Zygaena speciosa oseyii, Hofmann, Axel & Naderi, Alireza, 2014

Hofmann, Axel & Naderi, Alireza, 2014, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Zygaena Fabricius, 1775, in Iran (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae). Part X: On two newly discovered Mesembrynus taxa from the western Alborz, Nota Lepidopterologica 37 (2), pp. 167-181 : 170-171

Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. Figs 10-29, 33-35, 38, 39

Material.

Holotype ♂, 28 mm wingspan, "Iran, Prov. Gilan, Kuh-e Samamus, Javaherdeh 20 km SSW, 3350-3400 m, 30.6.2006, leg. A. Hofmann & A. Naderi", [36°50,92' N, 50°23,66'E], coll. A. Hofmann (to be deposited in SMNK). Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same data as holotype, coll. A. Hofmann; same locality as holotype: 35 ♂, 18 ♀, 15.vii. 2006, leg. et coll. A. Hofmann; 1 ♂, coll. J. Mooser; 1 ♂, coll. A. Floriani; 7 ♂, 3 ♀, coll. T. Keil; 4 ♂, 1 ♀, leg. larvae, e.p.: 30.vi.-10.vii.2006 leg. et cult. A. Hofmann, coll. A. Hofmann; 3 ♂, 2 ♀, 25.vi. 2006, leg. A. Naderi, coll. A. Hofmann; 8 ♂, leg. et coll. A. Naderi; 16 ♂, 3 ♀, 3.viii.2007, leg. et coll. A. Naderi; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, coll. A. Hofmann; 7 ♂, 1 ♀, coll. T. Keil; 4 ♂, coll. P. Zehzad (to be deposited in HMIM). Other material: Iran, Prov. Mazandaran, Tonekabon SW, Gardaneh-ye Tondrokosh (Zarout), 3270-3350 m, [36°41,76'N, 50°29,77'E], 17 ♂, 2 ♀, 14.vii.2006, leg. A. Hofmann & A. Naderi, coll. A. Hofmann; 3 ♂, ibidem, coll. T. Keil; 2 ♂, ibidem, 10.vii.2007, leg. A. Naderi, coll. T. Keil; 5 ♂, 2 ♀, ibidem, 13. u. 14.vii.2010, leg. et coll. A. Hofmann; this locality is about 20 km southeast of Kuh-e Samamus. Iran, Prov. Qazvin NE, Mo’allem Kalayeh vic., Kuh-e Khash-Chal, 3390-3430 m, [36°32,53'N, 50°30,31'E], 11 ♂, 1 ♀, 15.vii.2010, leg. et coll. A. Hofmann; 11 ♂, 10 ♀, ibidem, 3550-3700 m, leg. et coll. A. Hofmann; this locality is about 35 km southeast of Kuh-e Samamus.

Etymology.

Dedicated to Abbas Oseyi (Karaj), who accompanied the second author when discovering the first population at Kuh-e Samamus.

Description.

A group of strictly non-melanistic populations. Black ground colour of forewings with greenish sheen, more greyish and more translucent in females. Hindwings with black border of medium width, stronger at apex and with a double-tooth in the beginning of anal field at the tornus, but never invading the discal area. Forewing spots 1+2, 3+4 and 5 well developed and always present, spots 1+2+2a forming the basal blotch, with spot 2 elongate, longer than spot 1, while spot 2a is vestigial. Spot 3 small, ovoid, spot 4 larger, quadrangular; both spots always separated by the cubitus stem vein. Spot 5 of similar size and form as spot 4, but standing more vertically, isolated from spot 6. The latter (spot 6) more variable: it can be absent in both sexes (20%), but more frequently in the males, it can be vestigial and reduced to a few scales (25%), or well developed as a normal spot in the costal part (25%), or reniform, the upper part then smaller (30%). Red patagia and red abdominal cingulum present on one segment, well developed in females, reduced or vestigial in males. The abdominal cingulum can even be absent or reduced to only a few red lateral scales (20%).

Remarks.

Specimens from two other populations that are not from the type-locality are well separated geographically and differ slightly from the type-series; while they can be assigned to oseyii subsp. n., they are not included in the type-series.

Diagnosis.

In specimens from Gardaneh-ye Tondrokosh (Figs 13-18), spot 6 is always present and larger, the black ground colour of the males is more bluish and the hindwing border is narrower with a very weak expansion at the apex. In specimens from Kuh-e Khash-Chal (Figs 19-21), spots 5 and 6 are mostly closer together and occasionally they are even connected to each other. Otherwise both populations look similar to Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. from the type-locality (Figs 10-12). The difference between oseyii ssp. n. (Figs 10-21) and the nominotypical subspecies from the type-locality in the Alam-Kuh region (Figs 4-6) is extraordinarily strong. In contrast to the nominotypical population from Hezarchal (and from those from Dizin-Shemshak and from Kuh-e Tochal), the more north-westerly located populations (Figs 10-21) from between Kuh-e Khash-Chal and Kuh-e Samamus do not exhibit a tendency for melanism. The hindwings are red with a variable broad border and are never darkened, while the border never forms a “tooth” along the anal vein. Spot 6 is either strongly reduced or predominantly completely missing in Zygaena speciosa speciosa , while it is predominantly present or at least vestigial in Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. Not a single specimen from all of these three new localities can be confused with specimens from Alam Kuh, Dizin-Shemshak or from Kuh-e Tochal, nor can any single specimen from these localities be incorporated into the series of oseyii ssp. n. The localities of the most easterly population of oseyii ssp. n. (Kuh-e Khash-Chal) and Zygaena speciosa speciosa are less than 40 km from each other as the crow flies and, surprisingly, the population nearest to the Alam-Kuh population even exhibits the most reddish forms of all three known populations.

Genitalia. Differences in genitalia structures within species-groups of Zygaena ( Hofmann and Tremewan 2010) are often poor, especially in the manlia-group, and significant characters for separating closely related taxa are obviously lacking ( Hofmann and Keil 2011: 244-245), which is why fertile hybrid-crossings in captivity were relatively easily to obtain ( Hofmann 2000b, Hofmann and Kia- Hofmann 2010).

We found slight differences in the uncus and lamina dorsalis of the male genitalia between Zygaena speciosa speciosa (Figs 30-32, 36, 37) and Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. (Figs 33-35, 38, 39), but we do not interpret them as prezygotic mechanisms of isolation. The uncus of the nominotypical subspecies is more cone-shaped, attenuated at the end (compare Figs 30 and 33), while the lamina dorsalis is broadest at the middle part and becomes narrower toward the base (compare Figs 31 and 34), in contrast to Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. in which this structure is more pyramidal-like, broadest at its base. However, there may be variation in these structures and even if dissections of a series would confirm these as constant characters, they would nevertheless not prevent successful pairings, but may reflect strict isolation with diverse developments in the post-glacial period. Furthermore, if one takes the 100% separation in phenotype into account, a clear tendency for species-specific differentiation on the way to distinct biospecies becomes obvious.

Bionomics.

Detailed data on the bionomics with figures of larvae, host-plants and biotopes, together with a distribution map that includes the populations of Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n., have been provided by Hofmann and Kia–Hofmann (2008: 25-49). At all three localities, Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. is syntopic with Zygaena carniolica .

Distribution.

In addition to the type-locality, Zygaena speciosa oseyii ssp. n. is known from two further sites, both of which are located further east of the Kuh-e Samamus (Fig. 22). All three sites are situated at altitudes between 3270 and 3700 m. A gap of ca. 40 km between ssp. oseyii and ssp. speciosa remains unexplored. Further prospecting, especially in the Kuh-e Sialan region, will show that either there is a transitional zone with mixed populations or a sharp divide between the melanistic and ‘normal’ forms.