Rhodostrophia terrestraria subsp. terrestraria terrestraria (Lederer 1869
Creators: name: Rajaei, Hossein
name: Hausmann, Axel
name: Trusch, Robert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometridae
Rhodostrophia
Rhodostrophia terrestraria
Rhodostrophia terrestraria terrestraria (lederer, 1869)

description: Rhodostrophia terrestraria terrestraria (Lederer, 1869)
(Figs 13–17, 66–2, Map 4)
Eusarca terrestraria Lederer, 1869: Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 6: 90, pl. 5, fig. 9. Type material: Lectotype 1 ♂, ([Iran],Astrabad [Gorgan], Lederer 1869) (examined. In the original description two male specimens mentioned as syntypes. We found only one male specimen from the Lederer collection in NHMW; hereby a lectotype is designated in order to stabilize nomenclature. Beside, one female specimen from the type locality, also from the Lederer collection is available in NHMW, which is not mentioned in the original description, but latter by Lederer 1871: 20).
Rhodostrophia terrestraria furialis Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. (Figs 15–17, Map 4): Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 31(3): 865, pl. 28, fig. 2. Type material examined: Lectotype ♂ (examined. In the original description a holotype is not mentioned, but the type series is labeled as holotype and paratype; hereby a lectotype designated in order to stabilize nomenclature): ‘ Iran Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud (Meched), 3500 m 28.7.1938, coll. Brandt’, ‘ Holotype, Rhodostrophia furialis Brdt. ’, ’45, 60’, ‘Preparation, WBS.16’, ‘2:75, R.M.prep. 3710’, ‘ Lectotypus ♂, Rhodostrophia furialis Brandt, 1941, design. Rajaei, Hausmann & Trusch’ in coll. NHRS. Paralectotype, 1 ♀, same data as lectotype, ‘ Allotype, Rhodostrophia furialis Brdt. ’, NHRS-LEPI 000010271, g.p. 11018 H. Rajaei; 1 ♂, same data as lectotype, ‘ Paratype, Rhodostrophia furialis Brdt. ’, NHRS-LEPI 000010270, g.p. 11017 H. Rajaei; in coll. NHRS. 1 ♂, ‘ Iran Khorassan, Kouh i Binaloud (Meched), 3500 m 28.7.1938, coll. Brandt’, ‘ Paratype Rhodostrophia furialis Brdt. Brandt’, ‘ Paralectotypus ♂, Rhodostrophia furialis Brandt, 1941, design. Rajaei, Hausmann & Trusch’ in ZFMK. Regarded valid at species level by Scoble (1999: 822) and Scoble & Hausmann (2007).
Records in literature. Rhodostrophia terrestraria: Staudinger (1871: 175); Staudinger (1901: 278); Prout (1913: 37); Prout (1935: 23); Viidalepp (1996: 57); Scoble (1999: 824); Hausmann (2004: 381); Scoble & Hausmann (2007); Mironov et al. (2008: 210); Beljaev & Mironov (2019: 276); Müller et al. (2019: 844).
Previous records from Iran. Iran, Golestan, Astrabad, 5.v.1869, leg. J. Haberhauer (Lederer 1871); Iran, Mazandaran, Elburs [Alborz] Mts., 3km E Baladeh, 3034 m, 2.vi.2007, 36.234022, 51.835222 (Lehmann & Zahiri 2011); Iran, Semnan, Schahkuh; Kendevan, 2600–3200 m, 3.vii.1936; Tarsee [Tar Lake], 2000–2800 m, 13.vii.1936; Damavand, 2000–2800 m, 4.–29.vii.1936; all leg. L. Schwingenschuss (Schwingenschuss 1939).
Additional material examined. 1 ♂, Iran, Prov. Tehran, Elburz mts., 3 km NNW Shemshak, 2860 mNN, N 36°02'; E 051°28', 24.vii.2003 (lux), leg. G. Ebert & R. Trusch, g.p. (♂) 651/2005 R. Trusch; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Mazandaran [Semnan], Elburz mts., S Shah Kuh-e Pain, 2750 m, N 36°33'; E 054°26', 17.vii.2003 (lux), leg. G. Ebert & R. Trusch, g.p. (♀) 650/2005 R. Trusch; 4 ♂, 4 ♀, Iran, prov. Mazandaran [Semnan], Elburz mts., S Shah Kuh-e Bala, 2400 m, N 36°33'; E 054°36', 19.vii.2003 (lux), leg. G. Ebert & R. Trusch. g.p. (♂) 591/2005 R. Trusch; (♂) 2358/2020 H. Rajaei; 1♂, 1♀, id., 20.vii.2003 (lux), barcode: BC ZSM 33924; 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Esfahan, NE of Naraq, Kuh-e Goran, 2500 m, N 34°05'; E 050°54', 6.vii.2003 (lux), leg. G. Ebert & R. Trusch; 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Mazandaran, Pass Dibaj / Galugah, 2,450 m, N 36°30.319'; E 054°09.508', 26.vii.2006, leg. B. Mollet & G. Flutsch, barcode: BC ZSM 33923; 1 ♂, Iran, Elburz mts., N Teheran, Kendevan-Pass, N 36°09'09.0"; E 51°18'37.7", 3010 m, 19.vii.2006, leg. R. Trusch; 1 ♀, N-Iran, Elburz mts. N Tehran, Dizin vic.- Shemshak, N 36°01'21.6", E 51°26'37.7", 3250 m, 17.vii.2006, leg. R. Trusch, g.p. 652/2005 R. Trusch; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, N-Iran, Elburs-mts., Prov. Tehran, 15 km E Gatschsar, 2800 m, 7.viii.1972, leg. G. Ebert; 1 ♀, Iran, Esfahan, Kuh-e Karkas (Nordseite), vic. Ferizan, 2450–2650 m, 4.vi.2006, leg. W. ten Hagen; 1♂, Iran, N Tehran, Zentr. Elburs, SE Dizin, 3400–3650 m, 6.vii.2010, leg. W. ten Hagen; all in SMNK. 2 ♂, Iran, Shahrud, Shahkouh, Tash, Ayoub Hosseini Region, 2588 m, 36°37'18"N, 54°33'42.6"E, 11.vii.2016, leg. Sh. Feizpour; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Golestan, Shahrud-Golestan road, Shahkouh, 2585 m, 36°38'36"N, E54°31'31", 16.vii.2016, leg. Sh. Feizpour; all in SMNS. 1 ♀, Iran, Elburz mts., N Teheran, Kendevan-Pass, Nessa, 2300 m, 25.vi.2001, leg. A. Hofmann, J.-U. Meineke, G. Tremewan; 9 ♂, 14 ♀, Iran, Golestan, Sharud W, Shah-Kuh-Bala, 2580 m, 18.vii.2003, leg. A. Hofmann, J.-U. Meineke, G. Tremewan, g.p. (♂) 2359/2020 H. Rajaei, (♀) 2413/2021 H. Rajaei, barcode: BC ZSM 33922; 1 ♂, Iran, Mazandaran, östl. Elburs, N Damghan, vic. Kalate (Passhöhe), 2400 m, 17.vi.2003, leg. W. ten Hagen; all in PCJM. 2 ♂, [Iran] Karaj, Kandavan, Sarchal, 2800 m, 4.–8.vii.1977, leg. A. Pazuki & Mortazaviha; 1 ♂, [Iran] Esfahan, Natanz, Abianeh, 2150 m, 6.vi.1988, leg. Hash [emi] & Badii; 2 ♂, 2 ♀, [Iran] Tehran, Lar Valley, 24.–25.viii.1992, leg. E. Ebra [himi] & Badii; all in HMIM.
(Rhodostrophia terrestraria furialis Brandt, 1941 syn. nov.): 1 ♂, Iran, Esfahan, W, Fereydoun Shar, vic. Sibac, 2450 m, 6.–7.vi.2006, leg. W. ten Hagen, g.p. 2361/2020 H. Rajaei, barcode: BC ZSM 33934; in SMNK. 1 ♂ (“paratypoid”) Iran Khorassan Kouh i Binaloud 3300, 25.vii.1938 leg. F. Brandt, ex coll. C. Hörhammer, in ZSM
Specimen studied total: 35 ♂, 30 ♀.
Taxonomic conclusions on Rhodostrophia terrestraria furialis Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. Specimens (Figs 15– 17) small in size (26–29 mm) with dark gold-orange coloration of forewing with a red-brown postmedial band; hindwings orange with a light postmedial line; tiny dark discal spots visible only on forewings. Because of its size and the orange hue of wing coloration, the specimens superficially resemble species of the genus Lythria Hübner, 1823. Genitalia characters fall into the variation range of Rhodostrophia terrestraria. Examination of male and female genitalia of the type specimens proved the infrasubspecific level of the taxon furialis, previously recognized by barcoding of the single specimen from Sibac (prov. Esfahan, Fereydoun Shar, leg. W. ten Hagen; Fig. 17), the latter perfectly matching the type material of furialis in wing colour and pattern. Even in the original description, Brandt (1941) already stated: “Steht jedoch der terrestraria Led. nahe, nur bedeutend kleiner und ganz anders gefärbt” [English translation: „however, it is close to terrestraria Led., but significantly smaller and completely different in coloration“]. According to our interpretation, furialis should be regarded as a high altitude form of R. terrestraria, and as infrasubspecific. As long as no further material is available, this is the most parsimonious explanation of the fact, that this form was found in both mountain systems Zagros and Binaloud, far from each other.
Differential diagnosis. (Figs 13–17, 96) Wingspan 27–35 mm. Forewing termen straight. Sexual dimorphic in wing shape and colour (see below). Male forewing dark sand-coloured, postmedial band distally bordered by a lighter fascia and a darker subterminal band. Hindwings paler than forewing, getting darker towards termen; postmedial line hardly visible. Discal spot usually visible on forewing but faint on hindwing. Underside of wings usually uniform light sand-coloured, postmedial band sometimes partially visible from underside. Females with narrower wings, light to dark sand-coloured and sometimes with pink hue on forewing (see Figs 13, 14); females from same populations clearly darker in coloration than males (colour combination of both male and female is unique and cannot be confused with any other Iranian Rhodostrophia). Other subspecies (pellonaria and farsi ssp. nov.) show different geographical and altitudinal distribution patterns (see below) and constant differences in wing colour. Forewing colour of subspecies pellonaria light gold-orange to warm yellow-sandy; hindwings with stronger yellow hue, nearly without any fasciae. The infrasubspecific form furialis is much smaller in size (26 mm) with dark gold-orange colour in forewing and orange hindwings. Subspecies farsi ssp. nov., paler than nominotypical subspecies (see below). Male antennal flagellum ventrally dentated. Male hindtibia with four spurs, pseudospur absent.
Male genitalia (Fig. 66–2) with long uncus, gradually getting narrower towards base (same size as in R. sieversi, not fusiform) (Fig. 3); valva apically bilobed, both lobes strongly spinulose (Fig. 66–2b); sacculus part of valva folded ventrad over the valva. Male sternum A8 bilobed (octavals shorter than in R. sieversi). Aedeagus strongly curved (nearly 90°).
Female genitalia with a small, spherical and membranous corpus bursae (much smaller than in R. vibicaria, R. auctata and R. sieversi); ductus bursae sclerotized, short, swollen towards ovipositor, anteriorly much narrower than at its posterior part. Posterior apophyses very long, three times as long as anterior apophyses (posterior apophyses in R. terrestraria being the longest among all other Iranian Rhodostrophia).
Genetic data. Nominotypical subspecies with BIN BOLD:ACE9941, including one specimen of the altitudinal form furialis, the latter slightly diverging by 0.9% (BC ZSM Lep 33934; Fig. 119 & Table 1). Genetic distances of subsp. pellonaria and farsi ssp. nov. 1.6–2.6% (see below). Nearest species in Iran: R. badiaria (4.4%).
Distribution (Map 4). Irano-Turanian species with at least three subspecies (the third subspecies is described here, see below). Nominotypical subspecies of R. terrestraria with Turanian distribution, from eastern Turkey (Koçak & Kemal 2018) to north-western and northern Iran. Most probably present also in the Transcaucasus, but not yet recorded. Records from Ukraine and Russia uncertain and requiring further studies (Hausmann 2004; Mironov et al. 2008; Beljaev & Mironov 2019).
Life history and habitat (Figs 96, 111, 112, 115). Biology and larval stages unknown. Moths attracted to artificial light in mountain steppe, easily flushed up during daytime and hiding in Astragalus shrubs (Fig. 96, pers. observ. in Alborz and Zagros mts.). Univoltine species, the nominotypical subspecies flying from early June to late August in high altitudes (from 2150 m up to 3650 m); all recorded populations of ssp. pellonaria flying in altitudes below 2100 m; the high-mountain form furialis Brandt, 1941 observed at 2450 and 3500 m; subspecies farsi ssp. nov. from 1200 m up to 2900 m.
description: Published as part of Rajaei, Hossein, Hausmann, Axel & Trusch, Robert, 2022, Taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) in Iran, pp. 1-64 in Zootaxa 5118 (1) on pages 18-20, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5118.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6378566