Evergestis nomadalis ( Lederer, 1870 )

Alipanah, Helen, Khodadad, Masoumeh, Rajaei, Hossein & Haseli, Mohammad, 2018, Taxonomic study of the genus Evergestis Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Glaphyriinae) in Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4420 (1), pp. 1-33 : 25-27

Evergestis nomadalis ( Lederer, 1870)

Material examined. HMIM: Iran, Golestān Prov.: one specimen without abdomen, Āzādshahr, Kāshidār, 1250 m, 21.–22.viii.1982, Hāshemi leg. ; Khorāsān-e Razavi Prov.: 3 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ and four specimens without abdomen, Daregaz, Tandoreh National Park, Shekarāb, 2100 m, 11.viii.1993, Ebrāhimi, Badii leg. (GS: HA-1751, HA-1752) ; Khorāsān-e Shomāli Prov.: 3 ♀♀ and one specimen without abdomen , Golestān National Park, Ālmeh, 1600 m, 1.ix.1987, Pāzuki leg. (GS: HA-2060) , 2 ♀♀, Ālmeh, 1600 m, 2.–6.x.1994, Mirzāyāns, Badii, Ebrāhimi leg., 2 ♀♀, Ālmeh, 1650 m, 3.–5.x.1994, Mirzāyāns, Badii, Ebrāhimi leg. (GS: HA-2059), 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ and one specimen without abdomen, Ālmeh, 1600 m, 30.ix.2000, Ghayurfar, Gilāsiān leg. (GS: HA-1758, HA-2058), 3 ♂♂ 1 ♀, Ālmeh, N 37˚ 28΄ 31.8˝, E 055˚ 42΄ 43.6˝, 1658–1754 m, 4.ix.2009, Ālipanāh, Buszko, Falsafi leg.; Māzandarān Prov.: 1 ♀, Elikā, 2100 m, 23.ix.1987, Hāshemi leg. ; SMNK: 1 ♂, Iran, Elbursgebirge, Nissa, 2100 m, viii.1936, coll. Brandt (ex coll. H. G. Amsel) , 1 ♀, Ordubad, coll. Nikolai Mikhailovich (ex coll. H. G. Amsel).

Remarks. Evergestis nomadalis was described from Iran by Lederer (1871), based on a female specimen (clearly indicated by a female symbol) collected in Astrabad (presently known as Gorgan, Golestan Province); however the figure presented seems to be a male moth. Goater (2005) provided a diagnosis for this species, including the male genitalia and stated that the female genitalia was unknown. During the current study, 14 female specimens, mostly with the same collecting data and wing pattern of males were identified. Based on what mentioned above, the detailed description of the female external morphology and genitalia is here provided.

Diagnosis. As already mentioned above, this species is close to E. africalis in wing pattern and genitalia (see E. africalis ).

Description of the female. Head ( Fig. 15C ). Frons ochre medially and distinctly cream laterally next to the compound eyes; vertex erected with ochreous-cream scales; labial palpus upturned, 2.00–2.25 times the horizontal diameter of compound eye, pale ochre laterally except the creamy-white scales at the basal one-third and the upperside of the apical end ( Fig. 15C ); maxillary palpus slender, porrect, covered with elongated cream scales except for the short, slightly ochre basal scales and the distal elongated pale ochre scales; proboscis covered with cream to dirty-cream scales basally with the same length as the labial palpus; antennae dorsally roofed with dirty-cream to ochreous-cream scales and densely setose ventrally, a single slightly longer seta present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of each segment; collar pale ochre; thorax and tegula ochreous-cream and paler towards the abdomen; abdomen shiny cream.

Forewing ( Figs 15A, B ). Elongated with a straight costa which slightly convexed near the apex, and an oblique and slightly convexed termen; length of the forewing x ̅ = 14.53 mm ± 1.12 (n= 17). Forewing pattern same as the male, ground color ochreous-cream, with an oblique, broad gray to sandy-brown strip extended from near the apex to dorsum nearly parallel to the termen, a faded oblique ante-median line, a series of dots on nervures nearly in a regular line just next to the gray-brown strip internally and parallel to it, a faint line (sometimes a series of dots in a regular line) parallel to the ante-median line on its external side, and double discal spots; fringes cream with two shiny ochre strips parallel to the termen. Hindwing glossy yellowish-white with a light brown strip parallel to termen; fringes cream. Underside of both fore- and hindwing mostly same as the upperside, but more gray.

Female genitalia ( Figs 15D–I ) (n= 6). Papillae anales connected dorsally and setose; apophyses posteriores two-thirds to three-fourths of the length of apophyses anteriores, expanded distally, with a triangular process at posterior two-sevenths ( Figs 15D, E ); antrum funnel-shaped and large, narrowed and distinctly sclerotized anteriorly at anterior one-fifth ( Figs 15E, F, G ); colliculum relatively long, twice or slightly shorter than twice as long as the length of anterior sclerotized area of antrum ( Figs 15F, G ); ductus bursae long, approximately three times or slightly more than three times as long as the length of corpus bursae, broadened towards the corpus bursae and deeply folded longitudinally at posterior end near the junction with collicullum (this area sometimes turned upward), mostly with irregular minute sclerotized spines on its surface which are most prominent towards the posterior end ( Figs 15E, G ); ductus seminalis arising from the posterior end of ductus bursae slightly after the junction with colliculum; corpus bursae nearly globular with granulated surface and an almost dome-shaped area posteriorly which is visible before preparing permanent slide, paired signa positioned horizontally ( Fig. 15I ), but their postion changes usually after slide preparation ( Fig. 15E ), with numerous triangular sclerites surrounded by needle-like sclerotized structures; width of sternite VII 2.2–2.9 times the width of sternite VIII.

Distribution. Greece, Russia, N. Caucasus, Turkey, Central Asia, Iran (Gorgan) (Lederer 1871; Goater 2005).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Evergestis nomadalis. A–C) Adult female. A: upperside. B: underside. C: head, in lateral view. D–I) Female genitalia. D: apophyses posteriores. E: main body in lateral view. F, G: colliculum and posterior end of ductus bursae. E: signum. F: corpus bursae and anterior end of ductus bursae dorso-ventrally.