Scopula alfierii (Wiltshire, 1949)

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 : 43-44

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5359.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:11CC5175-7CCE-453F-88EB-3490E82F4972
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10167985
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D52D6D50-FFA9-FFEB-FF6F-F922FB5FDCE8
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Scopula alfierii
status

Treatment

( Plate 9, Figs 16–19; Plate 20 View PLATE 20 , Figs 5+7; Plate 27 View PLATE 27 , Fig. 7)

Glossotrophia alfierii Wiltshire, 1949. Bulletin de la Société entomologique d’Égypte, 33: 416. Holotype ♁ ( Egypt, Wadi Digla ) ( USNM).

Type material examined. Paratype [one label with Type, and one label with Paratype written on it], Egypt, Wadi Digla (desert arabique est de Maadi), le soir à la lampe, 22 Ao̊t 1925, Preparation E.P. Wiltshire 382, NHMUK 014173529 View Materials ; in NHMUK.

Additional material examined: 4 ♁/ ♀ (see appendix).

Diagnosis. Wingspan ♁ ♀ 12–14 mm. In Iran, Scopula alfierii can externally be confused with large specimens of Scopula gracilis and small specimens of S. chalcographata and S. sacraria . However, these three species can be easily diagnosed based on their genitalia characters

In the male genitalia 8th sternite, centrally not broadened, without ceras (sternite, centrally broadened, without cerata in S. gracilis ; sternite, with polymorphic cerata, right ceras of medium size, left ceras short or left ceras medium size, right ceras short in S. chalcographata ; sternite basally strongly elongated, both cerata long and narrow in S. sacraria ) (see Plate 20 View PLATE 20 , Figs 1–7).

In the female genitalia antrum with triangular sclerite (similar in S. gracilis ; long sclerite, posteriorly strongly notched in S. chalcographata ; with long and narrow sclerite, posteriorly notched in S. sacraria ) (see Plate 27 View PLATE 27 , Figs 3–7).

Phenology. Bivoltine species with a first generation from mid-March to early May and a second generation from mid-August to late October ( Hausmann et al. 2020).

Biology. Unknown. Hausmann et al. (2020) suggested Caryophyllaceae as possible food plants.

Habitat. In the Levant from 0 m to 300 m ( Hausmann et al. 2020).

Distribution. Distributed in Egypt, southern Jordan and southern Israel ( Hausmann et al. 2020). In Iran reported for the province Hormozgan by Kuznetzov (1959), but confirmation is still pending (see Remarks).

Remarks. Kuznetzov (1959) reported this species as a faunal element for the south Iranian province Hormozgan. However, during our investigation no specimens from Iran could be found. It is assumed that this species does not occur in Iran, and the report is likely a confusion with S. gracilis .

DNA-barcoding. Nearest species: S. harteni with 5.3 % (see Supplementary Table S1).