Nychiodes leviata Brandt, 1938

Wanke, Dominic, Hausmann, Axel, Krogmann, Lars, Petrányi, Gergely & Rajaei, Hossein, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the genus Nychiodes Lederer, 1853 (Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini) with description of three new species-an integrative approach, Zootaxa 4812 (1), pp. 1-61 : 24-26

Nychiodes leviata Brandt, 1938

( figs 45, 46, 108, 109 , 137 ; map 3)

Nychiodes leviata Brandt, 1938 . Entomologische Rundschau, 55 (51), 37. Holotype ♂ ([ Iran]: Sine Sefid ) (in NHRS, exam- ined). Originally regarded as subspecies of Nychiodes variabila . Raised to species rank by Wehrli (1954). Here confirmed valid at species rank.

Type material examined. Paratypes, 1 ♀, Iran, Fars, Strasse Chiraz [Shiraz]- Kazeroun, Fort Sine-Sefid , ca. 2200 m, v.1937, coll. Brandt (labeled as Allotype), g.prep. 10927 ; 1 ♂, same locality, 23.v.1937, coll. Brandt, g.prep. 10926 ; 1 ♂, same locality, 5.vi.1937, coll. Brandt; all in NHRS . 1 ♂, same locality, 3.vi.1937, coll. Brandt ; 1 ♀, same local- ity, 23.v.1937, coll. Brandt; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same locality, 12.vi.1937, coll. Brandt; all in ZFMK .

Additional material studied: 19 ♂ (see appendix).

Diagnosis. Characteristically small species with wingspan ♂ 26–33, ♀ 34 (forewing length ♂ 16–19, ♀ 17) ( figs 45, 46). Ground colour of wings beige-brown, medial area slightly darker. Resemble to some small specimens of N. divergaria (these two species can be diagnosed as below). In the male genitalia of N. leviata uncus thin, finely curved (in lateral view); ampulla superior almost same length as ampulla inferior, both clearly curved (uncus stout, curved; ampulla superior long, straight, ampulla inferior highly variable in size or absent, in N. divergaria ) (see figs 108, 109, 113–119 ).

In female genitalia of N. leviata , apophyses anteriores 1/3 the length of apophyses posteriores; lamella postvaginalis small, not extended; signum circular, very large (apophyses anteriores strongly reduced; lamella postvaginalis antero-posteriorly extended; signum small in N. divergaria ) (see figs 137, 141, 142 ).

In southwestern Iran, except N. divergaria , at least four other species ( N. farinosa , N. admirabila , N. subfusca , N. subvirida ) are co-distributed with N. leviata , but none of them can be externally confused with the latter species (see figs 26, 27, 38–40, 43, 44, 47–51).

Phenology. Flying from May to July.

Biology. Unknown.

Habitat. Specimens collected in altitudes from 1850-2450 m.

Distribution. In Iran, alongside the western part of the Zagros Mountains (map 3).

DNA barcoding. Nearest species (minimum pairwise distances): N. eberti sp. nov. (4.0%) and N. mirzayansi sp. nov. (4.1%) ( fig. 145 ).

Figures

FIGURE 145. Un-rooted neighbour joining tree (Saitou & Nei 1987) based on 20 species of the genus Nychiodes (calculated using K2P model: Kimura 1980 with MEGA X (Kumar et al. 2018).

FIGURES 108-114. Male genitalia of Nychiodes species. 108: Paratype of N. leviata (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10926); 109: Uncus, lateral view, N. leviata (Iran, Isfahan, 0417/2019 D. Wanke); 110: N. agatcha syn. nov. of N. subvirida (Iran, Laristan, g.prep. 10922); 111: Paratype of N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10934); 112: Uncus, lateral view, N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 0415/2019 D. Wanke); 113: Holotype of N. variabila opulenta syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Baloutchistan, g.prep. 10928); 114: Holotype of N. variabila syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10930); a = genitalia capsule; b = aedeagus. Scalebar 1 mm.

FIGURES 135-144. Female genitalia of Nychiodes species. 135: Paratype of N. admirabila (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10921); 136: Paratype of N. subfusca (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10933); 137: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. leviata (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10927); 138: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10935); 139: N. subvirida (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 0169/2018 D. Wanke); 140: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. agatcha syn. nov. of N. subvirida (Iran, Laristan, g.prep. 10923); 141: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. variabila syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Fars, g.prep. 10931; according to morphological examination this specimen belongs to N. divergaria); 142: Paratype (labeled as Allotype) of N. variabila opulenta syn. nov. of N. divergaria (Iran, Baloutchistan, g.prep. 10929), 143: Paratype of N. eberti sp. nov. (Turkey, Ascale, g.prep. 0263/2019 D. Wanke); 144: Paratype of N. mirzayansi sp. nov. (Iran, Kerman, a: whole genitalia; b: close up; g.prep. 2252/2019 H. Rajaei). Scale-bar 1 mm.