous area of Daghestan). The type locality is situated in a gorge of the Kazikumukh Koysu mountain system, in the lower watercourse of river Sana, where the Mountain Botanical Garden of Daghestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences is also located. The mountain ranges in elevations from 1100 to 1500 m above sea level. Slopes of the gorge are formed by the spurs of Mount Barkal. The geology is limestone and sandstone. The northern slope with sandstone rocks is covered with a coniferous forest of undersized Koch’s pine (Рinus kochiana, Pinaceae ), which in the lower part of slopes thins out and is replaced by a light forest with juniper ( Juniperus polycarpos , Cupressaceae ), spire ( Spiraea hypericifolia , Rosaceae ), buckthorns ( Lonicera pallasii , Rhamnaceae ) and cock's head ( Onobrychis daghestanica , Fabaceae ) thickets. On the bottom of the river Sana gorge there are thickets of elaeagnus ( Elaeagnus angustifolia , Elaeagnaceae ), poplar ( Populus х canadensis, P. х euamerican, Salicaceae ), willow ( Salix caprea , Salicaceae ) and a Botanical Garden orchard. Our light trap was set up on this garden (1100 m). Small terraces on the slopes are covered with steppe-meadows. The southern slope is dry, strongly bald-headed and stony, and is covered with xerophyte grassy vegetation. The climate is arid (400–600 mm of rainfall per year) and warm; and snow cover is unstable.

Agvali (central mountainous area of Daghestan). The type locality is located in a valley of the river Andi’s Koysu, 3 km upstream the village Agvali. Elevation ranges from 1000 up to 1500 m. The valley is wide with long lateral gorges formed by high mountain ridges—Snow and Bogoss. The geology primarily includes clay slates with sandstone exits. The Andiiskoe Koysu River forms a wide flood plain lacking woody riparian vegetation because of the erosional nature of the river. The woody vegetation exits only in small bosks on the high bottom-land terraces and slopes and consists of Paliurus spina-christi (Rhamnaceae) , sea-buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides , Elaeagnaceae ), felt cherry ( Prunus tomentosa , Rosaceae ) and separate trees of celtis (Celtis planchoniana Ulmaceae ). Apricot gardens also grow on artificial terraces. An light-trap was placed in an apricot garden (east slope) at the altitude of 1000 m. Slopes are generally very stony and covered with grassy xerophyte vegetation and astragals ( Astragalus sp., Fabaceae ). The top belt of the mountain wood consists of pine and birch of Rudde ( Betula raddeana , Betulaceae ). The steppe-meadows are located on treeless slopes. The climate is arid (400–600 mm of rainfall a year) and warm; snow cover is infrequent.

Agrakhan Bay (Tersko-Sulaksky lowland) is formed by Agrakhan Peninsula which separates part of the sea waters of the Caspian Sea. The southern part of the gulf is not connected with the sea now; it is shallows and covered with marsh vegetation. The moths were caught in the southern part of the gulf (Glavkut point) which represents the waterlogged coast of the Caspian Sea, and is covered with vegetation such as reed (plavny), common bulrush ( Typha latifolia , Typhaceae ), cane ( Scirpus maritimus , Cyperaceae ), сalamagrostis ( Calamagrostis epigeios , Роасеае), sedge ( Carex riparia , Cyperaceae ) and other marsh plants. The trap was set up on the shore. The flood-free zone is located further from the coast and represents a kind of the semi-desert habitat with Artemisia sp., Salsola sp. and Goniolimon sp. vegetation complexes; as well as light forest of Elaeagnus sp. and Tamarix sp. In the southeast of this locality (2–3 km) occur the barkhan ridges of Agrakhan Peninsula, which are half covered with psammophyle vegetation. Climate is moderate and continental, with cool winters and hot, dry summers.