Acteniopsis kurdistanella Amsel, 1959

Alipanah, Helen & Asselbergs, Jan, 2018, Acteniopsis gambronensis sp. n. (Pyralidae: Pyralinae), a new species from Iran, with a revision of the genus Acteniopsis Amsel, 1959, Nota Lepidopterologica 41 (1), pp. 87-97 : 92-93

Acteniopsis kurdistanella Amsel, 1959

Material examined.

Iran, Ardebil Prov.: 1 ♂, Khalkhāl, Hashtchin- Khalkhal Rd. , N37°26 ’54.5”, E048°54 ’50.6”, 837 m, 16.VII.2013, Afsariān, Sarafrāzi leg. ; Chāhārmahāl va Bakhtiāri Prov .: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Chelgerd , 2500 m, 17, 18.viii.1995, Mirzāyāns, Badii leg. , 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀, Lordegān ( Oak forest ), N31°32 ’30”, E050°57 ’16.92”, 2352 m, 15.VIII.2010, Ālipanāh, Nematiān leg. ; Fārs Prov.: 1 ♂, Sepidān, Mārgoon waterfall, 1910 m, 28.ix.1996, Barāri, Parchami-Arāghi, Moghaddam leg. , 1 ♀, Kāmfiruz, Tang-e Bostanak , 1730-1900 m, 17.VIII.2000, Badii, Moghaddam, Mofidi-Neyestānak leg. ; Hamedān Prov.: 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀, Khan Gormaz protected area, N34°35 ’17.8”, E048°10 ’39.5”, 2047 m, 9.VII.2014, Afsariān leg. ; Hormozgān Prov.: 1 ♂, Bandar Abbās, Kahurestān, 17.iii.1971, 15 m, Āyatollāhi, Pāzuki leg. ; Kermānshāh Prov.: 1 ♀, Chalabeh, Bisotun , N34°22 ’57.2”, E47°16 ’38.7”, 1652 m, 12.VII.2014, Afsariān leg. ; Kohgiluyeh va Boyerahmad Prov .: 2 ♂♂, Tang-e Meymand , 1650 m, 9.ix.1971, Ebrāhimi, Badii leg. ; Kordestān Prov.: Marivān, 26.vi.2004, Mansurghāzi leg. ; Markazi Prov.: 1 ♂, Salafchegān, Dizijān, 1550 m, 29.vii.1997, Barāri, Mofidi-Neyestānak leg. ; Zanjān Prov.: 1 ♂, Zanjān, Ābbar, N36°56 ’19.2”, E48°59'32 89", 1156 m, 21.vii.2010, Ālipanāh leg. (GS: HA-2308, HA-2310).

Remarks.

Acteniopsis kurdistanella was described by Amsel (1959) based on one male and two females collected in Iraq (Haji Omran). However the female was not sufficiently described and no information was presented for the female genitalia by Amsel (1959). Later, a new form of this species, A. kurdistanella f. unicolorella was presented by Amsel (1961), only based on one male specimen. We found five females mostly with the same collecting data as the males and similar wing patterns among the specimens preserved in HMIM. The female specimen is here redescribed and illustrated.

Diagnosis.

The female genitalia of this species is very close to that of A. gambronensis , and their main differences are in the width of ductus bursae and shape of the posterior end of ductus bursae (see diagnosis of A. gambronensis ).

Redescription of the female.

Forewing length x¯ = 8.62 mm ± 0.67 (n = 5); fore- and hindwing (Fig. 1D ) similar to those of the male in shape, ground colour and pattern (see Amsel 1959). Head, Chaetosemata and ocelli present; frons smooth; frons and vertex covered with creamy-white scales; occipital area roofed with slightly appressed creamy-white scales; collar covered with creamy-white to pale-ochreous scales; labial palpi porrect with slightly drooping apex, its length 1.82-1.87 times the horizontal diameter of compound eye, second segment the longest, first segment almost half length or slightly less than half length of the second one and apical segment very short, slightly less than one-fifth of the second segment. Labial palpi covered with ochre to pale brown scales tinged with reddish-brown scales latero-ventrally, except for distal one-fifth (or slightly less than this) which is white dorso-laterally, all the segments white internally except for the ventral margin of the first and second segment which are slightly darker; maxillary palpi short (slightly more than one-fourth of the length of labial palpi), covered with pale-ochreous scales laterally; proboscis covered with ochreous-creamy scales basally with few scattered reddish-brown scales; antennae annulated with light brown and creamy scales dorsally, and shortly ciliated ventrally, each flagellum with several short ciliae (length of cilia less that the width of the shaft), Length of the antennae slightly more than half length of the forewing. Thorax and tegulae, and abdomen in the same colour as the forewing ground colour.

Female genitalia (Figs 3B, D ) (n = 1). Papillae anales almost semi-ovoid with rounded tip, covered with both short and relatively long hairs; apophyses posteriores very long, 2.7 times the length of apophyses anteriores, and slightly narrowed posteriorly, apophyses anteriores slightly thicker than apophyses posteriores and slightly curved posteriorly; ostium bursae very small and rounded, positioned at the bottom of a cavity produced by membranous area between eighth and seventh abdominal sternite; antrum membranous, short and tube-shaped, surrounded by folded walls on lateral sides. The folded area slightly extended to the posterior end of ductus bursae; colliculum absent; ductus bursae slightly narrowed posteriorly at the junction with antrum and with upturned bending at this area; ductus seminalis arisen from the upturned area of ductus bursae in the back (Figs 3B, D ); the border of ductus bursae and corpus bursae indistinguishable; corpus bursae elongated tear-shaped, without signum; eighth abdominal tergite with a distinct triangular plate in the middle; length of seventh abdominal segment almost twice length of eighth segment.

Distribution.

Iraq (Haji Omran; the type locality); Iran (Saadatabad, Sine Sefid, Mian Kotal, Komehr, Karaj, Sultanabad) ( Amsel 1961).

Additional notes.

A new form of A. kurdistanella , i.e. A. kurdistanella f. unicolorella Amsel, 1961 was presented by Amsel based on one male specimen collected in Sultanabad. As stated by this author, it was similar to the nominative form in the genitalia and all other characteristics except for the wings which were without any markings. In all the examined specimens, both fore- and hindwing patterns were the same and few specimens were slightly darker. It seems that the maintenance of two subspecies for this species would not be logical, but since we don’t have the type specimens a decision about the validity of a subspecies remains to be postponed.

In the original description of Amsel (1959), no mention is made about the arrangement of ventral ciliae of the male antennae. As we have shown in the present study, the arrangement of the male antennal ciliae in this species is similar to that of A. gambronensis : each segment has a transverse row of at least ten ciliae ventrally, with the lateral segments the longest, whilst the length of the longest ciliae is almost twice the width of shaft. Sometimes it seems that the two outermost lateral ciliae originate from a common point. According to Amsel (1959), the uncus of A. kurdistanella has parallel margins, but examination of the Iranian species has shown that the uncus is slightly constricted basally (Fig. 2B ).

Discussion.

As mentioned above, the two genera Acteniopsis and Stemmatophora have some differences in wing venations and ciliae on the ventral surface of the antennae; however our findings are somewhat different from those given by Amsel (1959). As we observed, in the forewing of males and females of both A. kurdistanella and A. gambronensis , like in the Stemmatophora species, vein R5 is stalked with R3+R4 (Figs 4A, B ). The length of the common stalk of R5 with R3+R4 in A. gambronensis is slightly shorter than in A. kurdistanella and in the latter species it is slightly shorter than in S. brunnealis . Moreover, based on Amsel (1959), in the hindwing of Acteniopsis the veins M2 and M3 originate from a common point, while in Stemmatophora these are on a short stalk. As we have shown, in the hindwing of A. gambronensis the veins M2 and M3 originate from one point, in S. brunnealis they are on a very short stalk. (Fig. 4B ), and only in A. kurdistanella they are clearly stalked (Fig. 4A ). Therefore, these characters cannot be considered as reliable diagnostic to distinguish Acteniopsis from Stemmatophora .

Furthermore, based on the present study, the structure of the ventral ciliae of the male antennae in these two genera is completely different. In Stemmatophora each flagellum has two pairs of plumose ciliae, one pair at the proximal end of the flagellum which is larger and longer, and another pair beyond it, at the medial part of the segment and slightly positioned interiorly compared with the first pair which is smaller and shorter (Figs 4D, E ). In Acteniopsis , each flagellum has a transverse row of at least ten simple ciliae in which the lateral ciliae are the longest and slightly curved inward, whilst the medial ones are straight and about half as long as the lateral ciliae (Fig. 4C ).

Based on the present study, the genus Acteniopsis is represented by two species worldwide that can easily be distinguished from each other based on their forewing pattern and shape of the phallus (see diagnosis of A. gambronensis ). One of these two species has been described from Iraq and later form Iran, and another one is described from Iran. It seems that the genus is restricted to Saharo-Arabian and Irano-Turanian zoogeographical regions and it is most probable that these areas could be considered as its origin centre. Owing to the insufficient sampling in different parts of Iran, the presence of A. kurdistanella in some other parts of the country could be possible; this is also applicable for A. gambronensis along the southern borders of Iran.

Figures

Figure 1. Acteniopsis gambronensis sp. n. head and adult male (A-C), and A. kurdistanella Amsel, adult female (D). A) head in frontal view, B) head in lateral view, C) adult male (Holotype, Iran, Hormozgan Prov., Isin). Scale bars: 1 cm.

Figure 2. Male genitalia in A. gambronensis sp. n. (A, D) and A. kurdistanella Amsel (B, C, E), and phallus in S. robustus (F). A, B) main armature and phallus, C) distal part of uncus and gnathos in lateral view, D, E) distal part of phallus in lateral view, showing cornutus.

Figure 3. Female genitalia in A. gambronensis sp. n. (A, C) and A. kurdistanella Amsel (B, D). A, B) genitalia in ventral view, C, D) middle part of genitalia. Upper and lower arrows in figure C indicate the folded area at the anterior end of ductus bursae and locus of origin of the ductus seminalis, respectively and in figure D indicates the locus of origin of the ductus seminalis.

Figure 4. Wings venation (A, B) in A. kurdistanella (A) and S. brunnealis (B), and stylized drawings of ventral ciliae of the antennae (C-E) in A. gambronensis sp. n. (C) and S. brunnealis (D, E). C, D) in ventral view, E) in lateral view, showing ciliae of the left part.