Scardostrenia reticulata Sterneck, 1928

Makhov, I. A. & Beljaev, E. A., 2019, NEW DATA ON GEOMETRID MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE) OF THE BAIKAL REGION, RUSSIA, Far Eastern Entomologist 391, pp. 1-23 : 6-7

** Scardostrenia reticulata Sterneck, 1928 , comb. resurr.

Fig. 2

MATERIAL. Buryatia: Dzhidinsky distr., near Bayan, 50º32ʹN, 105º15ʹE, 6.VII 2016,

2♀ [ IM] .

DISTRIBUTION. Russia: S Siberia (Buryatia;?Zabaikalsky krai); China (Inner Mongolia,

Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan).

NOTES. Wehrli (1939: 318) placed reticulata in the genus Proteostrenia , in which this species remained up to now, by similar appearance. Nevertheless, the morphology of reticulata does not correspond to Proteostrenia . The systematic position of this species requires an additional research. The reticulata is a type species of the generic name Scardostrenia , and provisionally we restore the original combination Scardostrenia reticulata Sterneck, 1928 ,

comb. resurr. Accordingly, the name Scardostrenia Sterneck, 1928 , stat. n., is removed from synonymy with the name Proteostrenia Warren, 1895 . Taxon Proteostrenia reticulata transbaicalensis Wehrli, 1939 , was described based on a single male labeled as

“Novorotnaja, Schilka-Fluss, 2000 m, im Juli" [Zabaikalsky krai, ~ 35 km NW of Pokrovka village, 53º30ʹN, 121º03ʹE, Povorotnaya post house, not existing since the end of the 19th

century]. The label content is not correct, as the specified area lacks mountains higher than

1000 meters, and the presence of this southern species in this deeply boreal region on at such heights seems unlikely. Similarly, a holotype of Erannis bajaria var. transbaikalica Wehrli,

1928 possesses the identical label, while the actual finds of Cryopega bajaria ([Denis et

Schiffermüller], 1775) are unknown east of Altai. Apparently, in both cases an erroneous labeling took place. Notably, Nothomiza submediostrigata Wehrli, 1939 , which holotype is labeled as "Transbaicalien or. mer., Tschikoi-Fluss [Chikoi River], 800 m, Juli", is still known only from the southern provinces of China (Hunan, Guangdong and Hainan). Since the newly discovered locality of S. reticulata is nearby the Chikoi River, an erroneous holotype labeling of N. submediostrigata by the label actually belonging to the holotype of P.

reticulata transbaicalensis is not excluded. Differences in appearance between the type specimens of transbaicalensis and nominative reticulata from Sichuan (see Sterneck, 1928:

188, Pl. 4, Fig. 39) are insignificant. Thus, the question on the true type locality and taxonomic status of P. reticulata transbaicalensis remains open, but the occurrence of this species in the northeast of Transbaikalia is doubtful.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. Adilts. 1 – Ourapteryx ussurica Inoue, 1993, male; 2 – Scardostrenia