Gnophopsodos sabine Erlacher & Erlacher, 2016, spec. nov.
Creators: name: Erlacher, Sven
name: Erlacher, Josepha
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometridae
Gnophopsodos
Gnophopsodos sabine

description: 7. Gnophopsodos sabine spec. nov.
(adults Pl. 2, Figs 7a, 7b; male gen. Pl. 4, Fig. 7c; female gen. Pl. 5, Fig. 7d)
Locus typicus: Russia, Republic of Altai, env. Aktash. Deposition of holotype: MNC.
Material examined. Type material. Holotype Ƌ (Pl. 2, Fig. 7a; Pl. 4, Fig. 7c): [Russia:] ‘ Russland, Süd–Sibirien | Republik Altai | 17.–22.VII.2009 | Umgeb. Aktasch | leg. Bernd Schacht’, ‘SE–561 Ƌ | gen. prep. | Erlacher, 2012’, <red label> ‘ HOLOTYPE Ƌ | Gnophopsodos sabine | Erlacher & Erlacher, 2016’, MNC.
Paratypes 26Ƌ, 2♀: Russia: 6Ƌ, southern Siberia, Republic of Altai, env. Aktash, 17.–22.vii.2009, leg. B. Schacht; 1Ƌ, same data, gen. prep. SE–657; 1Ƌ (Fig. 1 a), same data, gen. prep. SE–396, barcode id. SE–MNC– Lep–00993, BIN BOLD:ABU7240; 1Ƌ, same data, barcode id. SE–MNC–01071, BIN BOLD:ABU7240, SBD. 1Ƌ, same data, gen. prep. SE–397, barcode id. SE–MNC–Lep–00971, BIN BOLD: ABU 7240; 10Ƌ, same data, LHS. 1Ƌ, southern Siberia, Republic of Altai, env. Aktash, 15 km N village Aktash, 50°20’04’’N / 87°44’38’’E, 2440 m, 30.vii.2011, leg. D. Stadie, T. Drechsel & J. Gelbrecht; 1♀ (Fig. 1 b; Pl. 2, Fig. 7b; Pl. 5, Fig. 7d), 3 km S Aktash, 50°18’20’’N / 87°39’27’’E, 1396 m, 27.–31.vii.2011, lux, leg. D. Stadie, T. Drechsel & J. Gelbrecht, gen. prep. SE–605, SDE. 1Ƌ, Republic of Altai, Seminskiy-Pass, S Schebalino, 4 km south of the pass, 51°00’59’’N / 85°37’49’’E; 1560 m, 19.vii.2014, leg. J. Gelbrecht & E. Schwabe; 2Ƌ, Republic of Altai, 6 km SE Aktash, 50°16’49’’N / 87°40’07’’E, 1450 m, e.o. (♀: 03.viii.2011), leg. J. Gelbrecht & E. Schwabe, GJK. 1Ƌ, South East Altai, Ulagan (north of Aktash), Ajgulaksky Ridge, 50°19’N / 87°35’E, 1400 m, 24.v.2012, leg. A. Volynkin, ex coll. U. Ratzel; 1Ƌ, NW Altai, Zmeinogorsk, Tigireksky Ridge, 3 km east-southeast Razrabotnaya Mountain, 51°02’40’’N / 83°00’05’’E, 1500 m, 16.–19.vii.2012, leg. A. Volynkin, ex coll. U. Ratzel, gen. prep. SE–662; 1♀, same data, gen. prep. SE–683, MNC.
PLATE 2. Adults of Gnophopsodos. 5— G. puengeleri: 5c—Ƌ; 6— G. ravistriolaria: 6a— G. ravistriolaria ravistriolaria holotype Ƌ, 6b— G. ravistriolaria pantherinus subspec. nov. holotype Ƌ, 6c— G. ravistriolaria pantherinus subspec. nov. paratype Ƌ; 7— G. sabine spec. nov.: 7a—holotype Ƌ, 7b—paratype ♀; 8— G. stemmataria: 8a —Ƌ, 8b—holotype ♀; 9— G. tholeraria: 9a—lectotype Ƌ, 9b—paralectotype ♀. Undersides of specimens are denoted by ‘*’. Scale bar: 10 mm.
PLATE 4. Male genitalia of Gnophopsodos; valvae and aedeagus. 6d— G. ravistriolaria ravistriolaria (holotype), 6e— G. ravistriolaria pantherinus subspec. nov. (holotype); 7c— G. sabine spec. nov. (holotype); 8c— G. stemmataria; 9c— G. tholeraria (lectotype), 9d— G. tholeraria (paralectotype). Scale bar: 1 mm.
PLATE 5. Female genitalia of Gnophopsodos. 1d— G. badakhshanus; 2d— G. fractifasciaria; 5f— G. puengeleri (paralectotype); 7d— G. sabine spec. nov. (paratype); 8d— G. stemmataria (holotype); 9e— G. tholeraria (paralectotype). Scale bar: 1 mm.
Description. Adults (Pl. 2, Figs 7a, 7b).
Measurements. Wingspan: 28–32 mm (Ƌ), 29–33 mm (♀); forewing length: 14–18 mm (Ƌ), 16–17 mm (♀); forewing width: 10–12 mm (Ƌ), 11–12 mm (♀).
Wings. Upper side light gray, densely cluttered with darker scales, giving an overall medium-gray impression; antemedial line more or less indistinct; postmedial line distinct, blackish-gray; marginal line dashed; underside similar to upper side but a shade lighter and blurred.
Male genitalia (Pl. 4, Fig. 7c). Total length: 2.52–2.59 mm; valvae span: 1.95–1.96 mm; valvulae span: 2.07– 2.11 mm; valvae width: 0.85–0.88 mm. Costa smoothly padded, sparse costal thorns pooled to a subterminal cactus-like structure; uncus broadly rounded with slender peak; gnathos bulb-like, laterally compressed with subterminal pointy hook; caudal end of juxta remarkably broadened; aedeagus length: 1.02–1.06 mm; appendix aedeagi: 1.63–1.73 mm.
Female genitalia (Pl. 5, Fig. 7d). Total length: 4.01 mm; antrum length: 0.95 mm; antrum width: 0.49 mm; papillae anales densely covered with strong setae.
Diagnosis. Externally, G. sabine can be confused with grayish specimens of G. puengeleri or G. fractifasciaria. However, in contrast to G. puengeleri and G. fractifasciaria, the ante- and postmedial lines proceed rather parallel, whilst in G. fractifasciaria the lines diverge to the costa of the forewings and even more so in G. puengeleri. Yet this pattern may be slightly variable, but in most cases G. sabine should be distinguishable from other species of the group by its rough-looking medium-gray basic coloration diffused with darker scales, while the usual coloration of G. puengeleri and G. fractifasciaria gives a smoother impression and is lighter and rather brownish or even whitish. Regarding the male genitalia structures the most helpful characters for the determination of G. sabine may be the stout and straight saccus, which is singular within the genus Gnophopsodos. The long saw blade-shaped appendix aedeagi gives the impression of being diagonally cut, with the cutting edge being serrate, terminating in a straight peak. Only in one specimen (gen. prep. SE–662) this serration was absent. In both, G. puengeleri and G. fractifasciaria, the saccus is clearly bent and rather thin, the aedeagus appendices are shorter and either with smooth margin (G. fractifasciaria) or slightly serrate (G. puengeleri).
Except with members of the genus, G. sabine might be confused with Charissa (Kemptrognophos) ambiguata (Duponchel) and females of Elophos vittaria (Thunberg). Whereas the antemedial line in G. sabine proceeds nearly straight it is more or less serrate in Ch. ambiguata and E. vittaria. Females of the latter have a slightly convex forewing costa. Eventually, certain identification requires preparation of the genitalia.
Distribution (Fig. 5). The species occurs in the locality of the village Aktash at altitudes between 1400 m and 2440 m in southern Siberia in the Republic of Altai in Russia.
Biology. As far as is known the flight period lasts from mid-July to the beginning of August. One specimen was supposedly found in late May. The biotope was described as light, herb-rich coniferous forest, among others with larch, spruce, pine, and single rocks (J. Gelbrecht in lit.).
Remarks. Based on available molecular data the nearest species of G. sabine is G. fractifasciaria with a COI distance of 5.78% (see also Tab. 1 and Fig. 6). The morphology of male and female genitalia indicates relationship between these species.
Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Sabine Lindner, lovely mother of the co-author.
description: Published as part of Erlacher, Sven & Erlacher, Josepha, 2016, A systematic revision of the genus Gnophopsodos Wehrli, 1945, with description of two new species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), pp. 435-456 in Zootaxa 4169 (3) on pages 446-451, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4169.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/267918