Scopula marginepunctata (Goeze, 1781)

Wanke, Dominic, Hausmann, Axel, Lee, Kyung Min, Murillo-Ramos, Leidys, Sihvonen, Pasi & Rajaei, Hossein, 2023, Systematics and integrative taxonomic revision of the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 in Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Sterrhinae), Zootaxa 5359 (1), pp. 1-96 : 31-32

Scopula marginepunctata (Goeze, 1781)

( Plate 7, Figs 11–15; Plate 17 , Fig. 2; Plate 25 , Fig. 2; Map 10)

Phalaena Geometra marginepunctata Goeze, 1781 . Entomologische beyträge zu des ritter Linné 12. ausgabe des natursystems 3 (3): 385. Syntype (s) (Europe).

Scopula marginepunctata terrigena Prout, 1935 . In: Seitz, A. (Ed.), Die Grossschmetterlinge der Erde 4 (Supplememt): 39. Syntype (s) 26 ( Iran, Elburs Mts., Mazanderan, Sabatku, Darekeroudbar ) (NHMUK, examined). Valid at subspecific rank.

Scopula marginepunctata argillacea Reisser, 1933 . EOS 9: 240. Syntype (s) ( Morocco: Rif mountains ). Valid at subspecific rank.

Synonymies (for more details on nomenclature see Scoble 1999 and Hausmann 2004): Phalaena Geometra coniugata Borkhausen, 1794 (Europe, probably Germany); Phalaena aniculosata Rambur, 1829 (southern France: Montpellier); Acidalia puellaria Boisduval, 1840 ( Switzerland, ‘Helvetia’) 1825; Acidalia promutata Guenée, 1858 (Europe); Acidalia apertaria Walker, 1863 (no type locality stated); Acidalia pastoraria Joannis, 1891 ( Turkey: ‘Cesaree’); Acidalia marginepunctata var. madoniata Fuchs, 1901 (Sicily); Acidalia marginepunctata var. britonaria Oberthür, 1917 ( France, Bretagne: Cancale); Acidalia marginepunctata var. subatrata Wagner, 1919 ( Italy, Friuli: Udine, Cividale distr., Attimis); Acidalia marginepunctata ‘f.’ insubrica Vorbrodt, 1930 ( Switzerland: Mixos);

For the list of unavailable names, see Hausmann (2004).

Type material examined. Scopula marginepunctata terrigena Type ♁, Iran, Darekeroudbar, Sabatku , Mazandaran, Elburs Mts., 22.v.1931, F. Steinbacher, NHMUK 014173548 ; in NHMUK.

Additional material examined: 516 ♁/ ♀ (see appendix).

Diagnosis. Wingspan ♁ ♀ 23–27 mm. Ground colour ( Plate 7, Figs 11–15) dirty grey white. In Iran Scopula marginepunctata can externally be confused only with S. incanata . Therefore, these two species are diagnosed based on genitalia characters here.

In the male genitalia 8th sternite basally shallow, cerata absent (sternite basally convex, cerata medium sized in S. incanata ) (see Plate 17 , Figs 1–2).

In the female genitalia antrum with triangular or half-moon shaped sclerite (with triangular or pentagonal sclerite in S. incanata ). Lamella antevaginalis with transverse fold (strongly sclerotized, oval in S. incanata ) (see Plate 25 , Figs 1–2).

Phenology. Depending on the conditions from uni-, bi-, tri or plurivoltine species (Hausmann 2004, Hausmann et al. 2020). Investigated specimens in Iran were collected from April to October.

Biology. Larva polyphagous on a wide range of plant species of different families (e.g., Lamiaceae , Crassulaceae , Rosaceae , Fabaceae ) (see Hausmann 2004).

Habitat. At altitudes from 0 m to 800 m north of the Alps, to 1700 m south of the Alps, to 2000 m in southern Europe and to 2700 m in Morocco and Central Asia (Hausmann 2004). In Israel to 1500 m ( Hausmann et al. 2020). Investigated specimens in Iran were collected from 19 m to 3000 m.

Distribution. Widely distributed from northern Africa, and Portugal to the Urals, as well as in Middle East, Central Asia and Mongolia ( Viidalepp 1996; Hausmann 2004; Hausmann et al. 2020). In Iran this species is represented by the subspecies S. marginepunctata terrigena and is widely distributed from in the northern, western and central parts of the country (see Map 10). Reported in the literature also for the provinces Ardabil, Azerbaijan-e Sharghi, Gilan, Mazandaran and Tehran ( Schwingenschuss 1939; Wiltshire 1966; Lehmann & Zahiri 2011).

DNA-barcoding. Nearest species: S. nigropunctata with 7.7 % (see Supplementary Table S1).

MAP 10. Distribution pattern of Scopula marginepunctata terrigena in Iran.

Figures

PLATE 17: Figures 1–4. Male genitalia of Scopula species. 1: S. incanata ([Iran], Tacht i Suleiman, g. prep. 1275/2022 D. Wanke); 2: S. marginepunctata terrigena (Iran, Mazandaran, Gonbad Qabus, g. prep. 0903/2020 D. Wanke); 3: S. luridata (Syria, Marasch, g. prep. 1295/2022 D. Wanke); 4: S. immutata ([Hungary], Bükk̂sd, 1246/2021 D. Wanke). a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus; c = 8th sternite. Scale-bar 1 mm.

PLATE 25: Figures 1–5. Female genitalia of Scopula species. 1: S. incanata ([Iran], Tacht i Suleiman, g. prep. 1277/2022 D. Wanke); 2: S. marginepunctata terrigena (N-Iran, Amarlu, Rudbar, g. prep. 0875/2020 D. Wanke); 3: S. luridata ([Israel], Jaffa, g. prep. 1240/2021 D. Wanke); 4: S. immutata ([Hungary], Bükk̂sd, 1247/2021 D. Wanke); 5: S. flaccidaria (N-Iran, Bandar Pahlavi, g. prep. 1054/2021 D. Wanke); 6: S. iranaria syn. nov. of S. flaccidaria (Iran, Kerdej, g. prep. 11061). Scale-bar 1 mm.