Zolotuhia paradoxa, Beljaev & Gorbunov & Korb, 2025

Beljaev, Evgeniy A., Gorbunov, Pavel Yu. & Korb, Stanislav K., 2025, A new genus and species of lappet moths (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) from Central Asia with notes on the systematics of the family, Zootaxa 5566 (1), pp. 119-144 : 120-126

Zolotuhia paradoxa , species nova

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7CBBEA5D-518B-4E87-A703-EB547D90C1E1

( Figs 1–15 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂, 9.10.2023, Kyrgyzstan, Talassky Mt. Range , Chickan River basin at Itagar River mouth , 2020 m a.s.l., 42°09'47"N, 72°49'21"E, leg. P. Gorbunov & S. Korb. Paratypes: 11 ♂♂, 2.10.2022, Кyrgyzstan, Moldo-Too Mt. Range , 15 km NW of Kazarman village, Naryn River valley , 1220 m a.s.l., 41°30'46" N, 73°55'38" E, leg. P. Gorbunov, S. Korb & V. Zurilina ; 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, 6– 7.10.2023, Kyrgyzstan, Fergansky Mt. Range , 12 km NE of Tash-Komyr town, Sary-Bel’ River valley , 892 m a.s.l., 41°25'16"N, 72°18'59"E, leg. P. Gorbunov & S. Korb ; 241 ♂♂, 20 ♀♀, 9.10.2023, Kyrgyzstan, Talassky Mt. Range , Chickan river basin at Itagar River mouth , 2020 m a.s.l., 42°09'47"N, 72°49'21"E, leg. P. Gorbunov & S. Korb ; 1 ♂, 10.10.2023, Kyrgyzstan, Dzhumgal-Too Mt. Range , 7 km E of Susamyr village, Western Karakol River valley , 2120 m, 42°11’25"N, 74°03’19"E, leg. P. Gorbunov & S. Korb.

Moth ( Figs 1–6 ). Forewing length in males 12.5–17.5 mm, in females 14.0– 17.5 mm (females are not bigger than males, at least in the examined specimens). Head, thorax, and abdomen densely covered with very long hair-like dark grey and light yellow-grey scales, forming light and dark transverse stripes on abdomen. Abdomen posteriorly with long and forked brush of hair-like scales.

Head ( Fig. 7 ). Palpi short, three-segmented, first segment wide, rounded, second one oval, third segment thin, elliptical, approximately 3 times shorter than second one, with small notch at apex (vom Rath’s organ). Proboscis missing. Forehead in its lower part at the level of 1/3 of the eye height with wide cylindrical projection (frontoclypeal process) bearing crown of small serrations along distal rib. Vertex simple. Eyes oval, strongly convex, approximately equal in height to forehead maximum width, and covered with long thin cilia.

Antenna ( Figs 8, 9 ) with 44–45 segmented flagellum, bipectinate, pair of rami arising from ventral side of flagellomeres; scapus strongly swollen. In males, flagellum dorsally covered with light scales, decreasing in width from 2.0 mm at the base to 0.6 mm at the apex of flagellum; rami black, extremely long, reaching 2.8 mm (almost 1/3 of flagellum length). In females, antenna with thinner flagellum and with short rami reaching 0.7 mm (no more than 1/10 of flagellum length), five basal flagelomeres without rami.

Thorax. Patagia and tegulae densely covered with long hair-like scales, completely covering base of wings and thorax. Ventral arms of laterocervicalia free and very close to probasisternum.

Wings. Forewings triangular with slightly concave costal margin and strongly convex outer margin. Hindwings straight along anterior margin, rounded along outer margin, and with broadly rounded anal angle. Wings of females more elongated than those of males. The ratio of the wing length to its maximum width in males is 1.7 (in the fore wing) and 1.5 (in the hind wing), and in females it is 2.1 and 1.7, respectively.

In males, wing pattern formed by alternating dark grey and light grey scales. In fresh individuals scale covering of two layers: continuous lower one of small rounded light scales bearing 8–10 ray-like processes along outer semicircle; and with upper layer of raised, much larger, dark and light, mostly elongated (hair-like and broom-like) scales, which sparse on most of wing surface and dense in wing basal portion and along its costal margin. All scales are attached weakly and come easily off, exposing wing membrane. Forewing upper side wing pattern with distal spot, and usually with four transverse lines: antemedial, postmedial, submarginal and marginal. Antemedial line indistinct (often invisible), starting on wing costal margin slightly basal to discal spot, crossing discal cell with sharp fracture touching discal spot, and going obliquely to inner margin of wing base. Medial field between antemedial and postmedial lines not darkened. Discal spot distinct, roughly L-shaped, formed by raised broom-shaped white scales, sparsely framed by dark scales. Postmedial line moderately distinct with blackish thickening at intersections with veins, located close to middle part of wing at approximately equal distances from discal spot and from submarginal line, moderately smoothly curved outward almost parallel to outer margin of wing. Submarginal line dark, distinct, continuous, outlined with light scales along its inner side, located approximately at middle between postmedial line and wing outer margin, and nearly parallel to them, but with protrusion between the veins M3 and CuA1 and with sharp outward bend at inner margin of wing. Marginal line in form of small vague dark dots between veins on outer margin of wing plate. Wing fringe wide, 1.2–1.5 mm width, only slightly narrower than distance between submarginal line and wing plate margin, of grey colour with darkened outer margin. Fringe scales of two types: very long, 1.0– 1.5 mm, broom-shaped with filiform base and expanded apical part about 0.2 mm long, bearing 3–6 filaments at apex of about 0.2 mm long); and short ones, 0.3–0.4 mm, of similar shape.

Hindwings with only faintly defined postmedial line and weak points of marginal line. Unlike forewings, distal half of hindwing slightly darkened in comparison with its basal part. Fringe same as on forewings.

Individual variability of the wing pattern in males consists of different degrees of forewing darkening. In more darkly coloured moths the transverse lines are less distinct. The antemedial line especially often disappears: it is more or less noticeable in only a quarter of the type specimens only. In rare cases the male forewings are completely dark grey (like those of the females), or even black. In this case, the wing pattern is represented only by a light discal spot, sometimes in combination with a lighter marginal field outward from the submarginal line ( Fig. 4 ).

In females, forewing colouration is much more uniform, with light distal spot distinct only. The transverse lines are usually not present, sometimes with the exception of weakly defined postmedial and submarginal lines.

Wing venation ( Fig. 10 ). Veins thick, slightly protruding on surface of wing, thinning towards the wing margin. Forewing with Sc short, ending on anterior wing margin at about middle of wing. Five radial veins: R 1 from 2/3 of discal cell length; Rs1 and Rs2 very close together, from long common stem which approximately 2/3 of Rs2 length; Rs1 going to costal margin of wing and Rs2 going to the apex of wing; Rs3 and Rs4 on common stem which about ¼ of Rs3 length. M1 from anterior end of discal vein, M2 from posterior end of discal vein near base of M3. Bases of M3 and CuA1 not close together, CuA1 from discal cell at about ¾ of its posterior margin length, CuA2 from middle of discal cell and going to tornus of wing. 1A+2A relatively short, reaching 2/3 of the wing length along inner margin. 3A short, free, not connected to 1A+2A.

Hindwings with humeral Sc–Rs cell missing. Humeral (H) veins varying: H vein single, strong, long, curved, ending on costal wing margin at level of SC+ R 1 base, with thin branch directed towards to dorso-basal angle of wing; or H veins two closely located to each other, of them basal vein thin and short, and distal vein strong, as described above, but not branching. Vein Sc+ R 1 short, arising from middle of discal cell and ending on costal wing margin at about two-third of its length. Rs from discal cell slightly basal to discal vein, M2 and M3 from posterior corner of discal cell, CuA1 from discal cell slightly basal to M3, CuA2 from discal cell at about 1/3 of its length. Anal veins two, long, CuP fold missing.

The wing venation variability mainly consists of the structural diversity of humeral veins, which can differ even on the right and left wings of the same moth.

Legs ( Fig. 11 ) of moderate length, relatively thin. Fore, middle and hind legs similar to each other, weakly differing only in length and ratio of parts. Middle legs slightly longer than front and hind legs, which almost of same length. Femora laterally with long hair-like scales. Fore tibia ( Fig. 11a ) slightly shortened, only little longer than first segment of tarsus, without epiphysis. Middle and hind tibia ( Figs 11b, 11c ) without spurs. Tarsi and tibiae of all legs with numerous moderately strong spines up to middle of their length along ventral side.

Abdomen. Segments 1–8 without modifications.

Male genitalia ( Figs 12, 13 ). Tegumen small, oblong, vinculum narrow, with small wide rounded saccus. Uncus basally fused with tegumen, strong, bottle-shaped in frontal plane, laterally wide, with slightly bulbous apical portion bearing median dorso-posterior shallow groove and pair of small ventro-apical pointed projections. Gnathos in shape of a half ring, dorsally fused with tegumen, laterally wide, moderately sclerotised, ventrally with pair of long, strong spine-like processes, fused basally and directed posteriorly. Valvae symmetric, wide, solid, moderately sclerotised, with almost square cucullus (apical portion of valva distal to sacculus). Costal sclerotisation of valva weakly expressed, dorso-basal processes of valvae (hemitranstilla or basal process) missing. Sacculus moderately sclerotised, with weakly convex setose dosro-basal lobe (dorso-basal saccular lobe, see the Discussion), and with wide and short, oval, ladle-shaped distal process of sacculus (cuiller). Juxta wide and short, V-shaped, closely articulated with middle part of aedeagus. Caulis small, groove-like, tightly attached to aedeagus ventrally ( Fig. 13b ), but not coalesced ( Fig. 12a ). Phallus with short flattened-cylindrical aedeagus with short caecum bent ventrally and with apex in form of oblique dilated gutter, bent ventrally. Vesica membranous, with two moderate swellings bearing ventrally dense group of few short spiny cornuti and broad scobinate zone.

It should be noted that, although the shape of the vesica resembles that of the female bursa copulatrix (see below), its volume corresponds only to the volume of the swollen portion of the ductus bursae.

Female genitalia ( Figs 14, 15 ). Papillae anales rounded (about 1 mm in diameter), semimembranous, with numerous strong setae. Ovipositor short, almost as long as papillae anales. Posterior apophyses about 1.5 mm long, approximately same length as eighth tergite, with wide triangular base and thin distal portion. Eighth tergite trapezoid, narrow, its width 2.8 times of its length, latero-posteriorly and posteriorly with sparse combs of strong setae ( Fig. 14 ). Anterior apophyses three times shorter than posterior apophyses. Ventral area of eighth abdominal segment membranous, with large, rounded, lobe-like sclerotised postvaginal plate connected laterally with tergite by pair of long, narrow, triangular bars ( Fig. 14 ). Ostium narrow, opening at the bottom of moderately large membranous cup-lake vaginal sinus. Ductus bursae membranous, inflated posteriorly, narrowed and longitudinally moderately wrinkled anteriorly, with ductus seminalis arising latero-ventrally from posterior portion of inflation of ductus bursae ( Fig. 14 ). Corpus bursae membranous, oval, without sclerotisations, close to inflated portion of ductus bursae in size.

Distribution. Kyrgyzstan. The species is currently known from four locations in the lower part of the Naryn River basin ( Fig. 16 ). Due to the extremely poor study of the autumn seasonal aspect of Lepidoptera in this region, it can be assumed that the range of this species is wider and covers a significant part of the mountainous Central Asia.

Ecology. The biotope of Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov. is stony and rocky mountain slopes abundantly covered with shrub vegetation, with an altitude range from 850 to 2100 m above sea level. The species had its maximum abundance, dominating among all other moths, in the lower part of the rocky slope of southern exposure, overgrown with dense thickets of the Turkestan (Pamir-Tienshan) shrubby cherry Amygdalus ulmifolia (also known with combinations as Prunus (Louiseania) ulmifolia or Aflatunia ulmifolia ) ( Figs 17, 18 ), and other shrubs such as Zabelia corymbosa , Rosa maracandica , Lonicera stenantha , Spiraea hypericifolia and Cotoneaster sp. Such a high abundance of Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov. in this place suggests that A. ulmifolia can be a host plant for the caterpillars of the described species. However, considering that monophagy is generally atypical for lappet moths, this shrub is unlikely to be the only host plant for Z. paradoxa sp. nov. Possibly, the dense and high thickets are capable of creating a local microclimate (more humid, with a smaller amplitude of temperature fluctuations under their canopy), favourable for the development of caterpillars and leading to a high population size.

Adults are active at night. All the collected females flew to the light of the UV lamp only in the first hour after sunset, after that their flight ended. The flight of the males began after the completion of the female flight, and continued until dawn, when the air temperature dropped to 0⁰C.

In all four locations known at present, despite the difference in altitudinal zones, moths were collected in the first ten days of October. Since adults do not feed (do not have a proboscis), it can be assumed that their life span and flight period are very short. In the mountain-steppe belt (900–1200 m) near Kazarman village and Tash-Kumyr village they flew together with noctuid species of the early autumn seasonal aspect, such as Caradrina spp. , Eugnorisma mikkolai Varga, Ronkay, Ronkay & Gyulai, 2015 , Euxoa bogdanovi (Erschoff, 1874) , Catasema vulpina ( Staudinger, 1888) , Metopodicha antherici ( Christoph, 1884) , Dryobotodes contermina ( Graeser, 1892) , Bryomixis lichenosa Ronkay & Varga, 1990 , Polymixis colluta ( Draudt, 1934) , P. trisignata ( Ménétriès, 1849) , Dichagyris amoena ( Staudinger, 1892) , and D. singularis ( Staudinger, 1877) . Whereas in the mountain-forest belt (2000–2200 m) of the Talas and Dzhumgal-Too ridges they were collected almost exclusively together with wintering species of the genus Dasypolia Guenée, 1852 , and Nekrasovia pliuschi Ronkay & Varga, 1993 of the late autumn seasonal aspect.

Etymology. The species is named paradoxa (Latin, adjective, feminine: contrary to expectation) because it combines morphological characters in an unexpected way.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov., mots. 1—holotype, male; 2—paratype, male; 3—paratype, female; 4—male in nature, melanistic form; 5—male in nature, common form; 6—female in nature.

FIGURES 7–11. Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov., external structures. 7—head and patagia, anterio-lateral view; 8—male antenna, ventral view; 9—female antenna, latral view; 10—wing venation; 11—legs: 11a—fore legs, 11b—mid legs, 11c—hind legs.

FIGURES 12–15. Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov., male and female genitalia, paratypes. 12—male genitalia, Talassky Mt. Range, at Itagar River mouth: 12a—ventral view, aedeagus removed; 12b—aedeagus and vesica, lateral view from left, basal process of aedeagus lacking; 13—male genitalia, Moldo-Too Mt. Range, 15 km NW of Kazarman village: 13a—ventral view, aedeagus removed; 13b—aedeagus, lateral view from right; 13c—lateral from right. 14—female genitalia, ventral view, 8th abdominal tergum deflected, moth from Talassky Mt. Range, at Itagar River mouth; 15—female genitalia, ventral view, moth from the same locality. caul.—caulis, d-b.s.l.—dorso-basal saccular lobe, d.s.—base of ductus seminalis.

FIGURES 16–18. Collecting sites and biolopes of Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov. 16—collecting sites of the species in Kirgizstan. 17—thickets of Amygdalus ulmifolia in the type locality of Zolotuhia paradoxa sp. nov. in Talassky Mt. Range. 18—A. ulmifolia, branches with leaves and fruits.