Sciadia innuptaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1852), Herrich-Schaffer, 1852

Huemer, Peter & Hausmann, Axel, 2009, A new expanded revision of the European high mountain Sciadia tenebraria species group (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), Zootaxa 2117, pp. 1-30 : 21-23

Sciadia innuptaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1852) bona sp., stat. rev. ( Figs. 21–24 , 38 , 46 )

Gnophos innuptaria Herrich-Schäffer, 1851 : pl. 83, fig. 508 [non binominal], 1852: 73.

Material examined. Type material. Lectotype Ψ herein designated, [ Austria, Grossglockner region?], ‘Coll. Led.[erer]’ ‘gen.prp. Hausm. G 12010’ ‘ Lectotypus Gnophos innuptaria Herrich-Schäffer, 1851 designated Huemer & Hausmann, 2009’ ( ZMHU). Austria: 1 Ψ, Steiermark, Hochschwab, leg. Bohatsch ( ZSM); 1 Ψ, same data, but 24.vii.1902, coll. Bartel ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, same data, but 22.vii.1899 ( TLMF); 1 ɗ, same data, but vii.1873 ( ZFMK); 1 ɗ, same data, but 18.vii.1912 ( ZFMK); 2 Ψ, 16.–17.vii1920 ( ZFMK); 2 ɗ, same data, but 18.vii.1912, leg. Neustetter ( TLMF); 2 ɗ, same data, but vii. ( TLMF); 1 ɗ, same data, but 2000 m, 27.vi.1915, coll. Kitschelt ( TLMF); 4 ɗ, 1 Ψ, Styria, Hochschwab, without exact date ( ZSM); 1 Ψ, 1 ɗ, ditto, but 23.vii.1899, ex coll. Osthelder ( ZSM); 2 ɗ, ditto, but 20.vii.1906 ( ZSM); 2 ɗ, ditto, but 27.vii.1898 ( ZSM); 3 ɗ, 1 Ψ, Steiermark, Gössl, Elm, 2128 m, 16.vii.2008, leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 Ψ, Steiermark, Dachstein, Südwandhütte, 23.–25.vii.1935, leg. Häuslmayr ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, Steiermark, Dachstein, Südwand, Edelgries, 1900 m, 14.viii.1959, leg. Klimesch ( TLMF); 1 ɗ, Steiermark, Dachstein Süd, 1700 m, 27.vii.1985 leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 Ψ, Dachstein, Miesberg, 2000–2200 m, 18.vii.2006, leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Warscheneck, 14.vii.1917, leg. Müller; 1 Ψ, same data, but Toter Mann, 13.vii.1921, leg. Häuslmayr ( OÖLM); 1 Ψ, same data, but Wurzenalm, 23.vii.1924, leg. Kulmburg ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, Oberösterreich, Nationalpark Kalkalpen, Krestenberg-Halterhüttental, 1538 m, 2.vii.1982, leg. Wimmer (coll. Wimmer); 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Gr. Priel, Klinserscharte, 1900 m, 17.vii.1976, leg. Wimmer (coll. Wimmer); 1 ɗ, 2 Ψ, same data, but 2000 m, 23.viii.1984, leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 ɗ, same data, but 28.vii.1984, leg. Aumayr ( RCNP); 3 ɗ, Altaussee, Loser, Augstsee, 1650–1700 m, 26.vii.1992, leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 ɗ, same data, but Loserhütte, 1600 m, 5.viii.1999, leg. Pöll ( RCNP); 2 ɗ, Totes Gebirge, Rotgschirr, 2000–2250 m, 10.viii.1985, leg. Pöll ( RCNP); 1 ɗ, Oberösterreich, Dachsteingebiet, 11.viii.1925, leg. Foltin (coll. Wimmer); 3 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Dachstein, Adameckhütte, 14.viii.1927, leg. Kusdas; 1 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Dachstein, 13.vii.1923 ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, same data, but 2200 m, 17.vii.1957, leg. Moser ( TLMF); 1 Ψ, same data, but 14.vii.1917, leg. Müller ( OÖLM), 2 Ψ, same data, but 12.vii.1918 ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, 2 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Dachstein, Krippenstein, 2000–2090 m, 8.vii.2008, leg. Ortner (coll. Ortner); 1 Ψ, Oberösterreich, Dachstein, ob. Simonyhütte, e.l., 10.8.1910, leg. Pelz ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, same data, but Simonyhütte, coll. Kitt ( TLMF); 1 Ψ, same data, but Am Stein, 1900 m, 29.vii.1990, leg. Kerschbaum ( OÖLM); 1 ɗ, Salzburg, Tweng, Gurpitscheck, 5.vii.1922 (HNS); 2 ɗ, same data, but 2300 m, e.l., 15.vii.1956, leg. Löberbauer ( TLMF); 1 Ψ, same data, but Gurpitscheck SW-Grat, 2100 m, 24.vii.1959, leg. Rath ( SLMJ); 1 Ψ, Salzburg, Lungau, Speiereck, 21.vii.1922 (HNS); 1 ɗ, same data, but 20.vii.1922 (HNS); 2 ɗ, Salzburg, Lungau, ht. Riedingtal, 10.–12.vii.1970, leg. Mairhuber (HNS); 1 ɗ, Salzburg, Lungau, Weißgrubenscharte, 22.vii.1951, leg. Witzmann (HNS); 1 ɗ, same data, but 21.vii.1951 (HNS); 1 ɗ, same data, but 4.vii.1946, leg. Reinthal (HNS); 1 Ψ, Salzburg, Hofgastein, Schloßalm, 1.viii.1970, leg. Mairhuber (HNS); 1 ɗ, same data, but 2000 m, 15.–19.vii.1960 (HNS); 1 Ψ, Salzburg, Abtenau, Wandalpefircht, 1650 m, 2.vii.1925, leg. Praniess (HNS);1 ɗ, same data, but 24.vii.1922 (HNS). Additional material: 10 #, 5 Ψ, various data ( ZSM).

Diagnosis. The wings of S. innuptaria are greyish-brown rather than dark brown and particularly the females show a characteristic gloss which is normally lacking in other species. Furthermore the females are larger on average than those of the other species and the forewings are pointed apically, a character otherwise only observed in S. slovenica and S. dolomitica sp. nov. The dull and diffuse subterminal fasciae on the underside of the wings are inconspicuous and more or less obsolete in the female. Compared to otherwise similar species, such as S. slovenica and S. dolomitica sp. nov., the markings of the wing upperside of S. innuptaria are in general more contrasting and the fasciae of the underside are diffuse and largely reduced. Major differences are found in the female genitalia which strongly differ from all species by the characteristic and at most slightly wrinkled sclerotized part of the corpus bursae. The males are rather similar to S. tenebraria , though they differ by the larger cornuti and the large size of the additional cornutus.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 21–24 ). Wingspan ɗ 28–30 mm; Ψ 24–29 mm; apex of forewing pointed, exceptionally weakly rounded in Ψ; ground colour of wings medium to dark greyish-brown, shiny, discal spots well developed on upperside of wings, weakly represented or hardly discernible on underside. Forewing upperside with contrasting dark brown antemedial and postmedial lines with weak light edging; distal and proximal area of forewing frequently mottled with greyish. Underside of wings with diffuse whitish subterminal fasciae, curved towards apex of forewing. Male genitalia ( Fig. 38 ). Uncus moderately slender, slightly rounded; costa of valva without distinct hump; ventral juxta lobes moderately long and stout, digitate, apically rounded; dorsal juxta lobes moderately large, subtriangular; saccus rather short; vesica with about 25 partially short to long and stout spine-like cornuti; additional cornutus with large basal plate and moderately short and stout distal spine. A male from Hochschwab differs from other specimens by the distinctly smaller number of only 13 cornuti; particularly the smaller cornuti are absent. Female genitalia ( Fig. 46 ). Antrum broad, funnel-shaped and strongly sclerotized, posterioventral margin distinctly emarginated medially, without specialized sclerotization on right side; posterior part of corpus bursae subovate and heavily sclerotized, at most slightly wrinkled, posteriorly recurved and overlapping anterior part of antrum; dorsal part less sclerotized; signum well developed.

Distribution. Restricted to the northeastern Alps ( Austria). A record from Zirbitzkogel in the southern part of the Styrian Alps ( Hoffmann and Klos 1919) cannot be assigned to this species with certainty, but another eastern alpine endemic, viz. Sattleria styriaca Pitkin and Sattler , shows a similar distribution pattern ( Pitkin and Sattler 1991). In contrast to other taxa of the species group the vertical distribution of S. innuptaria reaches lower altitudes and Mack (1985) lists several records from about 1700 m to 2000 m, occasionally even lower.

Remarks. Gnophos innuptaria was described from an unspecified number of females without any information on the type locality and collector (Herrich-Schäffer 1852). The original colour figure of the adult, which was published uninominally and without any description one year before the text part (Herrich-Schäffer 1851: pl. 83, fig. 508) depicts a greyish rather than dark brown Sciadia , with distinct markings and pointed apex of the forewing. At first glance no original syntypes could be traced in the BMNH, NHMW, ZFMK, and ZMHU, where material of this author is preserved ( Horn and Kahle 1935). Finally, with the help of Bernd Müller and Wolfram Mey, we were able to examine material originating from the collection of Lederer (ZMHU), which may at least partially be considered syntypical. In fact Lederer had frequent contacts with Herrich-Schäffer, who described several species after material from Lederer. A male from ZMHU is labeled “Coll. Led.[erer] v. innuptaria HS.”, “[Groß]Glok.[ner] Gamsg.[rube] Aug.[ust] 1849”; hence it was collected two years before the original figure of S. innuptaria was published. However, Herrich-Schäffer wrote that he had only [one or more] female(s) and therefore this male should be excluded from the type series. In contrast two females from the same collector may be considered potential syntypes, though they only bear the label “Coll. Led.”. The first female, with rounded wings and somewhat darker ground colour, agrees well with other specimens from Gamsgrube, a locality where S. tenebraria taurusica ssp. nov. occurs. The second female, with pointed forewing apex and greyish rather than dark brown ground colour, fully agrees with the original figure of Herrich-Schäffer (1851) in several details. It seems likely to us that this is even the same specimen depicted for the figure. To clarify the taxonomic status of the taxon we selected this second female specimen as the lecotype of Gnophos innuputaria . A dissection proved that this specimen is conspecific with the widely distributed species of Sciadia from the northeastern Alps. The collecting locality of the lectotype is unknown but since S. innuptaria also occurs in some northern parts of the Hohe Tauern it may have been collected on the same occasion as the fully labeled male specimen from the area of Großglockner. This assumption is supported by a common habit of several collectors in the 19th century who first met in the famous health resort of Bad Gastein before they continued their journey to Glockner; at the nearby Gastein the occurrence of S. innuptaria is actually proven.

Leraut (2008) erroneously stated that S. innuptaria was nothing but a junior synonym of S. horridaria [= tenebraria ]. Due to several similar misinterpretations S. innuptaria was erroneously mentioned from many regions, usually as a variation or form of S. tenebraria . However, all these records, e.g. from the Swiss Alps ( Vorbrodt and Müller-Rutz 1914), parts of the Austrian and Bavarian Alps ( Osthelder 1925 –1933), and Albania ( Rebel 1917) are based on misidentifications.

Remarkably the distribution areas of S. innuptaria and S. tenebraria coincide in some parts of the Austrian central Alps (eastern part of Hohe Tauern, Lungau) and both species have been collected sympatrically in the area of the Hochschwab Mountains and in parts of the central Alps. However, interbreeding is not reported. The interesting almost sympatric occurrence of S. innuptaria and S. tenebraria taurusica ssp. nov. was already mentioned by Mack (1985), who described the external differences and the distribution of these two taxa under the common species name S. tenebraria . However, as Mack (1985) did not go into a more detailed examination, particularly of genitalia structures, the existence of two different species was not recognized.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 24. Adults of the Sciadia tenebraria species group. 17 – 18, S. septaria (Guenée), ♂; 19 – 20, ditto, Ψ; 21 – 22, \ (Herrich-Schäffer), ♂; 23 – 24, ditto, Ψ; (left upper side, right underside).

FIGURES 37 – 40. Male genitalia of the Sciadia tenebraria species group. 37, S. septaria (Guenée), slide G 1442; 38, S. innuptaria (Herrich-Schäffer), slide G 1413; 39, S. slovenica Leraut, slide G 1414; 40, S. dolomitica sp. nov., holotype, slide G 1415.

FIGURES 45 – 48. Female genitalia of the Sciadia tenebraria species group. 45, S. septaria (Guenée), slide G 1451; 46, S. innuptaria (Herrich-Schäffer), slide G 1436; 47, S. slovenica Leraut, slide G 1428; 48, S. dolomitica sp. nov., paratype, slide G 1434.