Scoparia sinevi Streltzov, 2022

Streltzov, A. N., Ustjuzhanin, P. Ya. & Yakovlev, R. V., 2022, A new species of the genus Scoparia Haworth, 1811 (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae) from the Transcaucasia, Far Eastern Entomologist 457, pp. 1-6 : 2-6

Scoparia sinevi Streltzov , sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ E500FC85-B24B-4422-9D22-D116820BDA47

Figs 1–6

MATERIAL. Holotype: ♂, the Republic of Southern Ossetia: Dzaus Distr. ,

the Rachinsky Range, near Dodtota, 42°27′25″ N / 43 °43′ 18 ″ E, 1750 m, 1–2. VII

2021, A. Streltzov, P. Ustjuzhanin & R. Yakovlev leg. (ZIN). Paratypes: the same data as holotype, 6 ♂, 2 ♀ (ZIN).

DESCRIPTION. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Head: forehead flat, covered with white scales,

about half as wide as longitudinal width of eye. Nape with a nimbus of short protru-

ding elongated scales. Labial palpus twice as long as eye width, internally covered with white elongated scales, external scales brown, some of them hairy. Maxillary palpus is short with a tuft of elongated scales at the apex. Antennae simple, flagellum covered with yellowish white flat scales. Thorax, tegulae and tarsi yellowish white.

The wings are yellowish white with a rare coating of small brown scales, without a pattern. The length of the forewing is 9.5–11 mm, the wingspan is 20–23 mm.

Female ( Fig. 2 ). Somewhat smaller than males, length of the forewing 8.5–10

mm, wingspan 19–20 mm. The coloration is the same as in males. Sexual dimorphism is expressed only in the width of the wings: in females the wings are noticeably narrower than in males.

Male genitalia ( Figs 3, 4 ). The uncus is triangular, narrow with a pointed apex.

The gnathos is thin with a pointed apex, approximately equal in length to the uncus.

Valva wide, oval. Sacculus with slightly curved spiny ventral process. The juxta is large, gradually tapering to a slightly forked apex. Aedeagus somewhat shorter than valva, slightly curved in middle, with cornutus in the form of three large spines one of which is slightly longer than the others.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Papillae anales are oblong, triangular. Apophyses posteriors are thin, with slightly expanded apices, more than twice as long as papillae

5 – female genitalia.

anales. Apophyses anteriores are long, thin, with slightly widened apices, more than twice as long as apophyses posteriors. Antrum wide, membranous in the central part, with a small area of weak sclerotization in the distal part and with a semicircular strongly sclerotized area in the proximal part. The colliculum is thin, membranous,

smoothly passes into the ductus bursae, which expands significantly before flowing into the corpus bursae. Corpus bursae is small, oval, with an area of granular sclerotization in the distal part. Signum is missing. Appendix bursae is not expressed.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. The new species is closest to the Central Asian

Scoparia juldusella (Caradja, 1916) . The major difference is the complete absence of any pattern on the wings. Besides, significant differences were found in the structure of the male genitalia. Namely, in the new species, the aedeagus is shorter and bears a cornutus in the form of three large spines, while Scoparia juldusella has a cornutrus with one large spine (Sinev & Korb, 2022: fig. 4).

DISTRIBUTION. The southern part of the Rachinsky Range in the center of the

Greater Caucasus.

BIOLOGY. Inhabits subalpine meadows ( Fig. 6 ), moths fly in July.

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named after the famous Russian lepidopterist Dr.

Sergey Sinev (Saint Petersburg).

The authors would like to extend their gratitude to Dr S. Yu. Sinev for discussing some aspects of this article and to Mr S. K. Korb for his assistance with sources of literature.

Figures

Figs. 1, 2. Scoparia sinevi sp. n., adult. 1 – male, holotype; 2 – female, paratype.

Figs. 3–5. Scoparia sinevi sp. n. 3, 4 – male genitalia: 3 – armature genitals; 4 – aedeagus;

Fig. 6. Biotope of Scoparia sinevi sp. n. – forb subalpine meadows of the Rachinsky Range (photo by A. Fomichev).