Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1966

Sh, Hossein Rajaei & Trusch, Robert, 2011, Redescription of Rhodostrophia leni s Wiltshire 1966 and R. vartianae Wiltshire, 1966, with new distributional data (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Sterrhinae), Zootaxa 2935, pp. 59-63 : 59-60

Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire, 1966

(p. 134, figs. 31, 35)

Material examined (see Map 1). Holotype 3 (examined), ‘Afgh[anistan] | Khurd-Kabul SO | v. Kabul, 1900m | 18.VI.1965 | Kasy & Vartian’, ‘Mus. Vind. | Gen. Präp. | 15.941 | 3’, ‘Preparation | WW. 195’, ‘ Rhodostrophia | lenis Wilts. 3 | Holotypus’. Paratypes (6 Ƥ 1 3 examined): 1 Ƥ, ‘Afgh[anistan] | Khurd-Kabul SO | v. Kabul, 1900m | 18.VI.1965 | Kasy & Vartian’, ‘ Rhodostrophia | lenis Wiltsh. Ƥ | Allotypus’, ‘ Paratype | Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire | det. H. R., 2009’, ‘prep. | 1532/ 2011 | H. R.’; 4 Ƥ, same locality, ‘Paratypoid | Rhodostrophia | lenis Wiltshire 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype | Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire | det. H. R., 2009’; 1 3, same locality, ‘Paratypoid | Rhodostrophia | lenis Wiltshire, 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype | Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire | det. H. R., 2009’, ‘prep. | 1534/2011 | H. R.’; 1 3, ‘ 40 km SW | v. Kabul | 2300m, Afghan[istan] | 17.6.1965 | Kasy & Vartian’, ‘Paratypoid Rhodostrophia | lenis Wiltshire, 1967 [1966]’, ‘ Paratype | Rhodostrophia lenis Wiltshire | det. H. R., 2009’; all in NHMW. New material from Iran: 1 Ƥ, Iran-Khorasan N[ational] P[ark] Golestan-Almeh Tal, 1541 m, 23.– 24.5.2001, 37,20,796/56,03,457, leg. Dr. Ch. Wieser, BC ZSM Lep 0 8626, prep. 1046/2010 H. R.; in ZSM. 1 3, Iran, Khorasan, Kuh-e Sorkh, Paß NE Rivash, [N Kashmar 58°27'E, 35°28'N] 2100 m, 19.V.2007, leg. W. ten Hagen; 1 Ƥ, Iran, Khorasan, Kopet Dagh, Quchan-Dargaz (SW Passhöhe), 55–56 km N Quchan, 1900–2100m, 15.VI.2006, leg. W. ten Hagen; in SMNK. 4 Ƥ, [ Iran], Khorassan, Kopedagh-Allahakbar, 1950m, 16.6.1974, leg. Radj[abi]/Paz[ouki]; all in HMIM.

Diagnosis (figs. 1–6, 13–19). The narrow forewing of R. lenis resembles the genus Lithostege (Larentiinae) , but the wing venation and genitalia differ. In Rhodostrophia the species most similar to R. lenis is R. vartianae , most probably its sister species. These two species have the same wing colouration, but are separable by size (wingspan <30 mm in R. Lenis ,> 33 mm in R. vartianae ). Male genitalic differences include: the aedeagus in R. vartianae (length> 1.5 mm) is longer than in R. lenis (<1.3 mm) (figs. 14, 18); the tip of the valva in R. lenis is smoother than in R. vartianae and contains more spines; the uncus in R. vartianae is mode deeply notched (figs. 13, 16–17); sternite A- 8 in R. vartianae is forked and the hump-like projections are well developed (figs. 15, 19).

Redescription ( Figs. 1–6 ). Wingspan: 3 26–27 mm, Ƥ 27–29 mm. Antenna of male quadripectinate and filiform in female. Head (apex) white, frons slightly protruding about one-fourth of the eye diameter, grey in colour. Palpi short, not reaching the clypeus. Thorax dark grey, abdomen brown. Colour of wings in both sexes are similarly brown-ochre, toward the apex of the forewing and the margins in both wings the colour gets slightly darker. A post-median grey spot is obvious on both wings; this spot is obscure in some specimens. The underside is slightly brighter than the upperside. Sternite A-8 sclerotised terminally, slightly notched; hump form projections are not developed (fig. 15).

Male genitalia (figs. 13, 14). Valva flat, its dorsal and ventral parts curved interiorly. Uncus elongated (length 1.1 mm), cleft at the tip. Juxta oval, strongly sclerotised at its centre. Saccus very short, rounded. Aedeagus 1.3 mm long, arched medially, with several very small subapical granules.

Female genitalia (fig. 12). Papillae anales broad, covered with spines. Apophyses posteriores well developed (approx. 1 mm long), apophyses antoriores reduced to one fourth the length of the apophyses posteriores. Antrum and ductus bursae sclerotised as a single unit. Corpus bursae without signum.

Biology & Distribution (Map 1). The larval stages and the biology are unknown. Because most of the material from Iran was collected during the day by butterfly collectors, it seems that the species is active during daytime (Fig. 10). R. lenis was found in eastern Afghanistan and at three localities in north-east Iran. It has been collected at 1500–2300 m asl (above sea level). In the map the dots indicate (from north to south): Iran, Almeh valley (Golestan National Park, 1540 m asl, C. Wieser); Kope Dagh, Allahakbar (1950 m asl, Rajabi & Pazouki); Kopet Dagh, north of Quchan (1900–2100 m, W. ten Hagen); Kuh-e Sorkh (north of Kashmar, 2100 m, W. ten Hagen); Afghanistan: southeast of Kabul (1900–2300 m, Kasy & Vartian).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Adults of R. lenis and R. vartianae: R. lenis (male): 1, upperside; 2, underside; 3, labels; R. lenis (female): 4, upperside; 5, underside; 6, labels; R. vartianae (male): 7, upperside; 8, underside; 9, labels. Fig. 10. Habitat of R. lenis. Kuh-e Sorkh (north of Kashmar, 2100 m a. s. l.), “ sorkh ” in Farsi means red, which refers to the color of the landscape, the habitat is covered mostly by Astragalus spp. (Fabaceae) (photo by Wolfgang ten-Hagen).