Metachrostis dardouini (Boisduval, 1840)

V, Ато, 2009, A review of Palaearctic Metachrostis Hübner, [1820] 1816 with description of three new species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Eublemminae), Zootaxa 2026, pp. 1-17 : 3-4

Metachrostis dardouini (Boisduval, 1840)

( Figs. 1, 2 , 23 , 37 )

Bryophila dardouini Boisduval, 1840 , Genera et Index Methodicus Europaeorum Lepidopterorum: 96 (Type-locality: France).

Leptosia dardouini ssp. dilucida (Osthelder, 1933), Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Gesselschaft 23(2): 85 (Type-locality: Turkei, Marasch [Syntypes: ZSM, München]), subspecies.

Synonymy: Anthophila mendacula Freyer, 1841 ; Leptosia dardouini . ab. dilutior Schwingenschuss, 1926.

Material examined. 1 ex., Gallia; 1 ex., Gallia (ex coll. N.N. Filipjev); 3 ex., Vindobona [Wienn], prep. 0 0 47 Matov; 10 ex., Austria (ex coll. Ershov); 5 ex., Austria (ex coll. Gr. Prince Nikolaj Mikhajlovich); 1 ex., Austria inf., Mödling, ex larva, 4.vi.1900 (Dr. Schima); 3 ex., Wien (ex coll. N.N. Filipjev); 1 ex., Wien, 1902 (Isaak); 2 ex., Hungaria (ex coll. Gr. Prince Nikolaj Mikhajlovich), prep. 0 0 32 Matov; 3 ex., Hungary, Fejér megye, Gánt, 16.vi.2007 (O. Pekarsky, S. Pekarska), prep. 0 0 59 Matov [coll. ZISP]. 36 specimens: Turkey, Hungary, Austria [coll. ZFMK].

Diagnosis. Metachrostis dardouini differs in wing coloration from its western Palaearctic congeners by being dark-brown and from its eastern Palaearctic congeners ( M. sinevi , M. miasma , etc.) by the well expressed violet tint. Male genitalia differ by having equally wide valva, without constriction on ventral margin, and by having the smallest proximal extension of aedeagus in comparison to other species.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 1, 2 ). Wingspan 16–17 mm. Head, body and wings violet-brown. All lines, orbicular spot and reniform spot dark-brown, bordered with grey suffusion. Subterminal field between postmedial and submarginal lines with wide dark-brown band. Tergite 8th of males quadrangular. In male genitalia ( Fig. 23 ) valva wide, with parallel dorsal and ventral margins, not constricted medially. Proximal extension of aedeagus narrow, somewhat curved outward. In female genitalia ( Fig. 37 ) antrum extended proximally; ductus bursae 2 times narrower than antrum.

Distribution. Southern and central Europe: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Crete, Cyprus, south France, south Germany, south Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland; Near East: Turkey, Syria. In the Near East the species is represented by ssp. dilucida. This species was erroneously recorded by Hacker (1990) from Transcaucasia and Central Asia, but in our opinioin these populations belong to M. velocior .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Metachrostis spp., adults. 1. M. dardouini, male, Europe (ZFMK); 2. M. dardouini, male, France (ZISP); 3. M. velox, female, France (ZISP); 4. M. velocior, male, Europe (ZFMK); 5. M. velocior, male, Greece, Creta (ZFMK); 6. M. velocior, male, Turkey, Adana (ZISP); 7. M. velocior, male, Algeria (ZISP); 8. M. griseimargo, male, Algeria (ZISP).

FIGURES 23 – 28. Metachrostis spp., genitalia and tergite 8 of male. 23. M. dardouini, prep. 0 0 47 Matov, Austria, Vindabona, (ZISP); 24. M. velox, prep. 0 0 49 Matov, Italy, Sardinia (ZISP); 25. M. velocior, prep. 0 0 28 Matov, Lebanon, Beirut (ZISP); 26. M. griseimargo, prep. 0 0 50 Matov, Algeria (ZISP); 27. M. djakonovi, holotype, prep. 0 0 27 Matov, East Kazakhstan, Djarkent (ZISP); 28. M. djakonovi, paratype, prep. 0 0 65 Matov, West Kazakhstan, Mangistau (ZISP).

FIGURES 37 – 45. Eublemminae spp., female genitalia. 37. Metachrostis dardouini, prep. 0 0 59 Matov, Hungary, Gant (ZISP); 38. M. velox, prep. 0 0 64 Matov, France (ZISP); 39. M. velocior, prep. 0 0 43 Matov, Malta (ZISP); 40. M. quinaria, prep. 0 0 42 Matov, North India (ZISP); 41. M. sinevi, paratype, prep. Dubatolov, in glycerine, Russia, Khabarovsk terr.; 42. Odice arcuinna, prep. 0 0 63 Matov, Hungary (ZISP); 43. Eublemma amoena, prep. 4767 GB, Spain (ZFMK); 44. Eublemma melabela, prep. 0 0 52 Matov (ZISP); 45. Rhypagia lacernaria, prep. 0 0 61 Matov, Spain (ZISP).