Rhodostrophia terrestraria subsp. farsi Rajaei & Hausmann & Trusch 2022, ssp. nov.
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 farsi

description: Rhodostrophia terrestraria farsi ssp. nov.
(Figs 18–20, 66–1, 83, 97, Map 4)
Holotype. ♂, Iran, N Kerman, Kuh-e Kuhpayeh, vic. Kuhpayeh, 2600–2800 m, 16.v.2007, leg. W. ten Hagen, barcode: BC ZSM 33944, in SMNK.
Paratypes. 5 ♂, 5 ♀, S-Iran, 100 km s. Abadeh, n Didegan, 2000 m, 9.vi.1969, leg. G. Ebert, g.p. (♂) 590/2005 R. Trusch, (♀) 658/2005 R. Trusch, (♂) 2360/2020 H. Rajaei, barcode: BC ZSM 33932; 1 ♂, S-Iran, [Fars] Strasse Shiraz-Kazerun, Imam Sade, 1200 m, 3.vi.1969, leg. G. Ebert; 1 ♂, S-Iran, [Fars] Miyan Kotal, 1900 m, östl. Kazerun, 51°40' öL./29°30' nB., 4.–7.vi.1969, leg. G. Ebert; 1 ♀, S-Iran, Fars, Kazerun, Miyan Kotal, 1900 m, 11.vi.1972, leg. G. Ebert & H. Falkner; 1♂, Iran, Kerman, N Jiroft, Shingara-Pass, 2900 m, 29.v.2008, leg. W. ten Hagen; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, Kerman, 10 km E Baft, 2500 m, 14.v.2010, leg. ten Hagen; 1♂, Iran, Kerman, N Baft, Gardaneh Qaleh Askar, 2850 m, 14.v.2010, leg. W. ten Hagen; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, prov. Kerman, Baft-Sirjan, road 2 km after Baft, sandy road, 3 km to North, Ras Kuh village, N 29°17’27’’; E 56°35’37’’, 2543 mNN, 20.–21.v.2009, leg. H. Rajaei, SMNK, E-Lep. 259; all in SMNK. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, S-Iran, 100 km s. Abadeh, n Didegan, 2000 m, 9.vi.1969, leg. G. Ebert; 1 ♀, Iran, Isfahan prov. Abade-Semirom road, 30 km before Hanna protected area, 2435 m, N31°12'22'', E051°51'37'', 09.vi.2010, leg. H. Rajaei; in SMNS. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Iran, Kerman prov., Kerman-Omroide 53.73 km, 2971 m, 29°05'55.5"N, 57°33'13.9"E, 28vi.2015, leg. Saideh Shahreyary Nejad, in IMCA. 1 ♂, Iran, Kerman, Kerman SSE, Kuh-e Segroch, vic. Sirch, 2500–2700 m, 31.v.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann & A. Kallies; 2 ♀, Iran, Kerman, Jiroft NW, Gardaneh Sarbishan, Shingara vic., 2700–2900 m, 3./ 4.vi.2002, leg. J.-U. Meineke, A. Hofmann & A. Kallies, g.p. (♀) 653/2005 R. Trusch, barcode: BC ZSM 33931, BC ZSM 33933; all in PCJM. 2 ♂, 3 ♀, [Iran, Kerman], Lalehzar, 6.vi.1971, Hasch [emi] & Naim; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, [Iran] Fars, Abadeh, Didgan, 2000 m, 20.v.1974, leg. Abai / Paz [uki]; all in HMIM.
Specimen studied total: 19 ♂, 17 ♀.
Differential diagnosis. (Figs 18–20, 97) Wingspan 32–38.5 mm (slightly larger than nominotypical subspecies). With strong sexual dimorphism in wing shape and colour (females with pointed forewing apex). Male forewing light sand-coloured (significantly brighter than in nominotypical subspecies); postmedial band dark brown, distally bordered by a lighter fascia and a darker subterminal band (postmedial band of nominotypical subspecies constantly narrower than in farsi ssp. nov.). Hindwings paler than forewing, getting darker towards termen; postmedial line hardly visible. Discal spot present on forewing, absent from hindwing (usually visible in nominotypical subspecies). Underside of wings usually uniform light sand-coloured, postmedial band sometimes partially visible from underside. Female with narrower wings (but wider than in nominotypical subspecies), light sand-coloured (always paler than in nominotypical subspecies) (see Figs 18–20), one specimen from Kerman (Baft) showing a pink hue on forewings; females from the same populations always clearly darker than males. Colour combination of both male and female not allowing confusion with the orange-yellow subspecies pellonaria and the infrasubspecific form furialis (see Figs 18–20).
Male and female genitalia fall within the variation range of the nominotypical subspecies (Figs 66, 83).
Genetic data. BIN: BOLD:AAB6659. Diverging from nominotypical subspecies of R. terrestraria by 2.6%.
Distribution (Map 4). The new subspecies occurs in the southern parts of Iran (recorded from Fars and Kerman provinces).
Life history and habitat. Biology and larval stages unknown. Recorded from mid-June to mid-July from 1200 m up to 2900 m.
Etymology. The name of this species refers to the language of Iranians. Farsi (or Persian) language belongs to the Indo-European language family, which is the official language in Iran, but is also spoken in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, as well an in several other countries in Central Asia and Middle East.
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 20-21, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5118.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6378566