A revision of the subfamily Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) in Iran with description of a new species
Author
Alipanah, Helen
0000-0002-3717-6304
alipanah@iripp.ir
Author
Slamka, František
0000-0002-3717-6304
alipanah@iripp.ir
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-02-27
5248
1
1
70
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5248.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.5248.1.1
1175-5326
7681705
4F0414D1-147A-41CF-AEDB-8C88A400258A
Metasia inustalis
Ragonot, 1894
(
Fig. 21C
)
Material examined.
7 ÔÔ:
Hormozgân Prov.
:
1 Ô,
Geno Mt.
,
1550 m
,
6.vi.1997
,
V. Nazari
leg. (gen. prep. HA-2652,
HMIM
)
;
Kermân Prov.
:
5 ÔÔ,
Bâft
,
Khabr National Park
,
21 km
E Dashtâb Ranger Sta.
,
Pâyeshgâh-e Mobârakeh
,
N 28°47
΄43.2″,
E 56°30
΄54.4″,
2271 m
,
5.vi.2017
,
Âlipanâh
,
Afsariân
,
Mozhdehi
leg. (gen. prep. HA-2545,
HMIM
)
,
1 Ô,
Bâft
,
Khabr National Park
,
Kabr
vill., Khabr Ranger Sta.,
N 28°48
΄42″,
E 56°20
΄38″,
2142 m
,
6.vi.2017
,
Âlipanâh
,
Afsariân
,
Mozhdehi
leg.
Distribution.
Turkey
,
Iraq
and
Iran
including
Fars
(Muk Rd.),
Hamedan
(Alvand), and
Hormozgan
(Minab) Provinces (
Amsel 1961
;
Slamka 2013
).
Remarks.
This species is almost similar to
M. sefidalis
externally, but they can easily be separated based on their genitalia structure. According to
Slamka (2013)
, these two species can be separated from each other based on the following differences:
1) Wider marginal band of both fore- and hindwing in
M. inustalis
in contrast to the narrow bands of
M. sefidalis
; 2) Brown costal margin of
M. inustalis
against white costa in
M. sefidalis
; and 3) Slightly chequered fringes of both fore- and hindwing of
M. inustalis
compared with white fringes in
M. sefidalis
.
As we revealed in this study, there are three other external characters in
M. inustalis
that can help to separate it from
M. sefidalis
: forewing with a clearly distinguishable horizontal oval antemedial spot, curvature of its postmedial line, and the colour of the externo-lateral side of labial palpi. The postmedial line of the examined
M. inustalis
is outwardly curved slightly at one-fourth of its length from costal margin (
Fig. 21C
); whereas in
M. sefidalis
this part is nearly smooth (
Fig. 21B
). Moreover, the externo-lateral side of labial palpus of
M. inustalis
covered with ochreous to ochreous-brown or brown scales at three-fourth of its width, and only white at lower one-fourth (
Fig. 22A
). But, in
M. sefidalis
it has been covered by pale brown scales that are mostly concentrated at the middle part and is creamy with scattered pale brown scales towards the end (
Fig. 22B
). In most of the examined Iranian
M. inustalis
specimens, the reniform stigma of the forewing is “o”-shaped; while it is nearly dot-shaped in most
M. sefidalis
specimens. But, the latter character cannot be reliable to clearly distinguish them accordingly.
As noted by
Slamka (2013)
M. sefidalis
was generally larger than
M. inustalis
. In our examined
M. sefidalis
specimens, length of the forewing of male is
6.8‒10.5 mm
(x =
9.06 mm
± 1.06, n = 16), and that of female is
7.5‒9.1 mm
(x =
8.3 mm
± 1.13, n = 2); while in
M. inustalis
is
9.3‒9.4 mm
(x =
8.1 mm
± 1, n = 8) which all of them are male.