Lithosia quadra soligena Dubatolov, Zolotuhin & Witt

Dubatolov, Vladimir V., Zolotuhin, Vadim V. & Witt, Thomas J., 2016, Revision of Lithosia Fabricius, 1798 and Conilepia Hampson, 1900 (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae), Zootaxa 4107 (2), pp. 175-196 : 181-182

Lithosia quadra soligena Dubatolov, Zolotuhin & Witt , ssp. nov.

( Figs 9–11 )

Type material. Holotype —♂, “Elbursgebirge, Dirin, östl. Gatchsar, 2400–2600 m ” [North Iran, Alborz Mts., Dirin, east from Gatchsar, 2400–2600 m a.s.l.], 28.vi–11.vii.1975, Rose leg. (gen. prep. 17.417) (MWM). Paratypes: 20 ♂, the same data as the holotype; (MWM); 6 ♂, the same data as the holotype, leg. Hoffmann (MWM); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, the same data as the holotype, leg. Schurian (MWM); 4 ♂, 3 ♀, Ostan Mazanderan, Kuh-e- Sovar, Khosh Yeilaq, 1900–2100 m, 1–4.vii.1978, W.L. Blom leg. (1 m, gen. prep. 17.416) (MWM); 1 ♀, Elburs, Kendevan, 2300–2800 m, 21–25.viii.1978, W. Thomas leg. (gen. prep. 17.418) (MWM); 1 ♀, Umg. Shahabad Nationalpark, 1300 m, 21–22.viii.1977, de Freina leg. (gen. prep. 17.419) (MWM).

Etymology. Soligena (Latin)—born by the sun—because of the pale (sunburn) wing ground colour.

Description. Male. Forewing length 18–20 mm. Forewing ground colour brownish-grey, orange at basal 1/5; basal part of costal margin black. Outer part of the forewing yellow with variable saturations, from pale yellow to orange; in any case reduction of dark grey suffusion is typical for this subspecies. Hindwings light yellow, with greyish costal area. Fore wing cilia grey, hind wing cilia yellow. Male genitalia ( Fig. 36 ). As in the nominate subspecies; in some specimens, appendages of harpe finer and more slender than in the nominate subspecies. Female. Ground color pale yellow, pattern as in nominate subspecies, and hindwing often almost yellowish white. Female genitalia ( Fig. 43 ). As in the nominate subspecies.

Diagnosis. The yellow external part on the male fore wing (in contrary to dark external part of nominotypical subspecies and L. quadra dives ) is highly diagnostic. Female wing coloration is distinctly paler than in the nominotypical subspecies. The nominate population as well as those of Talysh and Dagestan differ insignificantly (0.2%) in the sequence of COI. See also ‘Distribution’.

Distribution. L. quadra soligena inhabits the territory of the northern Iran. Eastern Turkey and southern Transcaucasia ( Armenia and Azerbaijan) are the transitional territories between two subspecies. It can be considered as well defined geographic subspecies but the absence of natural barriers allows us to trace the presence of intermediate forms in populations from more humid biotopes. Thus, typical yellow winged forms of L. quadra soligena are rather rare in Talysh and only about 10% of the population from northern Iran (Siaret) corresponds to the description. The soligena coloration type is rare at the Great Caucasus, and known mostly as an aberration. However, in Dagestan it occurs in high density, with around 50% of the Dagestan population externally resembling this subspecies. Thus, the authors consider the populations of Eastern Caucasus and of coastal Caspian line to be intermediate to the nominate subspecies.

Bionomics. L. quadra soligena is a mountain subspecies, occurring mostly of dry or arid biotopes. It inhabits montane sparse forests and rocky bush valleys between 1900 and 2800 m, but sporadically is known from lower altitudes at about 1300 m. Moths were collected at light from late June to late August, but males are known mostly up to late July. Hosts are unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 13. Lithosia moths: 1 – 11 — L. quadra Linnaeus; 12 – 13 — L. yuennanensis Daniel. 1 — Phalaena quadra Linnaeus [L. quadra quadra], lectotype, female (above), male, paralectotype, female (below), coll. Linnaean Society; 2 — Phalaena deplana Linnaeus [L. quadra quadra], type, male, coll. of the Hunterian Museum of London; 3 — female, Russia, Daghestan, 8 km S Makhachkala, Talgi; 4 — male, Nordspanien, prov. Gerona, Besalu, Nr. 17402; 5 — male, Russia, Daghestan, 8 km S Makhachkala, Talgi, h = 200 m; 6 — Oeonistis dives Butler [L. quadra dives], type, male, Japan, coll. BMNH; 7 — L. quadra dives, male, N. Korea, Haeju, Su Jong San, Nr. 17405; 8 — L. quadra dives Butler, female, Primorsky Kraj, Kamenushka, GenPräp. Nr. 17427; 9 — L. quadra soligena ssp. n., holotype, male, Nordiran, Elbursgebirge, Dizin, GenPräp. Nr. 17417; 10 — L. quadra soligena ssp. n., paratype, male, Krasnodarsky Kray, Kropotkin circ., 20. VI. 2004; 11 — L. quadra soligena, paratype, female, Iran, Elburs, Kendevan 2300 – 2800 m, GenPräp. Nr 17420; 12 — L. yuennanensis Daniel, male (holotype) and female (paratype), China, Yunnan, Likiang, coll. ZFMK; 13 — L. yuennanesis Daniel, female, Shaanxi, Taibaishan, Nr. 17423.

FIGURES 33 – 45. Male (33 – 41) and female (42 – 45) genitalia of Lithosia species: 33 — L. quadra, Bulgaria, Pirin Mts., gen. prep. Nr. 17425; 34 — L. quadra, Uzbekistan, Amu-Darja, gen. prep. Nr. 17409; 35 — Lithosia quadra, East Kazakhstan, Saur Mts., gen. prep. Nr. 17410; 36 — L. quadra soligena, holotype, Nordiran, Elbursgebirge, Dizin, gen. prep. Nr. 17417; 37 — L. quadra dives, North Korea, gen. prep. Nr. 17405; 38 — L. quadra dives, Japan, Tokyo, gen. prep. Nr. 17406; 39 — L. yuennanensis, China, Yunnan, gen. prep. Nr. 14367; 40 — L. yuennanensis, China, Shaanxi, Taibaishan, gen. prep. Nr. 17407; 41 — L. yuennanensis, China, Beijing, gen. prep. Nr. 17411; 42 — Lithosia quadra, Bulgaria, gen. prep. Nr. 17425; 43 — L. quadra soligena, paratype, Nordiran, Elbursgebirge, Kendevan, gen. prep. Nr. 17420; 44 — L. quadra dives, Japan, Okayama Pref., Mt. Hirusen, gen. prep. Nr. 17421; 45 — L. yuennanensis, China, Shaanxi, Taibaishan, gen. prep. Nr. 17423.