Scopula albiceraria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847)

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 : 36

Scopula albiceraria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847)

( Plate 8, Figs 14–15; Plate 18 , Fig. 5; Plate 26 , Fig. 3)

Acidalia albiceraria Herrich-Schäffer, 1847 . Systematische Bearbeitung der Schmetterlinge von Europa, 3 (24): 23 (non binominal). Syntypes (south-eastern European Russia, Krasnoarmeysk (‘ Sarepta’); erroneous locality southern Europe in original description).

Acidalia albiceraria vitellinaria Eversmann, 1851 . Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou, 24 (2): 641. Syntypes ([ Russia]: eastern Siberia ). Valid at subspecific rank.

Synonymies (for more details on nomenclature see Scoble 1999): Acidalia sulphuraria Freyer, 1847 ([ Russia]: Sarepta [Krasnoarmeysk]).

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

Material examined: 2 ♁/ ♀ (see appendix).

Diagnosis. Wingspan ♁ ♀ 22–24 mm (Hausmann 2004). Ground colour creamy yellowish- to reddish-white, strongly pronounced transversal lines and dark suffusion in the medial area. ( Plate 8, Figs 14–15). Scopula albiceraria , if present in Iran (see Remarks), can externally be confused only with S. immistaria . A diagnosis can be made with certainty based on the genitalia characters.

In the male genitalia 8th sternite basally notched, laterally concave, cerata short, broad (basally notched, broad, cerata medium sized and thin in S. immistaria ) (see Plate 18 , Figs 5–6).

In the female genitalia antrum with small v-shaped sclerite (with very small notched sclerite in S. immistaria ) (see Plate 26 , Figs 3–4).

Phenology. Bivoltine species, flying from early June to late August (Hausmann 2004).

Biology. Unknown.

Habitat. In Europe at altitudes from 0 m to 300 m, and Asia from 500 m to 1700 m (Hausmann 2004). Investigated specimens from Mongolia were collected from 774 m to 2900 m.

Distribution. Southeastern Russia, Urals, Mongolia (Hausmann 2004). Turkmenia, Kazakhstan and southern Siberia ( Viidalepp 1996; Hausmann 2004; Makhov 2023). The occurrence in the Caucasus, Transcaucasus questionable (Hausmann 2004).

Remarks. Prout (1912 –1915) reported this species as an element for the Iranian fauna. Though during our investigation no specimens from Iran could be traced. It can be assumed that this species does not occur in Iran, and the report is probably due to confusion with S. immistaria .

DNA-barcoding. Nearest species: S. latelineata (Graeser, 1892) with 1.8 % (see Supplementary Table S1).

Figures

PLATE 18: Figures 1–6. Male genitalia of Scopula species.1: S. flaccidaria (N-Iran,Masandaran,Schasavar,g.prep.1053/2021 D. Wanke). 2: S. iranaria syn. nov. of S. flaccidaria (Cotype, Iran, Kerdej, g. prep. 2299/2020 H. Rajaei); 3: S. minorata (Spain, Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, g. prep. 1248/2021 D. Wanke); 4: S. adelpharia (S Iran, Hormozgan, Sirki, g. prep. 1309/2022 D. Wanke); 5: S. albiceraria (Mongolia, Selenge aimag, near Ochron, g. prep. 1305/2022 D. Wanke); 6: S. immistaria (N Iran, Masandaran, Damavand, g. prep. 0830/2020 D. Wanke); a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus; c = 8th sternite. Scale-bar 1 mm.

PLATE 26: Figures 1–7. Female genitalia of Scopula species. 1: S. minorata (Spain, Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, g. prep. 1249/2021 D. Wanke); 2: S. adelpharia (Sudan, Ed Damer, Hudeiba, g. prep. 1270/2022 D. Wanke); 3: S. albiceraria (SW- Mongolia, SSW Zhargalan, g. prep. 1301/2022 D. Wanke); 4: S. immistaria (Iran, Tehran, NNW Shemshak, g. prep. 0832/2020 D. Wanke); 5: S. lactarioides (Iran, Makran, Chahbar Küste, g. prep. 0879/2020 D. Wanke); 6: S. diffinaria diffinaria (Iran, Mazandaran, S Shah Kuh-e Pain, g. prep. 0521/2020 D. Wanke). Scale-bar 1 mm.